First Muslim To Golf in College While Wearing Hijab

She’s believed to be the first Muslim to golf in college while observing the hijab — and she has opinions on representation in the sport.

Transcript

00:00I've been called every racial slur in the book, I've been told that, you know, people

00:04who look like me don't play golf, or don't belong here, or you should go home.

00:09Don't let them dissuade you from what you know you're capable of doing.

00:19I'm a current sophomore at the University of Nebraska, and I play on the women's golf team.

00:31My experience wearing the hijab as a golfer is definitely unique.

00:36It's definitely more challenging mentally and emotionally, because I kind of go around

00:42and no one looks like me, and I know for a long time probably no one will.

00:46I started wearing the hijab when I was 13, almost 14 years old, and it was a completely

00:51personal decision. A lot of girls, and the Muslim community in general, kind of look

00:56to me to help break stereotypes that they have to deal with in their daily life.

01:07People hire people who look like them, and that's the problem. Golf should work toward

01:11becoming obviously much more inclusive and diverse, racially more inclusive to women,

01:17more inclusive to individuals from various socioeconomic backgrounds.

01:22I hope that I can show that golf is a game for everyone, and not just stereotypically white men.

01:29And I think the next step is to not need to have a conversation anymore.

01:34You know, I want to see action. I want to see the head of the USGA be an African American

01:39man or woman. I want to see the head of the PGA of America to be, you know, a woman.