We were lucky to catch up with Nayla Morshed recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nayla , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Out of all the projects I’ve worked on, my book “All Wrapped Up”, was definitely the most meaningful to me. It explores twelve different women’s stories when asked about their relationship with the hijab and their general experiences as Muslims. Each woman was so different in regard to wealth, race, age, and background. So, I didn’t really have a set direction that I was going with. In fact, I started it as research to see the variation in experience, but soon realized I had enough for a book. Whether it was challenging or confirming my beliefs, it was just so refreshing to hear both differences and shared experiences. Not to mention, the women were so wonderful to work with and each had such upstanding character. As a hijabi, the whole experience definitely hit close to home and made me reevaluate the way I interact with other women.

Nayla , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m most proud of my work in public speaking! Speech has been such an integral part of my growth and development these past few years. Back in May, I actually gave a TED Talk about colorism, and I had so much fun developing that speech. Last year, I also ranked 2nd in Texas and in the Top 25 in the nation for Original Oratory. As a general direction or term though, I tend to thrive in working in/speaking about matters that affect the Muslim community. Islam in particular is quite misunderstood, and through speech, I’ve been able to develop a sense of comfort and awareness for my community. Seeing that I’m currently a senior in high school, I’m not exactly set on what I want to do. But, whether it’s through Islamic research at a University or even facilitating halal finances, I hope my efforts contribute towards learning more about my faith and building a foundation for American Muslims of the future.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

In the pursuit of one’s career or interests, I think it’s so important to utilize the resources right in your hand and on your phone. Reach out to those in higher positions than you and start interacting with content to help boost your morale. It may sound pretty simple, but these practices are so crucial in both bettering your involvement and learning from those who’ve also been in the same position as you. People are not as intimidating as we see them to be and they’re usually more than happy to help out.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think from a young age I’ve been taught to persevere through everything I do but, that’s not really a sustainable way of thinking. At some point, you’re simply not going to enjoy what you do anymore or you won’t receive the recognition you deserve and the work put in. I’m not saying to give up, but rather to recognize when it’s time to move on to bigger and more meaningful opportunities. Whether it’s activities or leadership positions I’ve had in the past, I’ve learned to weigh out whether something is worth my time. You can work 80 hours a week and still be in the same stagnant position for a long time. Hard work pays off but learning to allocate your work to opportunities that are worth your time will get you so much farther than you initially imagined.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nayla-morshed-b798a7211/
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/A4FVUd4ncbc