Rahimeh Ramezany

Americans, our lives are not more valuable than the lives of people in other countries.

The stark reality is that our country is the great bully of the world, and as such we have a moral responsibility to equally consider the United States' foreign policies that don't affect our lives directly in how we go about our civic engagement, just as much as we consider the domestic policies that do directly affect us.

This responsibility also falls on marginalized American citizens, though not necessarily to the same extent as those with more privilege. But don't make the mistake in thinking that our marginalized identities completely relieve us of all responsibility.

The fact that the oppression committed by our country on others doesn't bother so many of us will catch up to us one day, and we will deserve it.

2 months ago | [YT] | 12

Rahimeh Ramezany

It's very telling when people respond to advocates fighting against Islamophobia by immediately bringing up injustices committed by Muslim majority countries.

Why do you assume we are objecting to bigotry only because Muslims are the victims? Do you think we find injustice perfectly acceptable when Muslims are the perpetrators against other communities?

Careful, your bias is showing.

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👋 Hi there! If we haven’t met, I’m Rahimeh and I partner with organizations to expand their existing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to include Muslims and religious identity.

✴️ Interested in working together? Learn more and schedule a free exploratory call at RahimehRamezany[dot]com (or check the link in my profile)

🍉 All views expressed are my own - they do not represent my clients or any partnering individuals or organizations.

5 months ago | [YT] | 13

Rahimeh Ramezany

"The Muslim Ummah is like one body; if one part is in pain the whole body should feel the pain."
- Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

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For non-Muslim friends who won’t understand the significance of this picture: Shia and Sunni Muslims are two sects of Muslims that have a generally tense and sometimes antagonistic relationship to one another, but here are two men, one who is Sunni and one who is Shia, praying side by side and united by their dedication to our Palestinian siblings.

You can tell this by the different ways they position their hands while praying: Shia Muslims leave our arms at our sides while Sunni Muslims will fold their arms across their chests.

Seeing this now given all the events in Palestine and during the last days of Ramadhan was so moving and gives me hope, even in the face of all that is so wrong in the world.

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Photo by Hussein Alhraishawi

@f8z5_ on Instagram

6 months ago | [YT] | 14

Rahimeh Ramezany

If in the last five months your organization hasn’t spoken up in support of your Muslim employees in the face of the extreme spike of Islamophobia that threatens their safety in every facet of their lives . . .

. . . then kindly don’t bother us with your Ramadhan posts online and greetings in the office.

At the barest of bare minimums, don’t put us in a position that requires us to fake a smile and express thanks for your completely hollow words while we have to swallow our pain and anger and fear for our community.

7 months ago | [YT] | 18

Rahimeh Ramezany

If we say or do something that causes harm, we don’t get to dodge accountability by following it up with: “I’m human and I make mistakes, please show me grace as I learn to do better”.

Sure we can be absolved of having malicious intent, which is certainly not nothing, but it is also not a get out of jail free card from needing to take appropriate accountability for the harm we caused.

And no, we also don’t get to use our marginalized identities as a shield either.

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👋 Hi there! If we haven’t met, I’m Rahimeh and I partner with organizations to expand their existing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to include Muslims and religious identity.

✴️ Interested in working together? Learn about my services at RahimehRamezany.com

🧕🏻 I am also an educational content creator and post regularly about DEI, intersectional justice, & my attempts to navigate existing as a multiethnic Muslim American hijabi. If that sounds compelling, you can find me at my handle @RahimehRamezany on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

🙏 Consider supporting the creation of free educational content like this at ko-fi.com/rahimehramezany

🍉 All views I express are my own - they do not represent my clients or any partnering individuals or organizations.

7 months ago | [YT] | 15

Rahimeh Ramezany

Do you know what is one of the clearest examples of race being a social construct that no talks about?

A white woman can live whole decades of her life as a non-Muslim and enjoy the fullest extent of her white privilege, but if she converts to Islam and starts wearing a hijab she will automatically begin to experience racism.

It happened with my mother in the 80's and I have heard from many more recent white woman converts that they experience the same phenomenon today.

How amazing is it that a simple piece of fabric can so completely alter how someone is received by the world?

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8 months ago | [YT] | 23

Rahimeh Ramezany

Look at what just came in the mail! 🤩 I'm very much looking forward to digging into this work by Dr. Ed Hasan; here's just one small snippet to pique your interest:

"Only about 16% of the world's population does not belong to a religion; the other 84% identify with one religious group or another. Furthermore, the number and percentage of the world population that is religious is projected to increase by 2050. Therefore, workplace religious diversity is not an ephemeral phenomenon, but rather a feature of the workplace that has come to stay. Despite this fact, the role and impact of religious discrimination in the workplace has not received much attention." (pg. 21)

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8 months ago | [YT] | 8

Rahimeh Ramezany

As special as each and every client engagement is to me, there is nothing quite like returning to my alma mater to share my expertise with the people who helped me get to where I am now.

This religious inclusion session was especially unique in that we started off with the story of my own growth as a young and deeply insecure Muslim college student who had a lot of internalized Islamophobia that I slowly worked through in my years at San Jose State University.

But no matter what audience I'm educating on religious inclusion I always particularly love helping my learners move from discomfort and even fear around talking about religion, to growing confidence paired with the understanding that none of us are expected to know everything about every religious community and their different needs.

✴️ If your organization is also ready to address the subject of religious inclusion for your staff, faculty, students, or community members, learn more and schedule a free exploratory call at RahimehRamezany.com

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TESTIMONIAL:

“Rahimeh's workshop ‘Religious Inclusion in Higher Education’ was a breath of fresh air. The workshop resonated deeply with both faculty and staff, and Rahimeh’s expertise as a consultant shone through as she engaged complex issues with clarity and practical strategies. Throughout the session she skillfully invited us to reflect on our assumptions and encouraged us to move beyond tolerance towards genuine understanding and respect. Participants left the session with valuable strategies for creating classrooms and other environments within higher education that are welcoming, inclusive, and supportive of all religious identities.”

- Dr. Deanna Fassett, Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Development at San Jose State University

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8 months ago | [YT] | 11

Rahimeh Ramezany

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8 months ago | [YT] | 22

Rahimeh Ramezany

Question for non-Muslim friends: on a scale of 1 to 5, how much do you feel you know about Ramadhan?

9 months ago | [YT] | 5