One thing that makes us unique is that we are driven by faith. A lot of what we do and most of our staff and team members at An-Nisa—are volunteers. And I believe to do this kind of work, you have to be working for a bigger purpose. And I think everybody in An-Nisa is working because they know there is a bigger purpose in life. There’s a greater meaning behind what we do, and that’s truly what makes us, and our staff, so unique.

To keep our spirits up, we spend a lot of time together. It goes beyond the usual team-building—it’s deeper than that. We form real connections, and we do our best to uphold and nurture those relationships. It’s the kind of environment where, if you’re only feeling 50%, someone else will say, ‘It’s okay—I’ll carry the other 50%’, and together we’ll be 100%.’ I think that kind of support is what really keeps our spirits up.

We ensure our initiatives and projects support the organization's overall goal of advocating for those in crisis and assisting them in regaining self-sufficiency.  Regular communication among leadership and with other departments is vital in setting and aligning the Advocacy team's goals to ensure that we are supporting the organization's mission. An-Nisa is truly a team and everyone's efforts support the big picture. Advocacy is honored to be a part of the team to create awareness and promote change, furthering the organization's overall cause.

One moment that really showed me the impact of our outreach was after I completed my training and began visiting families through An-Nisa. During our visits, we assess families' living conditions to better understand their needs. Because of our assessment, we were able to provide them with grocery gift cards, clothing from our drive, and toys for the children. Seeing their reactions, especially the kids' joy made it clear that our efforts were making a real difference.

Seeing my clients happy. It reminds me that even small steps forward can lead to big transformations. Watching someone regain their confidence, feel heard, or smile after a long struggle gives me the motivation to keep going, even on the hardest days.

My primary objective is to address the cultural stigma associated with seeking professional help and promote self-empowerment. I ensure that my clients gain a comprehensive understanding of both their intrinsic and extrinsic stigma, emphasizing the significance of mental health awareness in their journey towards self-improvement.

The way we know that our programs are making an impact is by staying connected to our clients and the people of our communities we serve. Reviewing programs reports, feedback, and success stories from our clients is how we see our work and every single dollar is making a difference.

The beauty of working [at An-Nisa] is that every achievement—no matter how small—is valued and celebrated, because nothing is too small of an achievement to matter. Each small success builds toward something greater, and that’s what drives me. I love looking ahead and continuously moving forward.

A game-changing initiative my team at An-Nisa launched is Wellbeing Advising, a breakthrough model for individuals who may not feel ready for therapy but still deserve support. It blends spiritual care, emotional guidance, nervous system education, and real-world problem-solving. This year, we also invested in a more advanced brain scan machine that delivers deeper, more informative reports, enhancing the precision of our care. And we began learning photobiomodulation, an emerging light-based treatment that complements our neuro-based healing approach. These innovations are expanding how we serve our community, meeting people where they are and offering tools that truly transform lives.

Through our work in schools, masjids, and community spaces, we’ve created safe environments for critical conversations that often don’t happen anywhere else…The impact has been powerful: students are opening up more, school staff are requesting repeat sessions, and families are reaching out for deeper support. Most importantly, we’re seeing young people make healthier choices and adults becoming stronger advocates for their children’s safety and emotional well-being.