The Deborah L. Coffin Women’s Center sent an open invitation to SNHU students to learn about hijabs, which are headscarves that some Muslim women wear, and then to participate in wearing one. This event took place on Thursday, February 2 from 7-9 p.m. in the Green Center and was co-sponsored with the International Students Association.
The event was to celebrate World Hijab Day, which passed its fifth annual year the day prior to the event, on February 1.
“The event was an invitation for Muslims and non- Muslims to experience the feeling of wearing the hijab and get educated on the reasons why Muslims choose to wear it,” graduate student Youssira Akennad said. She said that wearing a hijab is a personal choice made by a woman.
“I wear hijab because rather than distracting people by my appearance, their attention will go to my beautiful soul, heart and brain,” Akennad said.
The attendees of the event listened intently to the explanation of why women and girls want to wear this kind of head cover and then were all eager to try wearing one themselves. The event organizers helped the group of people put the hijabs on and a conversation started about what they felt like and what they looked like.
“In troubled times, it is up to us to spread awareness and stand up for all the cultures, even other than our own,” first year student Jasmine Mcfarin of the Women’s Center said. “The hijab is beautiful and empowering, and anyone who has ever said anything other than beautiful things about the hijab needs to be #woke.”
At the end of the of the event, each attendee could take a hijab of their choice with them, and some of them even walked out wearing it.
Junior Amy Mercedes said, “We stand with you. We love you. Do not be afraid.”
