United States
Jenan Matari is a 2x award-winning Palestinian-American writer, speaker, and social media influencer who has gained recognition for her work on social justice, intersectionality, and feminism. Matari was born and raised in the United States, but has Palestinian roots, and she has used her platform to raise awareness about issues affecting Palestinians and other marginalized communities.
Matari first gained prominence on social media in 2016, when she started the popular blog "MissMuslim", which aimed to create a safe and inclusive space for Muslim women to share their experiences and stories. Through MissMuslim, Matari built a large following and was able to connect with other Muslim women from around the world.
Since then, Matari has become an influential voice on a range of social justice issues, and has written for and been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, CNN, Buzzfeed, Allure and more. She has also spoken at events such as the Women's March on Washington and presented a TEDxTalk surrounding the concept of “Identity”.
Matari has been awarded for her contributions in the media industry, receiving the 2017 Shirley Chisholm Catalyst for Change award for her work in journalism, the 2021 PR News CSR & Diversity Award for her diversity initiatives in the public relations space, and was nominated as 2021 Agency of the Year for similar diversity efforts in the PR space.
Matari's work is notable for its intersectional approach, which seeks to understand and address the interconnectedness of different forms of oppression, such as racism, sexism, and Islamophobia. She is a powerful advocate for marginalized communities and is committed to using her platform to promote social justice and equality.
"Kill them all, and let their Allah take care of them." Laila Alawa was just a teenager in Potsdam, New York, when she spotted a guy wearing that slogan on a T-shirt and hoped her 6-year-old twin sisters couldn't read it.
Of the MissMuslim cofounders, only one of them is covered. Matari wears tight clothing, makeup, and bikinis. "Most people don't know I'm Muslim when they look at me," she says. "I'm also fairly light in skin color. I have dirty-blonde hair and brown eyes."
Yesterday, Donald Trump moved to ban immigrants from several majority-Muslim nations. Meet Jenan Matari, a 25-year-old Muslim woman and feminist living in New York City who was one of millions last weekend out marching in solidarity against this frightening new regime. This is her story.
Jenan hopes to inspire more women to speak out and demand that their voices be heard and to highlight the global accomplishments of Muslim women in a time when being both Muslim and a woman are seen as unfavorable. One person alone is so powerful but when multiple powerful people get together and become activists for the same cause, a movement happens. Jenan Matari is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of MissMuslim, a women’s empowerment website covering a wide range of topics from...
My connection to Palestine has always been somewhat of a beautifully tragic one. When I think of Palestine it quite literally feels like my heart is being torn to pieces. I grew up filled with pride for my homeland, but was raised to be proud in secret as a form of self-protection.
PRNEWS Live welcomes Jenan Matari, director of accounts at Victory Public Relations to discuss recent campaigns to promote Ramadan.... 15 comments on LinkedIn
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit how you grew up? Thank you for having me! It's really great to be chatting with you.
To the Editor: After the 2016 election I saw a side of America that I had fully believed was going to run rampant for the next few decades. I had no idea how much angst I had been holding inside until this moment. I feel lightheaded from relief.
Let's talk "identity politics." I don't have a single label. I'm a woman. I'm Muslim. I'm Arab. I'm Latina. Every one of those labels has become some type of political identity that leads me to support those in power whose policies keep my rights protected.
With the weekend bombings in New York and New Jersey, terrorism has once again gripped the nation's mind. As Muslims, we would love to argue against the notion that Islam and terrorism are linked. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so when we see young Muslim men murdering innocent people across the world in the name of their, and our, religion.
Sunday Dialogue Readers respond to a Jan. 31 letter from Jenan Matari about the discrimination she has faced as a young Muslim-American. To the Editor: Let's talk "identity politics." I don't have a single label. I'm a woman. I'm Muslim. I'm Arab. I'm Latina.
Get ready to fight for what you believe in. Even the ones you know love you unconditionally will disagree with some of the things you are fighting for. That's OK. As I said before, do it anyway. When they see the positive impact you are creating, they will come around.
We talked to Jenan Matari, TedX speaker, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the online blog missmuslim.nyc about her story and journey.
"For the first time, ever, I saw myself in the survey. I could check a box."
It's tough being a Muslim woman. With our scarves and conservative clothing, we're basically a walking political identity. It's also tough being a non-hijabi Muslim woman - for reasons that probably aren't as obvious as being stared at for covering...
America 2.0 is a photography project that captures what a dynamic American community looks like when you see the person before the religion.
You could turn on the television and watch President-elect Donald Trump or one of his right-hand men tell you about Islam. Or, as photographer Mark Bennington did, you could sit down with some of the three million Muslims in America and get to know them that way, instead.
Amid one of the most tumultuous presidential elections in American history, photographer Mark Bennington captured a series of portraits and interviews with young Muslim Americans in New York City, creating what he describes as "a visual translation through representation of what a dynamic American community should look like."
"There was a sense of intrigue; it was something different," said Adam Soltani, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Oklahoma chapter, of how others viewed Islam. "But I didn't sense any fear in being Muslim at all." That was before the attacks of Sept.
This Instagram sensation describes her platform as "the halal Cosmo" - and we seriously love it. Our Hoboken Girl of the Week is Jenan Matari, Editor in Chief of MissMuslim, a blog and internet sensation that has been featured in the New York Times, Buzzfeed, Huff Post, and Cosmopolitan.
"I have been judged for most of my life and unfortunately it has mainly been by my own community. I don't necessarily relate to the stereotypical image of a Muslim woman, but I am still a dedicated Muslim. I am not covered. I fast during Ramadan but I don't always pray.