Born in Dubai, Fatima’s family immigrated to Canada and eventually to the United States to find a safe haven away from the Gulf War. As a Muslim, immigrant and woman of color, Fatima learned from a very young age what it felt like not to belong. However, she also learned the power that comes from fighting for her rights and building community. Fatima continued her medical studies, but found her passion as an educator and turned to become a teacher. She began training a cross-country team, obtained her teaching credentials and began working as a teacher at Watts.
Our criminal justice system is racist, cruel, and beyond repair, draining resources from our community and breaking apart families. We must push for comprehensive criminal justice reform that divests from prisons and policing, invests in restorative justice and alternatives to incarceration, and that truly values our communities.