Happy World Hijab Day, VELA girls! While we believe in celebrating the hijab and those who wear it every day, today we’re taking a moment to highlight trailblazing women who inspire and empower us. From NASA-trained engineers to Disney directors, these 8 incredible women are shattering glass ceilings and redefining what it means to lead as a Muslim woman.

The Skateboarding Entrepreneur: Layla Shaikley

Layla Shaikley (@laylool) has a resume that reads like a dream: building robots at NASA, studying architecture at MIT, and co-founding Wise Systems, a leading software company.

• Impact: She hosts the Muslims Doing Things podcast, highlighting visionaries in our community, and breaks stereotypes by sharing her love for skateboarding and tech career advice for moms on TikTok.
  

The Fashion Editor and “It” Girl: Yusra Siddiqui 

A journalist at heart, Yusra Siddiqui (@thatgirlyusra) worked her way up from interning at Nylon to becoming an Associate Fashion Editor at Who What Wear.

• Impact: She reports on global fashion trends through a lens of modesty, proving that high fashion and faith go hand-in-hand.
  

The Village Auntie: Angelica Lindsey-Ali

Angelica (@thevillageauntie) has been a certified sexual health educator for over 20 years.

• Impact: Through The Village Auntie Institute, she educates women on intimacy and emotional well-being from an Islamic and African lens, empowering over 50,000 women worldwide.
  

The Black Belt and Advocate: Rana Abdelhamid

After surviving a hate crime at age 16, Rana (@ranaabdelhamid) turned her trauma into power.

• Impact: She founded Malika, a non-profit for self-defense and emotional healing, worked at Google, and even ran for Congress in 2022 to fight for gender justice and human rights.
  

The Social Entrepreneur: Amany Killawi

As the co-founder and COO of LaunchGood, Amany (@amanikillawi) has helped raise over $155.6 million for 1,500+ global Muslim projects.

• Impact: Named one of Inc. Magazine's Top 100 Female Founders, she is a driving force behind Muslim mental health and social innovation.
  

The Movie Making Maven: Lena Khan

Writer and director Lena Khan (@imlenakhan) made waves with The Tiger Hunter before being recruited by Disney to direct the hit movie Flora & Ulysses.

• Impact: She has directed episodes of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever, bringing authentic storytelling to the mainstream media.
  

The International Journalist: Malika Bilal

Malika Bilal (@mmbilal) is a TV host and journalist based in DC.

• Impact: As the host of Al Jazeera’s The Take podcast, she has reported on major world events, from the Hajj pilgrimage to Egyptian elections, interviewing world leaders and activists. 

The Eye Surgeon Mom: Noor Amra

Noor Amra (@eyegirlmd) is a board-certified ophthalmologist who uses her platform to balance medical expertise with motherhood.

• Impact: She empowers women to chase high-stakes medical dreams while having an honest dialogue about the rewards and challenges of being a "surgeon mom."

FAQs

Q: Who are some famous Muslim women breaking barriers? 

A: Women like Layla Shaikley (Tech), Lena Khan (Film), and Rana Abdelhamid (Advocacy) are prominent examples of Muslim women using their platforms to drive global change while wearing the hijab.

Q: What is World Hijab Day? 

A: World Hijab Day is an annual event held on February 1st to recognize the millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab and to encourage religious tolerance and understanding.