I am a twenty-something, biracial (Bangladeshi-American and African American) Muslim who works as an educator and children's book author.  My debut, The Gauntlet, released in 2017 from Simon and Schuster's Salaam Reads imprint, and a companion will follow in 2019. 

I am a recovering college graduate with a Bachelors in English Literature and Composition and a minor in Psychology. I intend to go back to graduate school within the next six months to a year, likely for a Masters in Fine Arts or English, InshaAllah. My dream is to teach and research in higher education while continuing my career as an author, InshaAllah. 

I have taught briefly in an Islamic school as a middle school ELA teacher, which though not an experience I expected to have, was one I appreciated due to the time spent with my students, who taught me as much as I taught them. 

Other points of interest about me: I am the eldest in my family. I prefer tea over coffee! I watch a lot of Korean dramas and anime. I am a hopeless romantic and believe that marriage should be for life, and marriage should be for love (of both your significant other and Allah). I am a casual video gamer. I am a bit of a fangirl when it comes to Islamic architecture and the Islamic Golden Age.