Wrapped tightly about her head, without softly draping material to distract her throughout meetings at her tech startup, Dilara Sayeed’s hijab is American in additional ways than just one.
Her hijab, or Muslim headscarf, contains a sleek, professional profile that is mostly found within the U.S.
Plus the spirit with which Sayeed, a former Democratic prospect to the Illinois Home of Associates, wears her hijab is American as well. When Sayeed’s Indian-born father questioned her decision to include her hair at age 19, indicating, “You’re in America now; you don’t have To do that,” Sayeed’s comeback was the stuff of the highschool civics class:
“It’s since I’m American which i can prefer abayas to address, Daddy.”