Finding Mentorship at SMFA
Almost every time I’m sitting in the SMFA atrium in the early morning, inhaling a breakfast sandwich and large coffee, I’m approached by a current or…
Finding Community through Tufts' Muslim Students' Association
In the wake of the 2016 elections I remember waking up to a surge of notifications from texts, Facebook posts, Instagram stories, you name it. I remember my mother hugging me closely before she sent me off on the bus to school that morning, telling me to be aware of my surroundings in case anyone felt particularly motivated to be Islamophobic. I was used to carrying that extra layer of awareness on any given day as a Black hijabi, but that day it felt especially heavy and, to be honest, scary. I remember commuting to school that morning wishing that my school had a club meeting I could go to or some affinity space I could take part in among other Muslim students. I knew then that it was critical for me to seek out a Muslim Students Association (MSA) community in my college search and that that was a void I wanted to fill.
Fast forward to Jumbo Days 2018. I walk around the club fair showcase looking for cultural groups and faith oriented support to find the University Chaplaincy and Tufts MSA. I see a familiar face, then MSA President Sara Arman ‘19, who I crossed paths with in youth organizing work and who also convinced me that I should come to Tufts. To my delight, there was also diversity reflected in the student group--something that wasn’t so present at other college MSA spaces I’d visited. They welcomed me with open arms and warm “salams” and made me feel like I was already part of the Tufts community as they connected with me on social media and informed me about upcoming events that I could attend as someone based in the local area. When I made the decision to attend Tufts it felt really good to know that I had access to a community with other fellow Muslim students where I could learn, grow, and be uplifted.
Through what have been upsetting and also empowering moments, the MSA has become a community I hold near and dear to my heart. There exists a layer of support that comes from peers and mentors, another layer that comes from being supported by our Chaplain who is a resource for spiritual guidance and support, and support from a University Chaplaincy and interfaith community that provide so many resources. As a student worker for the University Chaplaincy, it has been an added delight to enter the effervescent spaces of Goddard Chapel and Interfaith Center and find solace in the multifaith values and community those spaces represent.
I have seen the true meaning of community building and resilience through the work I’ve done with our MSA e-board as Events Coordinator and now, Vice President, constantly proud of how we are able to connect with members of our community through creative programming. In one of our final in-person meetings last spring, in a breakout group with our chaplain we dissected the highlights and areas of weakness to identify short-term and long-term goals for strengthening and furthering work we do. Often, when times are busy and events need to be organized we lose sight of our values and “why,” so being recentered to connect intrapersonally and tailor the community’s needs to the programming we put on was grounding, and has since become a normalized routine for our e-board.
We are productive and work not only as a team but at the end of each event and meeting, we are friends, there to support each other through it all. It feels great four years later, having not only found community but gained support, joy, and wisdom, as a part of Tufts MSA.
