Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Muslim fencer who made history as first US Olympian to win medal while wearing a hijab says 'regardless of faith... we can achieve our dreams' in the 'America that is inclusive'

Ibtihaj Muhammad on the podiumUK Daily Mail   "Muhammad told CNN that her entire experience has been 'beautiful' and that the America she knows and loves is 'the America that is inclusive, that is accepting and encompasses people from all walks of life'.
"The 30-year-old went on to make even more history as the first woman to win a medal wearing the hijab when her team took home the bronze."
. . . 
" 'We're showing minority youth out there, we're showing Americans that this is one of the beautiful things about our country.'
"She also said that she looked up to Venus and Serena Williams as a child saying that she loved 'that they never changed who they were'  and 'forced us as viewers, us as society to accept who they were'.
"The bronze medalist said she loves that in sports it only matters how talented you are and that race, gender or religion doesn't." 

But the Muslim-American fencer said that she went to Rio for more than winning a medal, she went for all of the young American athletes she hopes to inspire. Muhammad celebrates after winning a point to Russia in a women's team sabre fencing semifinal

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