The Introspective Diaries

What moving 4000 miles away from my family taught me

I moved to Canada for three month doing research. I did not expect it to prompt me to do deeper inner work, 

The Truth Behind Unmasking: Being Neurodivergent As A Black Muslim Woman

'Unmasking' as a neurodivergent can be daunting. Not only do we have to choose to ditch some social norms, but we also have to create our own path and lean into what makes us happy. 

So not all of us can be feminine? Dissecting 'sprinkle sprinkle feminism', trad wife aesthetic, and the exclusive nature of femininity content

So we’ve all seen the overwhelming content on ‘femininity’ and ‘masculinity’ on our feeds. We are constantly bombarded with people telling us how we should act and what we should wear. From frilly dresses to not watching the news because it ‘dampens’ our femininity, many of us are tired!
 
In this episode of The Introspective Diaries Sumaya and I dissect the sudden surge in femininity and masculinity content. From desirability politics to the exclusive nature of the current rhetoric on femininity and masculinity. 
 

Being a black, Muslim woman: The Personal and the Political

In this episode of The Introspective Diaries, I delve into our experiences of being black, Muslim women. While these identities are not mutually exclusive, there are social complexities we face. 
 
This episode discusses everything from texturism and colourism to fighting the ‘strong black woman’ narrative while navigating faith. 

Being a change maker with Lamide Odanye: having the courage to be ’weird’, pouring into our communities, and standing up for the truth

Lamide and I met while working for the same charity. After getting to speak to her at a dinner, I was impressed with her courage and boldness she has to stand up for what she cares about and to have her time respected. In this episode, we discuss what it means to be a 'change maker' from her perspective and the challenges that come with wanting to create meaningful change while navigating through obstacles. 

The Hardest Lesson We Learned:ditching beauty standards, colourism, and more!

TW: SA
In this episode, Jessie and I discuss how beauty standards and colourism affected us during our teenage years. We look at how the mental process of trying to conform to an image can be damaging to mental health and relationships.

Creating your own path at university; ’black excellence’, reconsidering the corporate life, and finding community at LSE

Sarah Onifade and I met during my first term at LSE. It was clear we shared similar ideas on how difficult it can be to find community in a competitive place like LSE. From balancing life, our desires to be women of impact while navigating the idea of 'black excellence' this episode fleshes out some of the complexities women of colour may face at university, 

What do you want to be known for?

After taking a break from my podcast, in this episode, I share my intentions behind starting it. I've mostly been known for my academic gifts and while this continues to benefit me, it came with a price. 

Episode 16: Dealing with complex emotions after making the right decision

In this episode, I share why I've been gone for a while and what I've learned after making the right decision. 

Episode 15: why does nobody talk about male validation? insecurities, weaponising sexuality, and social capital

In this episode, I dissect the issue of male validation. I share my experiences of how my insecurities led me to conform to the image of who a woman is and how I overcame this with faith. I also share why I believe this issue is so rampant by sharing my ideas on social capital and the weaponization of sexuality.