Alia Marrero-AlAttar

Puerto Rico, USA
LPC 2021

YYGS made my summer. I not only expanded my varied interests, from music and theater to philosophy and poetry, but also grew as a person and a student. The diversity of students at YYGS allowed for this meaningful and memorable experience as I listened to the natural words and flow of the poetry, truly immersing myself in the culture.

Before attending YYGS, I was in the process of starting Noor, a school organization dedicated to spreading awareness on Islam and West and South Asian cultures to combat ignorance and Islamophobia within my community. There are only six Muslim students in my secular school and there is a very small Muslim community in Puerto Rico as most of the population is Catholic. I felt intimidated and hesitant to propose this organization as I felt there would be very little support from the school administration and community.

During YYGS, I was able to meet other students who shared similar experiences and learned how they persevered in their own projects. Based on these conversations, I grew encouraged, inspired and confident to pursue my initiative. Before starting the school year, I met several times with the Dean and Principal of my school. We were finally able to define the club such that it maintained its purpose of creating awareness and a safe place for all Muslim and ethnic students as well as defining necessary boundaries.

Noor was officially introduced into the school during September 2021. We have a total of 22 students in the organization, Muslim and non-Muslim, and it has been a great success. We have managed to host lectures and discussion groups open to both members of the club and the school community on subjects such as the meaning of halal, the use of the hijab, and the consequences of the media on the “foreign” religion. These events created more awareness throughout the community as students participated actively in these conversations.

I was invited to speak on the school podcast show about the Anti-Racism Leadership Collective, for which I am an ambassador, and the role of Noor in our community. We are now trying to expand to other schools in Puerto Rico, and we are partnering with bigger organizations, like Muslim Youth of North America. Noor continues to immerse itself in the community through service and activism projects and plans to host a cultural fair to create more exposure. My proudest accomplishment is Noor has managed to become a safe place not just for the Muslim community but all students who struggle with a bicultural background. Through collaboration and communication we can achieve awareness, equality and tolerance.

Ambassador Year: 
2021