With her direct gaze and quiet presence, Rahma says that her Bronx high school was exciting, interesting, and energetic. Although born and raised in New York, at age ten, she traveled to Nigeria to learn about Islam and her culture, where she also attended middle school. Rahma’s journey brought her into a new world filled with anxiety about experiencing a different way of living.

The culture shock was overwhelming. Food and mannerisms were unfamiliar, and she missed the smells of her mother’s cooking and the comfort of her bed and family. Rahma thought this feeling of estrangement would last forever. Slowly, through rituals of morning call to prayer, study, and reading books, she began to see the beauty of what was around her.

Rahma says this was the turning point in her life, inspiring her identity and place of belonging. She learned that resilience, perseverance, and embracing her heritage were lessons she would carry with her. These words were echoed in the thoughtful recommendations she received from her teachers and advisor.