Proud

Growing up in Maplewood, New Jersey the only Black, Muslim-American in hijab, in middle school Ibtihaj discovered fencing, a sport traditionally reserved for the wealthy and elite. Though she would start fencing later than most at 12 years old, she had an undeniable talent-the sort that would soon put her on the international stage.

But Ibtihaj saw something more in her Olympic journey: an opportunity to take action, to stand up and make a Muslim-American woman of color impossible to ignore.

Ibtihaj’s path to Olympic greatness has been marked with hateful opposition and near-debilitating challenges-bigotry from teammates at Duke University and Team USA, death threats, and social hardships as a Muslim-American.

In Proud, her exhilarating emergence from young outsider to national hero and outspoken activist is a timeless, uniquely American tale of hard work, determination, and resilience that hasn’t been told.

Author Biography

Ibtihaj Muhammad is the first Muslim American woman to compete for Team USA in the Olympics while in hijab and the first female Muslim American athlete to medal, winning bronze with Team Sabre. She cofounded the clothing company Louella, inspired the first hijabi Barbie, and serves as a sports ambassador to the U.S. State Department. She grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, the daughter of a retired police officer and an elementary school special education teacher.

Lori L. Tharps is an associate professor of journalism at Temple University and the author of Same Family, Different Colors among other books. Her writing has also appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Glamour and Essence magazines. She lives in Philadelphia with her family.