Hello and welcome to Through New Lenses, a project designed to shed a different light on the very diverse group of individuals across the world who practice Islam. Unfortunately, today’s media paints a very particular picture which reflects negatively on this 1.6 BILLION people in the world. Through New Lenses wants to display the many different faces and ideas held by the Muslims we encounter to combat this very dangerous stereotype.
My name is Brandi and over the past five years I’ve had the pleasure of teaching in both Morocco and Iraqi Kurdistan, two beautiful countries with wonderfully generous and kind people. Upon my return to the US, I found a country more deeply divided along political, religious and racial lines. I heard opinions about the places I had been living in, by people who’ve never actually left the US, which were nothing like I had experienced. I realized I had the responsibility to share my incredible adventures and to show the cultural and ideological diversity among the world’s Muslims. OK, well that sounds like quite a feat. Honestly, I’d just like to present an alternative view point to mainstream media, one that shows the diversity of Muslims. And although we may be divided by borders, religious practices or political ideology, the majority of the world, including Muslims, just want to live happy, healthy lives in a safe and prosperous environment.