Nazma Khan

CEO, World Hijab Day Organization

USA

Growing up in New York City as a Muslim immigrant, Nazma Khan faced constant discrimination due to her hijab (head covering). After 9/11, her discrimination took on a new height. In 2013, she started a global movement called ‘World Hijab Day’ to dismantle discrimination, bigotry, and prejudice against women in hijab. In 2017, World Hijab Day Organization became a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Under her leadership, participants from over 150 countries take part in World Hijab Day on February 1st every year. This day has been recognized by New York State, Michigan State; Gainsville, Florida, and House of Representatives of the Philippines. Her work has been featured by tech giant Meta, and mainstream news media including TIME, New York Times, BBC, CNN, The Times, The Irish Times, The Washington Times, Glamour, ELLE, Vogue Arabia, Cosmopolitan Italia, Al-Jazeera, Huffington Post, etc. to name a few. In 2021, Nazma founded ‘International Muslim History Month’ to celebrate Muslim accomplishments throughout history and confronts Islamophobia through education. New York State is the first State to proclaim the month of May as Muslim History Month in senate resolution no. J718.