Young, Muslim and Black

In celebration of Ramadan, UNIFY network, in partnership with our member organisation MTVH, hosted an insightful online conversation “Young, Muslim and Black.” Our featured speaker was the remarkable Iqra Ismail, an award-winning football personality and trailblazer.

At just 22 years old, Iqra serves as an inspiring role model within her community, advocating for Muslim women’s participation and representation in sports. She has made significant strides in football, captaining Somalia’s national football team and founding Hilltop FC, a team that welcomes players from underrepresented groups. Her dedication and leadership earned her recognition, with features in New African Magazine’s list of Most Influential Africans, Forbes 30 under 30, and the youngest recipient of a Blacklist award celebrating black excellence in English football. Recently, she was appointed as QPR’s Female Refugee Football Project Coordinator and featured in Google’s latest TV campaign for Google Pixel.

During the event, attended by over 70 colleagues from across our the UNIFY member organisations, Iqra shared her experiences and perspectives, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities faced by young, Muslim, and Black individuals. Her insights inspired and enlightened the audience, fostering a space for questions and meaningful dialogue.

We were privileged to have Iqra as our keynote speaker, joined by panellists Pa Manneh and Abdi Hussein from MTVH. Their contributions added depth of lived experience and richness to the conversation, making it an unforgettable event.

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