FIRST PERSON
by Aliya Syed
Ifeel a pit of hunger growing in my stomach as I listen to the presentation. Lunch is next on the schedule, but I will not be joining my colleagues to eat. I hear them discussing plans for the end of the semester as they make their way to the dining hall. Their voices fade as I begin to prepare to pray and then return to my day, understanding that there are still several hours until it is time for me to break fast and join my community in worship. This is routine during Ramadan when you are a Muslim working in campus housing.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and a time for self-reflection and strengthening of faith. As part of this practice, Muslims (who are able) participate in a dry fast during each day of the month. We wake up before dawn and fill our bodies with sustenance before keeping fast until sunset. We do not consume food, drink, or medication during daylight hours, allowing us to exercise the muscle of patience and soften our hearts. It can be a difficult practice, which is part of the point. But it is even more challenging when one has a job that can be as all-consuming as that of a live-in housing professional.
To be clear, I am not complaining. I love working in residence life. I love how we are all united in our commitment to students. I am grateful to come to work each morning and have a team of encouraging colleagues. I am also deeply grateful to be Muslim. I chose to make this identity visible. Each morning, I wrap a scarf around my head, framing my face, to proudly display my Muslim identity. I want people to see my hijab and know my values and perspective on the world.
I remember the first time I met a Muslim educator. It was during my freshman year of undergrad when I was offered a resident assistant position and I discovered that my new supervisor and I shared this identity. Before this, I always had to play the role of educator for teachers and classmates who were unfamiliar with my religious beliefs and practices. I still think about the day when I was in third grade and my parents brought dates for my classmates to try while I answered questions about what fasting is.
Years later, I was preparing for final papers and exams as the close of another semester in graduate school coincided with Ramadan. I balanced work, school, and other obligations with a forced smile and, again, an empty stomach. I was almost 800 miles away from home and community, so I completed the rites of Ramadan alone in my residence hall room with Quran recitations at sunrise and evening lectures via Zoom. The isolation was an added element of the experience.
Now I find myself in my first full-time position working at Brown University, and, fortunately, I have a community and colleagues that support me in my efforts. For example, I am given the grace to pray during the work day. The mindfulness and considerations shine during every lunch meeting across the entire campus life division when halal options are offered. And, perhaps most dramatically, I have been granted a break from serving on-call duty during Ramadan. I appreciate the weight of this gesture in a field where staff are often expected to shoulder whatever the job asks of them. I also look forward to joining other Muslim peers and students in taraweeh prayers each evening. I am still far from home, but I have found a new community at Brown in which to enjoy Ramadan.
As the number of Muslim students and staff grows on campuses, it is valuable for housing and student affairs professionals to better understand their needs and integrate them into policies and practices. Of course, this holds true for other students and staff whose identity, condition, or consequence may not be as visible as my hijab. If we can better explore and understand what elements make us unique individuals, as well as those factors that bind us as a community, then we will be better positioned to provide support. Imagine what is possible if we were all to share in the role of educator, exercise our muscles of patience, and soften our hearts.
Aliya Syed is an area coordinator at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. She received the 2022 ACUHO-I Outstanding Graduate Student Award.
