Meet Sahro Hassan.
She’s a Somali immigrant born in a Kenyan refugee camp who fled to America with her family at age 10 to escape the violence back home.
But the transition to the U.S. was hard, especially when she stood out at school for wearing a traditional hijab. At one school, she was even asked to remove her headscarf due to their “No Hats” policy!
The now 18-year-old reminisced:
├óΓé¼┼ôGrowing up, we didn’t have a lot of options about what to wear and how to express ourselves. One day I was wearing my headscarf and I was brought to the office and I didn’t speak a word in English. I started wearing pants and stuff, just trying to adapt and fit in with the kids there. Because I didn’t know the language, I tried to imitate what they were doing. And I would have lost who I am. I felt like, man, I’m going to be lost forever. But my parents were like, we’re moving to Maine.├óΓé¼┬¥
In Maine, Sahro’s dad found a more accepting community in Lewiston, which has a 10% Somali population.
She flourished there, and became a fan of fashion shows like Project Runway and What Not to Wear. Sahro started designing modern and colorful hijabs to express herself!
The teen wants to be on Project Runway herself one day, and even head her own fashion company.
She expressed:
├óΓé¼┼ôI feel like I have potential because I don’t see Somali girls on Project Runway, designing and wearing her hijab, and I want to change that. My biggest dream is to continue my line, but make it big that it├óΓé¼Γäós known in the country, have my own store opened and even have a franchise. I want to be the CEO of my company.”
Inspiring!!
And she’s well on her way to achieving that goal — the young fashionista has already held two runway shows and featured over 20 original designs. She’s also been accepted to some of her top choice schools, all based on her impressive portfolio!
Loving the impressive combination of culture and couture!!
If you’ve yet to do so, check out the video (above)!
[Image via YouTube.]
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