Growing up, Muhammad Ali was a household name. No, I don't say that because I have two uncles named Ali and a cousin named Muhammad, but because "the" Muhammad Ali was a hero to my father.
My father came to the United States from Iran when he was 16 years old, not knowing much English. Compared to now, he came to the United States during a time when it was not easy to be a Muslim in America. The land of opportunity quickly became the land of isolation, but Muhammad Ali was the hope for acceptance of Muslims among American pop culture. Fast forward to June 3, 2016 where Ali died at a metropolitan Phoenix hospital, but has evolved into a beacon for the masses. So you may ask me now, "What have you learned from Muhammad Ali as a Millennial woman?" and I will respond in one quote...
"I am America, I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me—black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own. Get used to me."
1. "I am America."
I am America when America's unemployment rate decreases. I am America when a family has healthcare for the first time. I am America when marriage is available to all. But also, I am America every time I am paid less for the same job as a man because I am a woman. I am America when people speak poorly about my generation being entitled and lazy. Being America is something to hold with pride, but as it is said, "with great honor comes great responsibility."
2. "My name, not yours."
I come from immigrant parents, I almost always ruin American idioms, and at Thanksgiving my table includes spices that have to be imported. "My name, not yours", but I am still America. No matter how a certain candidate for president views me, I am America and he'll get used to me. For so long minority communities have been made to feel the need to be apologetic for their "ethnic music," differently textured hair or so-called unpronounceable names. If I can learn to pronounce Vaughan, you can learn to pronounce Ghadamyari.
3. "My goals, my own. Get used to me."
In the relatively short life that I have lived so far I have held many different roles. I am a daughter, sister, friend, lover, student and teacher. I once was an intern and now I am a leader. In each role I had goals, goals within them and goals to reach them. Whether it be money, recognition or self satisfaction my goals were mine. They were neither thrust upon me nor divinely inspired, but personal endeavors I chose to pursue. "My goals, my own. Get used to me."
Muhammad Ali was a fighter in and outside of the ring. His fight resonates outside the ring, which made him controversial, but Ali remained unshakable. And in turn, his success shaped America for the greater.
So let his words, "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."- Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)
