Ani's Virtual Book Reading

Salaam everyone!

If you're interested in books, I'm doing a book reading for my memoir "An Unlikely Social Justice Warrior: Making My Life Count as a Muslim Feminist" with the University of Miami's Interfaith Center. Please register for the Zoom link here: [https://bit.ly/Ani-USJW](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bit.ly/Ani-USJW&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1770736381366748&usg=AOvVaw39IbfixDLR-SaHUcaws_T3)

• Here are two reviews of my memoir:

Alia Abida Ashraf - A Life Composed of Justice and Song

This was an engaging, easy read written in a conversational style. I appreciated learning about the author’s wide-ranging pursuits—from producing both secular and faith-based music to activism for Muslim women’s rights in Burundi, LGBTQ+ rights, and defending religious minorities in Muslim-majority countries. Her story reflects the Qur’anic principle to “stand firmly for justice, even against yourselves.”

She writes openly about the backlash she faced as a progressive Muslim, criticized by Muslim, Christian, and atheist groups alike, while also noting the support she found from people with those same labels. She further addresses the misogyny women encounter even in secular corners of the music industry, and reflects on how sometimes the most radical act is to insist on visibility rather than erasure.

There are lighter moments too, like her table tennis skills and the anecdote about playing LL Cool J (I can’t recall who won the match). These touches make the book feel personal while balancing the heavier themes.

Overall, it’s a compelling read that shows her resilience and commitment to justice across communities. -

And from David Hinkley - human rights activist and former chairperson of Amnesty International USA:
Ani Zonneveld has written a penetrating and inspiring examination of the constructive and nurturing influences as well as the many invidious forces that have shaped and honed her unique identity. After reflecting on her privileged origins and fascinating early life, she then guides us through a labyrinth of ethnic and religious bigotry and misogyny that failed to inhibit her throughout her remarkable and ongoing career, both as an accomplished songwriter and performer and as a principal founder and leader of Muslims for Progressive Values. Her intimate memoir introduces us to an indefatigable and irreplaceable voice for human rights and gender equality, and for intellectual, personal and creative freedom. Endlessly uplifting.

Hope to see you tomorrow! And if you're interested in buying the book, please purchase here.

Ani Zonneveld