2013 – A Year in Review

Did I get your attention with that title?  It sounds so important and I don’t know … meaty!

I joined the blogosphere in April of this year- so it’s not exactly my 1 year anniversary.  But the year is coming to a close; and I am reflecting on my blessings.

I am grateful to be celebrating the successful launch of YasminaReality.com.  I am excited at the response I received from so many of you on Twitter and the #MyJihad page on Facebook as well as from my family and friends.

Team #MyJihad at Bike the Drive on beautiful Lake Michigan raising money for Oklahoma Relief.

I’m planning to kick things up a notch in 2014, God willing.  More blog posts and more interaction.  I hope to stretch the boundaries of my role as “Blogger” and work on my role as “Correspondent” in 2014.

This year saw some great successes with the #MyJihad campaign.  My TEDx Talk.  Biking The Drive with #MyJihad volunteers raising money for Oklahoma Relief efforts.  A Celebrate Mercy Webcast.  Ads on buses and bus stations.  Radio and TV interviews.  News coverage. Visits to high schools and universities and churches too.  An official launch in Brazil.  This is an exciting time for the #MyJihad campaign- and if you have even an inkling of desire to get involved, now is the time.  Use your skill and passion for a higher cause that will reap rewards for you here and in the hereafter.

I’ve made amazing, life-long friends in this journey- and it’s not just in my hometown.  It’s around the world.  So much work takes place from Egypt- by my dear friends, Olfat and Rania. Friends from Europe are seeking to volunteer their technology skills to forward our righteous efforts.  From Brazil to Australia- we have made friends and inspire one another.  So grateful for all of you- may God shower his blessings on you always!

This year we saw some outrageous behaviors from Islamophobes- but they seem to be running out of things to say.  So they tend to quiet down when then happens.  Or—- they make up really crazy stuff.  And bloggers like me will continue to call out lies and distortions.  We will call out untruths about Muslims and anyone who is being defamed for reasons of hate or pushing of an agenda.

My dear Penguins- at the book signing for Qasim Rashid’s book, The Wrong Kind of Muslim  

#MyJihad was to speak my truth and invite others to do the same.  That is still #MyJihad and will continue to be.  We each must take a moment from the mundane tasks of our lives to speak up.  Speak out.  Shout out.  No one can speak for you.  You must speak for yourself.  If you don’t, you’ve given the microphone of your life over to someone else.  And then your complaints will fall on deaf ears.

Speak your truth!

Assalamu alaikum warahmahtu lahi wabarakatuh.  Brothers and sisters- thanks for stopping here and keeping this page alive.  Stay tuned and stay close by with me.  Let’s do this together.  Life is what you make it.  I choose to make it great with God’s will, grace and endless mercy.  Ameen!

~Yasmina Reality

With students at Northeastern Illinois University

Food. It’s not a year in review blog post without at least one picture of … food 

About the Author

About the Author: I'm a Writer, Speaker and Muslim Activist. I'm a former Board Member of the #MyJihad Public Education Campaign. Follow my blog at yasminareality.com or follow me on Twitter: @yasmina_reality. I'm also now on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YasminaReality Peace! More from this author.