Remember Amanda Saab, a social worker who holds the title of the first hijabi to compete on Master Chef (USA), former Hijabi of the Month and one of our *favorite* Haute Hijabis?

She’s now making waves in the best way possible: combatting Islamophobia over dinner. Her idea began when she was watching the news, frustrated about the misrepresentation of Islam in the Media. Amanda decided she had enough and needed to do her part to dispel myths about Islam and Muslims. She took inspiration from Amnah of Little Life of Mine’s #YourMuslimNeighbor and verse 49:13 of the Quran, and hosted her first #DinnerWithYourMuslimNeighbor. The purpose of the dinner was to bring everyone together over food to create new relationships, have open conversations about faith, and provide an opportunity for neighbors to ask anything they want about Islam.

Amanda recognized something very important: that change is made at the grassroots level. People who know the truth about Muslims and Islam are less likely to believe the false information they hear on the news, and more likely to stand up against bigots. Imagine a world where everyone understood one another and bonded over similarities instead of differences!

That’s what Amanda and her husband Hussein are doing. What started as one dinner has now become a movement. These dinners have garnered the attention of the press (check her out rocking those Haute Hijabs!) and Amanda, Hussein, and their new partner Michael Hebb are set to launch an in-depth website and release a toolkit for others to host similar dinners.

Kudos to Amanda for bravely putting herself out there to combat Islamophobia and bring more love into a world that really really needs it!  

Follow Muslim Neighbor on Instagram and check out Amanda's blog to get the latest on the 'Dinner With Your Muslim Neighbor' Movement!