Proud: Living My American Dream by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Proud: Living My American Dream Reviews

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  Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell

  
  
  
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  Some books inspire you to be a better person and pursue your dreams. PROUD by Ibtihaj Muhammad is one of these books. Looking on Goodreads, it seems like there might be two versions of this memoir and this one with the blue cover is the "young readers" edition. I haven't read the "adult" version with the white cover (if it is, in fact, the adult edition and not just a reprint), but I must say that if I didn't know this was for young readers, I wouldn't have guessed except maybe for the amount of white space in the text. This is such a well-written memoir, detailing Ibtihaj's early life as well as how she got into fencing (surprisingly late in life), as well as what it's like growing up in America and then becoming famous as a black Muslim.
  
  
  
  I was surprised by how late she started fencing. She started in high school, if I recall correctly. Normally when you hear about these Olympian athletes, they've been coached since birth. So I felt like it was extra inspiring to hear that she started later; it makes you feel like you don't have to be a prodigy to accomplish great things. The descriptions of fencing were great, and I loved how she talked about the struggles, the physical exhaustion, and how much she had to sacrifice. She didn't shirk from describing her failures and disappointments, and you could tell from the writing how much her successes-- and her losses-- mean to her. It's captured so well in the text. Amazing.
  
  
  
  The racism and sexism she encountered are also written about here a bit. One of her coaches didn't seem to like women and said and did a lot of things that seemed really aggressive and hostile. Her fellow Championship team were also very cold to her, to the point where it almost felt like bullying, and I was really surprised that they were allowed to be such bad sports and so cold and exclusive. That isn't what being on a team is supposed to be about and I was sorry she had to deal with that. She also writes about dealing with and being targeted by airport security, receiving death threats for her faith, being bullied at school, and working at an inner-city high school as a substitute teacher for a stint and being a painful witness to the inequality that exists in schools in low-income areas.
  
  
  
  Ibtihaj also writes about her faith and how it inspires her every day, and why her mother converted to Islam in the first place. The United States is shockingly Islamophobic, and reading this made me want to put this book into their hands so they could see another side to the religion they baselessly fear. I am not religious at all, but I found Ibtihaj's faith inspiring, and loved the consolation and the peace that it seems to give her in some of her most trying moments. I also loved her mother's guidance and her close relationship with her siblings, and how loving and supportive her household was. Those full color photographs in the center of Ibtihaj and her family were everything.
  
  
  
  PROUD is a great book. I've been reading it over the last couple days in between some of my more hardcore reads, and it put me in a good mood starting out my day with something so hopeful. I think this is a great book for anyone who would like to learn more about a great athlete who is notable for being the first American to compete in the Olympics wearing a hijab, as well as being the first American Muslim woman to win an Olympic medal. Her experience as a champion athlete, as well as being a woman of color in a sport that is predominantly white and affluent and privileged, is so important and I think this would be a great book to have in a classroom or school library.
  
  
  
  Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
  
  
  
  4 to 4.5 stars
• 
  Mariah Roze

  This is a book that everyone should pick up and read, especially in the USA. Right now, there is so much hate towards Muslims and their religion. Our president is trying to ban all Muslim immigrants and make life harder for Muslim-Americans. This book really highlights all the good that is happening in the Muslim community. Reading this book is a way to open your eyes and to fight against the hate that is going on in the USA and around the world.
  
  "At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Ibtihaj Muhammad smashed barriers as the first American to compete wearing hijab, and made history as the first Muslim-American woman to medal. But it wasn't an easy road--in a sport most popular among wealthy white people, Ibtihaj often felt out of place. Ibtihaj was fast, hardworking, and devoted to her faith, but rivals and teammates (as well as coaches and officials) pointed out her differences, insisting she would never succeed. Yet Ibtihaj powered on. Her inspiring journey from a young outsider to an Olympic hero is a relatable, memorable, and uniquely American tale of hard work, determination, and self-reliance."
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  Hasna M.

  She is very inspiring!
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  Mae

  Proud is an amazing and inspiring book about Ibtihaj Muhammad. She fenced in the 2016 Rio Olympics and made history as the first woman to compete in a hijab. She was also the first American-Muslim woman to win a medal. But she had to face racism from almost everyone around her; her coach, officials and many of her teammates let her skin tone affect their idea of her skills and abilities. But Ibtihaj was an amazing fencer and didn’t let that stop her. Her friends and family supported her and helped her throughout the book.
  
  Proud was life-changing for me. It was a beautiful and inspiring story about family, perseverance and hard work. I thought this story was amazing, and it teaches you that no matter if you are different from your peers (or competitors in this case), you should keep working at what you love to do. I would rate it 5 stars. Ibtihaj Muhammad’s story was amazing, and personally, I think anyone who has ever felt “different” should read this book.
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  Kelly

  Young Reader Editions of adult books used to be so sad, but in the last half decade or so, they've really gotten so good. This is no exception.
  
  A look at how Muhammad found her passion for fencing and how her identity as a solidly middle class black hijab-wearing Muslim impacted her journey through a sport best known as one for upper class white people. Muhammad's passion for her family and deep need to reconnect with her spiritual side throughout her rise in the sport were wonderfully rendered here, too -- she is so relatable to so many teens and such a powerful role model for those teens who share any or all of her identities. She is who she wished she had when she were young.
  
  Recommended for readers who love sports memoirs or who want to see women of color and women of faith excelling in their areas of passion.
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  Raina

  What a cool and fascinating person.
  
  I really enjoyed reading this, for myself. I originally picked it up thinking it might be a good book to take out to local middle schools, and it wasn't a great fit for that.* But for me, just reading it, it was great.
  
  I spent 7 years or so of my youth on a synchronized swimming team, and I imagine that synchronized swimming and fencing have some things in common. They're niche cultures, with lots of lingo, politics, and very specialized skills. I loved Muhammad's reflections on how she was so attracted to this particular sport, the times she considered dropping it, and what drove her to be the best.
  
  
  *For some of the same reasons I go into in my review of
  Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town.
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  Janet

  I always love reading about an underdog fighting against the odds to overcome, and this book doesn't disappoint. It's all the better because it's true. I appreciated reading about the hard work it took to succeed. About learning to accept and love yourself despite others' opinions. I appreciated her struggle to choose her own actions (instead of reactions), and not let others decide who she became.
  
  I agree with her . . . I don't see why we view wearing a hijab as so different. As scary.
  
  She talks about the humbling experience of being a role model for so many youth who also wear a hijab, or who are a minority who see themselves in her, but I think she is a role model for all. We should all work so hard for our dreams. We should all be willing to speak out against the injustices against others.
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  Nandi Crawford

  Very interesting book on perhaps the first African American Muslim female in the world of fencing. In spite of a strict Muslim upbringing, she found that she excelled in fencing as something she took up for a summer respite that turned into a passion that she still plays. What got me is the harsh treatment she got from some of her coaches and trainers, but in spite of it all, she would never give up ultimately winning the Bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. I hope to see her really shine in 2020 though, I know she'll do so.
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  Leili V.

  I really admire Ibtihaj: this book is inspiring. Not sure the age level it’s marketed for, but I’d suggest older tweens/younger teens. I really enjoyed learning more about this amazing woman. I especially liked that she kept things very real in her story. It is not easy to be a Black, Muslim, nor female human in this country, but she kicks ass at all of that, and kicks ass in a sport in which not many people that identify as either of those things play. She doesn’t sugarcoat things. But she gives us all hope.
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  Brandon

  6th-8th
  Biography
  This book caught me completely offguard. I took a chance on it because someone told me it was interesting. I've never been informed about fencing, but this book does an amazing job at showing you what true hardwork and dedication can do when striving for your dreams. I also love how the main character sticks to who she is throughout the book and doesnt change for anyone no matter what.
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  Jillian

  Very inspiring book! I could not put it down. I was impressed by Ibtihaj’s commitment to her religion and her incredible work ethic in spite of the many obstacles in her way. I’m not sure what differences there are between this and the adult version, but my library only had this so I went with it. 😂
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  Angie

  My Review: I picked this audio book up from the library on a whim to find strong females in books for young girls. I wasn't sure what to expect with this one as I don't usually read memoirs or non-fiction but this book blew me away. Ibtihaj and her story are such an inspiration! The narrator did a fantastic job with inflection to show the full range of emotions Ibtihaj experiences throughout her journey from disappointment, stress, joy, love, excitement, anger and frustration. I loved how she told us not only the triumphs but also the times when she lost her way, it is clear that all of her accomplishments are due to her determination, hard work and a great family support system. I not only learned a lot about fencing but also about the Muslim faith. This was such an informative and inspirational book, I am so glad I picked it up!
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  maryam

  This book is one of the most inspiring book I've read. Her journey had A LOT (and I mean ALOT) of ups and owns, but in the end she conquered. Her step-by-step motivational journey will not only help athletes that are trying to achieve a goal but anyone with simple life struggles!
  
  THIS BOOK IS A MUST-READ!!!!
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  Sara A.

  Finally, I book I can relate too. It’s nice to be represented in terms of religion.
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  Michelle Glatt

  Me. Muhammad pulls no punches in this recounting of the challenges shefaced both on and off the fencing strip. Her perseverance is astounding.
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  rafia

  ↪ 4.5 stars
  
  "I didn't have any role models who looked like me in fencing, and there weren't any other Muslim women wearing hijab at the elite levels of sport to inspire my quest. I had myself, my family, and my faith, and that was enough for me to persist."
  
  now, I'm not very good with wording but Ibtihaj sure is. If you didn't already know, Ibtihaj Muhammad is a Muslim-American Woman Olympic athlete. She struggled hard in her life and overcame many challenges. It was really inspiring to read about her journey but I, personally, feel like there was a lot missing. Maybe that was because it was the young reader's edition, but there was a little bit more I was expecting. There were many ups and downs, but mainly ups, to be honest. (not that I was waiting for her to fail lol.)
  
  nonetheless, this was a really good read, and I don't usually read memoir/autobiography books.
  
  one final thing, I look up to Ibtihaj a lot because she didn't fight with people's ignorance. She was strong even when her own team or classmates doubted her. I personally have had an experience like hers, in which her team, in my case "friends", left her out of many things such as group meetings and group lunches. She kept her faith in Allah and her family and didn't let anything bring her down and that's what I admire about her.
  
  I'm proudly a Muslim-American, and one of the reasons for that is people like Ibtihaj, that stick up for themselves and show that others can too, helped me find the courage to be proud of who I am and my religion.
  
  ♡
• 
  Katie

  This is a memoir of the first American Olympian to compete wearing a hijab. Ibtihaj starts with a story of a teacher refusing to say her name because it is too hard, showing the kinds of racial and religious prejudice she faced as a black Muslim girl growing up in America. She explains how she first turned to fencing as a way of gaining scholarships for college, but how it grew into her lifeline once she graduated and couldn’t find a job. For her, the most powerful part of her 2016 Bronze medal win was not the culmination of all her efforts, but the platform it gave her to serve as a role model; she even had the first Barbie in a hijab produced to model her! Although this is a Young Reader’s Edition, I think the pacing is far too slow for this book to be engaging for most middle-school students, despite the inspiration of Ibtihaj’s message.
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  MrsAgnello

  Authentic and charming and so full of inspiration. I ended up in happy tears and I couldn’t recommend this more.
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  Nerd 🤓

  I am a young muslim hijabi girl, and there are like 5 other girls IN MY GRADE ALONNEEE with hijabs too. Honestly i do fencing and after reading this i started thinking maybe its not for me. I mean ive always liked runnning more, so i might start running track.
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  Joy Lane

  Lexile score 960 and 16 pts.
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  Sarah

  I love how Ibtihaj didn't sugarcoat her experience with her teammates. She was real and honest! I learned so much about fencing and her story is truly inspiring to always keep fighting for your dreams.
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  Anne

  Ibtihaj was the first US Olympic athlete to compete wearing a hijab. She tells of her challenges and frustrations (and celebrations) that she faced along the way - such as a teacher who said her name was too long so called her Ibti, even though it is just as long as Jennifer or Melissa, or that her American Nationals team "forgot" to tell her about mandatory practices or said there weren't team dinners but somehow they would all be having dinner together and Ibtihaj would be the only one missing. But also her pride and joy when girls in hijabs would ask for her autograph! Such an important Muslim-American female role model. Very engaging voice. It is an adaptation for young readers, but speaks very well to this age group. A few full color photographs included near the end. Also includes a glossary of fencing terms, words of advice from Ibtihaj and very brief Q&A. Each chapter starts with a quote from a well known POC.
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  Sherri

  Sure to be inspiring for many young ladies.
  Some parts weren’t as smooth for me.
  
  I was really taken aback by her intro where she says it’s a memoir, not an autobiography. She says the stories and opinions are based upon her memories and are true as she remembers them. She changed some names and identifying details. That’s fine to protect the privacy of others. BUT..I’m disappointed by “some characters are combinations of people who’ve passed through my life.” Characters?? This is the truth of her life, not a fiction novel. Shouldn’t they just be referred to as people?
  
  Then she writes that’s she’s compressed time in some places to keep things moving forward. Really? In the story of your life, you change your own timeline??
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  Labiba Khan

  What an amazing and inspirational read! Growing up Muslim in the 90s was definitely a unique experience and I am glad to know there were others who went through that struggle. Ibtihaj talks about so many instances that have happened to me and it was refreshing to see her positive reflection on those occurrences. I realized later that I got the young readers version instead of the regular one - but I'm glad I read it b/c I would definitely want my kids reading this. Her way of presenting things is so peaceful, yet proud. One other thing that stood out is her calling out mental illness as what it is - i.e. instead of saying she would just get nervous before a game, she talks about having anxiety and working with a professional to handle that anxiety. Such a positive message coming from a tough life. Love it!