Laila Alawa

Bio

Laila Alawa is the CEO and founder of The Tempest, a leading media company by diverse millennial women, for the world. With more than half a million monthly visitors, the site covers everything from life to humor, entertainment to news. She is also the host for The Expose, a weekly podcast tackling tough topics with snark and wit. Her work has been mentioned in The Guardian, BuzzFeed, The Atlantic, Mashable, Color Lines, Bustle, Feministing, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. She's also appeared on Al-Jazeera America, BBC World News, NPR, and Huffington Post Live. In 2015, Laila was named an Ariane de Rothschild Fellow.
Muslim Women Don't Need Your Approval, Pierre Bergé
By Laila Alawa
Oh, Pierre Bergé. I know you only meant the best with your recent salaciously edgy comments about fashion brands making clothing that covered Muslim women might purchase.  Read more: Marks and Spencer's Burkini Swimwear Is Celebrated... But Not By…
Here's What It's Like to Use Dating Apps As a Muslim American Woman
By Laila Alawa
It's 2016, and online dating is no longer a crazy novelty. There are dating apps catering to every niche imaginable, but the market seems dominated by the mainstream ones that have become household names: Tinder, OkCupid and more. So what happens…
These Badass Young Women Are Showing the World What "Muslim Style" Looks Like
By Laila Alawa
When Amirah Aulaqi walks down the streets of New York City, everyone turns and stares.  Amirah dresses in a hijab (Muslim headscarf) and long, flowy garments. But the looks and questions she receives aren't the ones you might think — as the CEO and…
This Is What It's Like to Date As a Young American Muslim
By Laila Alawa
Christian Mingle. JDate. J-Swipe. CatholicMatch. Ishqr. One of those names probably looks less familiar than the others, and for good reason. Young Muslim Americans aren't exactly dominant in the mainstream dating conversation, and that's because…
One Muslim Teen Is Challenging America’s Idea of a Superhero, One Hijab at a Time
By Laila Alawa
In the increasingly diverse comic universe, Muslim-Americans remain consistently underrepresented. But one teenager is working to rectify the situation by reimagining some of America's most beloved heroes with one noticeable addition:…
A Beginner's Guide to Dressing Like the Islamic State for Halloween
By Laila Alawa
Forget global epidemics or domestic abuse, the year's trendiest costume just might be terrorism. How wonderfully clever. Halloween has always been a showcase of bad behavior, but this year seems particularly rife with examples of revelers going…
16 Questions Muslim Americans Are Really Tired of Hearing
By Laila Alawa
Muslim Americans are the most racially diverse group in the United States. Fiercely patriotic, they believe firmly in being contributing members of the fabric of this nation.  Yet Muslim Americans are frequently cast in the role of the foreigner by…
7 Lies We Need to Stop Telling About Muslim Women Wearing Headscarves
By Laila Alawa
Imagine a Muslim woman and you'll most likely picture a hijab, the head covering worn by some Muslim women across the globe. The hijab is not the most important part of being a Muslim woman, but it is certainly the most visible. In a time when…
50 Actual Facts That Challenge What You've Been Told About Muslims
By Laila Alawa
Muslims.  If you're Pamela Geller, Bill Maher or Ayaan Hirsi Ali, then you're most likely obsessed with stereotyping them, stirring fears about them and making blanket statements about a rather large and varied group of people. And if you look to…
America Is the Land of the Free – Unless You're Muslim
By Laila Alawa
To most Americans, Thursday was perfectly mundane. The Olympics were drawing to a close, people were still discussing House of Cards, and things were gearing up for the weekend. All of those were things I should have been mulling over, but none of…