I met Jerin Arifa in 2010 when she served as a national board member of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Since that time, she has continued to impress and inspire me. She is a driven advocate for women, using her myriad of skills and talents to improve women’s lives. Whether through political organizing, speaking to diverse audiences, using her professional marketing skills or mentoring and connecting with individual women and girls, her passion and grace is evident. As a Muslim woman of color, she tirelessly works to improve the feminist movement from within - even in the face of racism and Islamophobia. As a co-officer in NOW’s first virtual chapter, Young Feminists and Allies, I have seen firsthand Jerin’s dedication to empowering young people to take the reigns. I feel lucky to know Jerin, and believe the world is a much better place because she’s in it.

Rachel Piazza: TEDx Speaker and Founder, Feminist Self-Defense. Brooklyn, NY