Chicago Underground Film Festival and Filmmakers Summit 2008

A young Arab-American named Dena Al-Atassi tells what it's like to live in America as an Islamic activist wearing the hijab (headscarf). She explains why she wears it, what has happened to her because of it, and how she deals with the discrimination. A look into the misconceptions most people have about Muslim women, this documentary contradicts the general belief that Muslim women are oppressed. In this film, Dena shows why wearing the hijab is her own choice in order to visually represent her religion, which she proudly fights for through activism. Stemming from a prominent political family in Syria, the Atassi's are famous. Her great uncle Hashim al-Atassi was president of Syria in 1936. Two more scions, Luai al-Atassi and Nureddin al-Atassi were installed as heads of state in the 1960s. There were also several mayors, magistrates, ambassadors, Muftis, parliamentarians, military officials, and other public officials in the ranks of the family throughout the Ottoman and modern times. So, because of Dena's lineage, her public activism, and the fact that she wears the hijab, she has encountered numerous racist acts against her. One such act revolved around her being denied a job due to her headscarf, which was printed in the New York Times. Not long after this article, somebody hit her with a truck, which she believes was purposeful. Ever since the accident, she's suffered from memory loss, but still goes on fighting for her religion as a victim of discrimination.