About Us
We are a voluntary, non-partisan collective of professional Muslim women. We have a vast range of experience between us, having worked in research, consultancy, government, community outreach, journalism, life coaching, and tech. Far too often, we feel that mainstream platforms do not provide enough space for the richness and diversity of Muslim women’s voices.
We share a passionate belief in amplifying the voices of the unheard. This platform is a space to reflect Muslim women’s everyday stories, opinions, and experiences, empowering them to take back control and own their own narratives.
The Team
Akeela Ahmed
Founder & Managing Director
Akeela Ahmed MBE is a business leader, social entrepreneur and equalities campaigner for 20 years.
In 2014 she founded ‘She Speaks We Hear’ which gives unfiltered women’s voices a platform. Akeela advises and works with government in tackling anti-Muslim hatred, sitting on the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group as Chair of the Independent Members.
She is a Trustee for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Refugee Employment Network and Pregnant Then Screwed. Akeela was the Lay Member for Patient and Public Involvement and Equalities Champion at NHS Brighton & Hove CCG. Akeela was a co-organiser of the Women’s March on London and in January 2017 spoke to over one hundred thousand people at the Women’s March on London (WML).
For her work with WML she was listed as one of Stylist’s Women of the Year 2017. Her portrait was part of the National Trust’s We Are Bess exhibition at Hardwick Hall, which showcased modern and historic female leaders.
Sharmeen Ziauddin
Editor-In-Chief
Sharmeen Ziauddin is an award-winning digital journalist and podcaster. She hosts and produces the She Speaks We Hear podcast, as well as other podcasts in her day job working for a media company.
Sharmeen has a background in radio, having had her own show on Ramadan Radio called “Let’s Talk About It” where she discussed taboo topics in the Muslim communities. She has also worked on the news team at a local radio station reading the news bulletins for many years.
Her motivation to become a journalist came from the lack of female Muslim voices in the media and this is the same reason she is passionate about She Speaks We Hear.
Zaynab Albadry
Head of Engagement & Outreach
Zaynab has dedicated her career to empowering young people, fostering community cohesion, and advocating for social justice. With a strong background in project management and a commitment to addressing racism, discrimination, and hate, Zaynab has spent the past several years working to create inclusive and transformative spaces for young people.
Starting her career as a Project Coordinator in 2018, Zaynab worked on an interfaith educational initiative aimed at combating antisemitism, anti-Muslim hate, and discrimination. In this role, she successfully helped reach over 150,000 young people across the country and was later promoted to Project Manager. She led a dynamic team of Muslim and Jewish facilitators, where we created safe, engaging spaces for young people to debunk harmful misconceptions, understand the historical context of prejudice, and learn how to report hate crimes.
Currently, she is the Director of Programmes at Future Leaders UK, overseeing the development and execution of programs designed to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The project aims to build young people’s confidence, develop their skills, and increase their access to career opportunities by helping them unlock their full potential.
