Hania was born in the U.S. but lived in the UAE for 7 years before moving back to the U.S. Moving to the U.S. at a young age was fairly easy, but there were some bumpy roads that she had to deal with.

      Going to a predominantly white school was difficult for Hania as she felt that she had to hide her culture in order to fit in, which made her feel off because she had to pretend to be someone she was not. She was not aware of how that concealment would change her as a person until she went to University, where she was able to meet other Arabs.

      Hania noticed a lot of what she learned when she lived in the UAE had disappeared because of her move to the U.S., and she had to do her part in relearning the Arab culture.

      Hania joined AAMHA because, as a psychology major, she observed and learned how the Arab community had lived with the tainted meaning of mental health and was disregarding it; this made it lose its significance. She has also noticed how a lot of Arabs are aware of mental health but aren't able to take action, which is why she wants to help raise awareness of helpful resources and educate them.