B I O G R A P H Y
Photo journalist, Sadaf Syed, is today’s renowned feminist photographer. Best known for breaking down stereotypes, she educates and inspires her audience through the eyes of photography and the perspectives of her subjects. Syed has been recognized as a leading artist by The White House in 2010.
Born in Illinois and raised in Los Angeles, Syed graduated from California State University at Fullerton. After a few years gaining experience in freelance photography, she married and returned to Illinois to work as a photojournalist at a local newspaper.
It was after the events of 9/11 that Syed observed society’s biased notions and attitudes toward Muslim women.
After obtaining public nominations for her photography, Syed set out to travel across the United States with her two young children, trekking state to state to photograph and capture the stories of Muslim covered women across the country. The result was a limited edition of a stunning photo documentary book, iCOVER: A Day in the Life of a Muslim-American COVERed Girl. It was sold out within months of being published.
“Thank you SO much for being a positive part in all the lives of muhajjibah’s (covered women) — iCOVER as a sign of protest against the ideals of trying to control who I am, what I believe.”
Following the self-publication of her second edition, Syed accepted an invitation by His Highness, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to the opening event of ‘iCOVER,’ a photo-documentary exhibition, in November 2011 at the prestigious Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization in the United Arab Emirates. Amongst the attendees were members of the royal family of Sharjah and U.S. Consul General Justin Siberell of Dubai.
iCOVER is available to purchase internationally on Amazon and has been featured and reviewed nationally and globally by:
• Chicago Tribune
• Zaman Newspaper, Istanbul
• ABC 7 News, Chicago
• Cii Broadcasting, South Africa
• Huffington Post, New York
• Dawn.com, Pakistan
• Emel Magazine, London
• The Gulf Today, United Arab Emirates
• "D" di Repubblic, Italy
“iCOVER surely demonstrates how education enhances understanding . Your culture is beautiful and I am so proud of you. My best wishes and God’s blessings to you.”
Sadaf Syed is also the official Photographer for the #MyJihad Public Education Campaign (http:// www.myjihad.org) that seeks to share the proper meaning of Jihad as believed and practiced by the majority of Muslims. Syed’s work has been displayed in campaign ads on buses and bus stations in Chicago, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and St. Louis. The campaign has been covered in social media as well as mainstream media in the Americas, Europe, Australia and the Middle East and continues to grow and expand in reach.
See Sadaf's resume here