In the last few months I’ve received 4 speaking invites:
•One to speak on the Black American experience—I said no & referred a Black scholar
•One to speak on Iranian women—I said no & referred several Iranian women
•One to speak on Arab American students—I said no & referred an Arab woman & activist
•One to speak on my experience in Turkey providing earthquake relief, on a panel with a Turkish scholar—I said yes
Lesson: You don’t need to be a voice for the voiceless—just learn to pass the mic.