The final day of Roosevelt University’s American Dream Reconsidered Conference featured a conversation with acclaimed economist and author Leena El-Ali. The event, titled “A Journey from East to West: Islam, Immigration, and Gender,” was introduced by President Ali Malekzadeh, who shared his own connection to the topic being Iranian American. Discussions surrounding immigration, Islam and gender often devolve into heated political rhetoric. This lecture sought to serve as a counterbalance, featuring an intimate conversation with El-Ali about her personal journey and her thoughtful interpretation of the Qur’an. El-Ali has engaged in peace-building efforts across several countries and authored No Truth Without Beauty: God, the Qur’an, and Women’s Rights.
In the historic Sullivan Room, Professor of Philosophy Stuart Warner introduced El-Ali before engaging in a lively discussion that touched on the history and key issues of the immigration process. El-Ali’s personal story of immigration featured heavily, which allowed the audience to engage with a human story at the core of an often-politicized issue. Born in Sierra Leone but ethnically Lebanese, El-Ali’s story is one that highlights the benefits of multiculturalism. During her entire educational history, El-Ali learned three different languages in multiple different countries, including Lebanon, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom. While she reflects fondly on these experiences, she also noted that most of the various moves were instigated by political conflicts. When asked if she ever felt like an outsider, El-Ali responded that while at times she was an outsider, she never felt she was treated as one. She performed well in school and was beloved by her professors. She shared the story of how one passionate Economics professor led to her career in the field, an anecdote that speaks to the power of dedicated educators. According to El-Ali, the times that she grew up in were more innocent, and less plagued by religious persecution. She continued her remarks by stating that “having multiple identities should never raise questions of allegiance, because we all have multiple identities. I am a daughter, a wife, an author, a sister. We all have multiple identities.” That sentiment radiated throughout the entire conversation. The question-and-answer period that followed led to an attentive conversation between El-Ali, Professor Warner, and members of the Roosevelt community. The conversation continued the University’s tradition of centering equitable human rights and shed light on a topic at the forefront of the American and global collective consciousness.
