NEW YORK – American Muslim activist Linda Sarsour has been targeted by right-wing and Islamophobic extremists in a manufactured “controversy” over remarks referencing “jihad” she made recently at a national Islamic convention in Illinois.

Becoming an active voice representing Muslim women in the US, this video tracks early activism day of Sarsour, the head of the Arab American Association of New York.

Sarsour helped end the NYPD’s practice of spying on Muslim-American citizens and was instrumental in the effort for New York to close schools on two Muslim high holy holidays, a first for any big city in the US.

The video, shared by Vox on YouTube on Monday, January 16, is the latest episode of The Secret Life of Muslims video series. Sarsour explains in the video how she was able to say to her children: “I did this for you.”

Women’s March

Sasour is one of the five organizers behind the Women’s March on Washington, a global movement of rallies and marches in protest of President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Giving a speech after Trump’s inauguration, Sarsour declared in front of millions, that you are “unapologetically Muslim American, uapologetically Palestinian American, unapologetically from Brooklyn” and defiantly “not afraid.”

After the march, right-wing websites boasted headlines like “Organizer For DC Women’s March, Linda Sarsour Is Pro Sharia Law With Ties to Hamas,” “The Anti-Semite Who Organized the ‘Women’s March on Washington’” and “The Muslim Veil, Not Pink Pussy Cap Was The Real Symbol Behind Big Women’s March.”

People around the world are sticking up for the Muslim, Palestinian-American racial justice and civil rights activist, making #IMarchWithLinda trend on Twitter.