Abstract
This qualitive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Muslim American women leaders who are descendants of slavery, with a particular attention to the intersections of religion, race, gender, nationality, and leadership. Guided by critical leadership theory and a phenomenological lens, the research sought to understand how these leaders define, navigate, and enact leadership in contexts often shaped by systemic racism and injustice. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with five participants, each of whom shared narratives reflecting their leadership journeys, challenges, goals, vision, and aspirations.
The analysis of the interviews revealed eight major themes: service, intersectionality and identity, faith and religiosity, community, resiliency and adaptability, mentorship and collaboration, systemic barriers, and visionary leadership. These were further illuminated by four subthemes—authenticity, gender equity, legacy, and empowerment—that appeared across participants' narratives. The findings demonstrate that the five Muslim women's leadership practices were grounded in faith, shaped by intergenerational resilience, and expressed through service to their communities. Despite encountering barriers related to race, gender, and religion, the women exercised visionary leadership that challenged systemic exclusion while cultivating spaces of empowerment, equity, and cultural affirmation.
This research contributes to the scholarship on leadership by centering the voices of African American Muslim women leaders, a group often overlooked in mainstream studies. The findings highlight the significance of intersectionality in shaping leadership identities and practices, and they reinforce the importance of culturally and faith-anchored responsive leadership frameworks. Implications include the need for organizations to embrace equity-driven and community-centered approaches to leadership development, as well as for policies that expand opportunities for women of color, particularly African American women, in leadership roles. Future research should examine diverse Muslim women leaders across racial, ethnic, and global contexts and consider longitudinal studies to capture how leadership identities and practices evolve over time.