The sewing machine was given to Maham’s mother by her grandmother when she was married in Pakistan. Her grandmother had taught all of her daughters to sew, as was customary for many women in her generation. Decades later, the same machine sits in Maham’s home in the Bronx.
Maham was born and raised in Kingsbridge, growing up surrounded by a robust Dominican and Puerto Rican community. In her neighborhood, although there weren’t many who shared her cultural background, she never felt out of place. “I think it was because I was surrounded by other immigrant communities, and even though we were so different, we were all different.” Still, Maham grew up in an age wrought with anti muslim sentiment. Having grown up through that period, she’s also been able to watch the city change. She believes greater exposure has made people more curious about communities they once viewed as foreign, and that curiosity has gradually made Muslim life more familiar. To her, Muslim life has become part of the city’s identity. "Thats what makes me so proud to be from the city, where you can be comfortable expressing your own identity despite the absence of it." 
The tradition of sewing has become another way for Maham to connect those parts of her life. She's carrying forward part of her culture in her own way. Friends come to her when they need pants shortened or a dress taken in, and a skill that belonged to the privacy of home life has become a way for Maham to connect with the people around her.

– Ariba Hassan

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant