Growing up in California, Maryam has always enjoyed spending time outdoors, and doing activities like biking, hiking, and going to the beach. However, her home and the natural environment that she loves so much is being destroyed by fossil fuels and the impacts of the climate crisis. When air quality is poor due to wildfire smoke, it makes her nose hurt around her sinuses and makes it difficult for her to breathe. Additionally, increasing temperatures are causing her headaches and dry air is worsening her eczema flare-ups.

For Maryam, the climate crisis is not only impacting her health and ability to participate in outdoor activities, but is affecting her Islamic practices and rituals, which are important to her. The extreme heat is making it difficult for her to fast for Ramadan and as she looks to the future, she believes that even wearing her hijab would be difficult in the heat. Although Maryam loves going to Santa Monica Beach over the summer, oil spills often run onto the beach – a devastating sign of a planet in peril. Maryam is worried about the state of the planet and her ability to live her life to its fullest potential.