We had the good fortune of connecting with Nayla Morshed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nayla, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I think from a young age we’re taught to persevere through everything. But, that’s not really a sustainable way of thinking or going about things. At some point, life is going to hit, and you’re going to be very quickly burnt out. I’ve had many instances where I was presented with two options and had to give up one thing. When choosing to give something up, I always give up what’s not serving me. Whether it’s an activity or position, you need to weigh out whether something is giving you the same work and energy you deserve and give. Along with this, passions are a big component in choosing what to give up. Personally, I have to enjoy what I’m doing or at some point, I’ll become very bored or unmotivated.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think I’m most proud and busy with my contributions to public speaking and cultural service projects! Back in May, I gave a TED Talk about colorism (racial discrimination within a community), and I had so much fun developing that speech. I also ranked 2nd in Texas and in the Top 25 in the nation for Original Oratory Speaking last year. I’m immensely grateful for those opportunities, and I love implementing bits of humor into public speaking to keep everyone entertained even if I am talking about something quite heavy. Looking into the future though, I’m currently working with a Palestinian-based NGO and Interfaith groups. Aside from all the “polished” things I do, it all comes down to one matter: to support the Islamic community’s struggles in ensuring that future generations don’t have to go through the same issues that we’re dealing with now.

But to address your question about challenges, I definitely feel like I got to where I am now by unlearning a “small” mindset. Growing up, I never thought that I’d be doing any of the things I do now. Initially, I thought I’d take the traditional route of simply pursuing a career. And it’s completely fine to do so, but I personally got really bored with this approach. So in my pursuit of passions that I actually cared about, I had to trick my mind into being confident. It was definitely false confidence, but nonetheless, so impactful. You have to wait it out until that false confidence becomes real confidence. I also just think everyone has to remind themselves that nothing is impossible. If hundreds of other people, and more importantly humans, can do it, why can’t you?

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m definitely a big enthusiast about food! I would first take them to Wave Bowl BBBop located in Plano. They have some of the best Halal Korean food in the area. I’d also hit Six Flags down in Arlington. You can never really go wrong with Amusement parks. To end the night, I think a sweet treat like ice cream or fro-yo to accompany a movie at home sounds like a good time. Movies at home beat the theater at any given time. If you ask any of my friends, I think they’d definitely tell you I’m a homebody.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Yeah of course! I definitely agree that I owe a lot of my successes to so many of my loved ones. In particular, I want to give a shoutout to Tanha Ali and Nafia Uddin. Tanha is such an amazing mentor who has offered me endless love, support, and guidance. She’s incredibly wise and pushes me outside of my bubble. I have nothing but the utmost respect for her. Nafia is also such a wonderful person in my life. She’s actually my cousin, but kind of doubles as a bestfriend, who is hands down the funniest person I know. Our constant laughs and good times are a big source of happiness for me. I think talking to her reminds me of the bigger picture of life and helps me wind down.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nayla-morshed-b798a7211/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/A4FVUd4ncbc

Other: https://www.amazon.com/All-Wrapped-Up-Nayla-Morshed/dp/B09MBTK8CZ

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.