Our Story
Hijabi Ballers was founded in 2017 by Amreen Kadwa, a 21-year-old Muslim woman who had spent much of her life loving sports and her most recent years playing rugby. While she loved the game, she often felt alone—rarely seeing role models who looked like her: hijab-wearing women in the rugby space. After a sports injury left her sidelined, that sense of disconnection deepened.
As she spoke with other Muslim women athletes, a pattern emerged: many had similar stories of exclusion, navigating cultural stigma, and not fully belonging in the sports they loved. Amreen knew something had to change.
To hear stories of others with similar experiences, she made a simple Facebook post asking to connect with other Muslim female athletes in Toronto. Within two days, she was connected with more than 75 women. That moment made it clear that a community and network like Hijabi Ballers was absolutely needed.
Soon after, the first Hijabi Ballers Sports Festival brought together over 200 participants, showcasing the powerful presence and passion of Muslim women and girls in sport. That event confirmed what many already knew: Muslim women athletes have always been here—what they needed was a space built for them.
From that spark, Hijabi Ballers has grown into a non-profit organization that empowers Muslim girls and women by creating high-quality, sustainable, safe, and inclusive sport experiences. Our programs support both athletic and leadership development, nurturing not only confident athletes but strong community leaders and advocates.
Staff Team
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Amreen Kadwa
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Humaira Sedu
DIRECTOR OF BRAND & OPERATIONS
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Rishada Majeed
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS
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Mahra Amin
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
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Bibi Takwah Ahmad
MARKETING, CONTENT CREATOR
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Nadia Kasim
DIGITAL STRATEGY AND COMMUNITY MANAGER
Board of Directors
Habibah Haque
Habibah Haque is a passionate community changemaker with over ten years of human rights experience across the government and non-profit sectors. She has led equitable initiatives, provided intersectional feminist policy analysis, and organized national activism campaigns on issues related to gender-based violence, gendered Islamophobia and MMIWG2S. First joining Hijabi Ballers as a Project Manager in 2020, she joined the Board of Directors as Chair in 2024. With expertise in strategy development and project leadership, Habibah currently supports Indigenous reconciliation efforts in the university sector and also serves as a member of the Women, Peace and Security Network - Canada, providing gender rights expertise to the federal government. Born and raised in Toronto, Habibah is very active in the arts and culture scene and has a long history of volunteerism and community engagement in the city. She is an avid tennis lover and after winning two championships, now plays recreationally. She strongly believes in the role of sports and athletics in empowering women and building confidence, and dreams of positive and fully accessible sports spaces for Muslim girls.
Chair
Samiha Arshad
SecretarySamiha serves as our Secretary. Having been involved with Hijabi Ballers from the early days , Samiha is passionate about ensuring the organization remains sustainable for future generations. Having grown up playing rep soccer, Samiha understands the importance of representation in sports.
TreasurerMehnaaz Bholat
Mehnaaz joined Hijabi Ballers in 2018 while looking to return to an active lifestyle and became involved with the Sunday basketball program. Inspired by the impact the organization had on her life, she is passionate about creating opportunities for young Muslim girls. Mehnaaz serves as Treasurer on the Board and works as an Internal Auditor at TELUS Health.
Director At LargeNatasha Persaud
Natasha Persaud is a human rights and employment lawyer with nearly two decades of experience. A Partner at Formative LLP, she advises public, private, and not-for-profit organizations on investigations, governance, risk management, and workplace culture.
Director At LargeAyaa Mohamad
Ayaa Mohamad is a community development and partnerships specialist with 8+ years in municipal and non-profit sectors. She leads community investment, grant, and collaboration initiatives that strengthen local capacity and equity. Certified in Public Participation, she holds a Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management and an Honours BA in City Studies and Sociology.