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PortraitIman

An illustration by Ashanti Fortson of abstracted and colorful patterns that hearken to Islamic geometric tilework, which radiate from the center of the image in an overlapping pattern of triangles, stars, teardrops, and 4-and-5-sided polygons. Many of the tile panels have intricate linework inside of them, depicting more floral or geometric patterning. The tiles are colored with varying shades of yellow, blue, and orange. At the center of the pattern is a starburst, and seven outstretched arms reach from the bottom of the starburst and up toward the center of it, where the text is laid. The seven arms each belong to different people of varying skin tones ranging from light to deep brown, and the hands have varying features and accessories on them, such as rings, bracelets, nail polish, finger splints, and a wristwatch. The text at the center of the image, which all the arms are reaching toward and up lifting, reads: "The beauty of my community is being able to lift up the voices of others like me, and to be a voice for others like me, because for so long, I thought I was the only disabled Muslim around." Towards the bottom of the illustration, the name "Iman" is written in capital letters.

An illustration by Ashanti Fortson of abstracted and colorful patterns that hearken to Islamic geometric tilework, which radiate from the center of the image in an overlapping pattern of triangles, stars, teardrops, and 4-and-5-sided polygons. Many of the tile panels have intricate linework inside of them, depicting more floral or geometric patterning. The tiles are colored with varying shades of yellow, blue, and orange. At the center of the pattern is a starburst, and seven outstretched arms reach from the bottom of the starburst and up toward the center of it, where the text is laid. The seven arms each belong to different people of varying skin tones ranging from light to deep brown, and the hands have varying features and accessories on them, such as rings, bracelets, nail polish, finger splints, and a wristwatch. The text at the center of the image, which all the arms are reaching toward and up lifting, reads: “The beauty of my community is being able to lift up the voices of others like me, and to be a voice for others like me, because for so long, I thought I was the only disabled Muslim around.” Towards the bottom of the illustration, the name “Iman” is written in capital letters.

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