Unmuted: Journalist Noor Tagouri on Muslim misrepresentation in media and travel

“I realized that my strength in my storytelling, was who I was — it was my identity,” Noor told Yahoo Lifestyle. Tagouri launched her own production company called At Your Service, where she creates original video content and hosts Podcast Noor. In addition to finally owning her own work, Tagouri appreciates the opportunity to tell more meaningful stories.

“I really believe that storytelling is a form of service. I think that when someone shares their truth with you, that is them being of service to their community and to you as a storyteller,” Tagouri explains.

Watching Trump supporters face increased security and restrictions at airports after the attempted insurrection at the Capitol was something that surprised Tagouri. “I didn’t know that in my lifetime I would see a white man go through what always happens to Muslims for no reason.”

“It didn’t give me a good feeling to call someone else a terrorist, because white supremacists will never be considered terrorists in America the same way black, brown and Muslim people have been,” she said. “Once we realized that white supremacy was supported by the state and you actually tackle that part, it's like, oh now we have to handle white supremacy.”

Video Transcript

NOOR TAGOURI: I called them terrorists; everybody I knew, everybody I respected was calling them terrorists. And then I just kept thinking to myself, like, why does it feel wrong? It was because there's already a system in place of what we do with terrorists, and that system surveils and oppresses Muslim, black, brown communities.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Hey, everybody. I'm Brittany Jones-Cooper, and today's guest is Noor Tagouri, a journalist and producer whose commitment to storytelling has earned her international praise. I've been such a big fan of your work, so I've just been excited to sit and chat with you because you do talk about so many things that I'm also passionate about. Not only are you using social media to your benefit, but you created your own production company called As Your Service. So why was that an important part for you to tell the stories you wanted to tell?

NOOR TAGOURI: I always wanted to be a journalist. But I always struggled with how I was able to approach stories because I was often told that I had to be extra careful that my story wouldn't be biased. It's impossible to be unbiased when you're wearing a headscarf. They were consistently politicizing the hijab. You don't say that about someone wearing a cross necklace. And then I realized that my strength in my storytelling was who I was, it was my identity.

Every person has a human experience, a human story, they have their own perspective. And that isn't a bad thing, it's a great thing.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Right, because so often you can't control who tells your story and people feel misrepresented in media often.

NOOR TAGOURI: Or they are just straight-up misrepresented. I have been misrepresented more times than I have been properly represented. I really believe that storytelling is a form of service. And so we wanted people to know, like, you can trust us and we're always at your service.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I know President Biden recently lifted the Muslim ban, which many believe was rooted in xenophobia. You mentioned that you've received criticism for flying with your hijab. So can you just take me through the experience of traveling and again, people not really realizing that people still have those stereotypes in place?

NOOR TAGOURI: I just kind of had to hack the process. Because I knew at certain airports, I'd have to come extra early because it was going to be harder. I just picked up on all of these things because I'd had traumatizing experiences where I would get randomly picked or whatever and then in front of people get groped. We saw that video, that viral video of the white guy who screamed getting off the plane and was like, I'm on the no-fly list, they're calling me a terrorist.

- They kicked me off the plane. They called me a [BLEEP] terrorist.

NOOR TAGOURI: I didn't know that in my lifetime, I would see a white man go through what always happens to Muslims for no reason.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: It's just been interesting to see the media adjust that language finally what happened at the Capitol.

NOOR TAGOURI: It is domestic terrorism, according to the definition. And I was like, It doesn't really give me a good feeling to call somebody else a terrorist. Because white supremacists will never be considered terrorists in America the same way black, brown, Muslim people have been. And even though it was a win to get the news and to get politicians to finally use that terminology, it's like, thank you; now we have to handle white supremacy. We continue to call them terrorists. I think that that is kind of a cop-out. I know that the more countering terrorism programs that we put in are going to end up hurting our communities.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: For me it was just like another mark on the shift of consciousness we've had around white supremacy in the last year.

NOOR TAGOURI: That's a great point.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. That is important. And you're helping people connect to themselves, which I think is maybe the most important thing. Stay safe, stay inside. I hope to talk to you soon. It was really great to [INAUDIBLE]

NOOR TAGOURI: Appreciate you.