Tested Podcast

"I Thought I Was The Only One In The World": Latina Converts To Islam

By Yasmin Bendaas

Published October 15, 2021 at 5:13 AM EDT

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Kathia Guerrero and Shirley Puente of North Carolina are Mexican and Peruvian converts to Islam. The Latina convert experience is mostly missing from mainstream conversations about Muslims, which intrigues Yasmin Bendaas, host of WUNC's newest podcast Me & My Muslim Friends. On this episode of Tested, we share their conversation about what brought them to Islam, how their family took their decision, choosing hijab, and finding community.

Find more about Me & My Muslim Friends here.

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Yasmin Bendaas

Yasmin Bendaas grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in an Iranian-Algerian household, which was less confusing than it could have been. She studied anthropology at Wake Forest University and science & medical journalism at UNC Chapel Hill. The most meaningful work she’s completed has been in Algeria with reporting for AlJazeera, Reuters and the Pulitzer Center. Breaking from straight news, Yasmin now works at ICON as a proposal writer for global clinical trials. She couldn’t have made this podcast without the contributions of the people listed here. You can follow her @yasminbendaas.

See stories by Yasmin Bendaas