Mona Haydar defies easy definition.
She is: Artist · Educator · Activist
The Artist:
Rapper, Poet, Performer, Music Producer, and Director
The Educator:
Public speaker, Guest Lecturer, Workshop Facilitator, TV Host, Author, Spiritual Director, and Chaplain
The Activist:
Co-founder of Ask a Muslim
…a global initiative promoting dialogue, love, and understanding.
Mona, alongside her husband, Sebastian Robins, hosted PBS’s The Great Muslim American Road Trip. This was a cross-country journey along Route 66. They explored the rich and complex story of Islam and Muslims in America.
Artistic Works
Mona’s debut single, “Hijabi (Wrap My Hijab)”, was named by Billboard as one of the Top Protest Songs of 2017. It was also recognized later as one of the Top 25 Feminist Anthems of All Time.
Mona is a multidisciplinary artist and culture-maker. Her work reflects her experience growing up in Flint, Michigan as a Syrian-American. Her art is rooted in faith, justice, and creative exploration.
Her work has been featured and exhibited at:
The de Young Museum, San Francisco
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York City
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
The Baltimore Museum of Art, Maryland
…and many many more
Poetry & Music
Mona began writing poetry as a child, her earliest journal declaring:
“I am mood.
I am dude.
I am cool.
I am Mona.”
She transitioned from poetry to rap in 2015 with her viral hit “Hijabi (Wrap My Hijab).” Through this song, she celebrated women worldwide, and challenged racism, colorism, and tribalism.
Her follow-up single, “Dog,” confronted gender-based violence and religious abuse of power which led to a cultural shift among American Muslims and urged forward the walk towards upholding dignity and justice. Mona’s 2018 EP, Barbarican, received critical acclaim. The lead single “Lifted”—written while she was navigating postpartum depression—tells a story of loss, rediscovery, and healing. The project reclaims terms like “barbarian” as a symbol of decolonial pride and resistance. “If they’re civilized, I’d rather stay savage.”
Media Features
Mona’s work and voice have been featured in:
Billboard, The New York Times, PEOPLE, VIBE, ESSENCE, Marie Claire, Glamour, PAPER, NYLON, Vogue, ELLE, PBS, BBC, CNN, BuzzFeed, AJ+, PRI, NPR, Psychology Today, Refinery29, Ms. Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more.
Television & Film:
PBS (2022): Co-host, The Great Muslim American Road Trip
PBS (2018): Featured in Marcus Samuelsson’s No Passport Required
- National Geographic (2018): America Inside Out with Katie Couric
The Secret Life of Muslims (2017): Emmy-nominated series
Microsoft #SpreadHarmony Campaign (2016): Featured in The New York Times
Viral Project:
In 2015, Mona and Sebastian launched Ask A Muslim, an open-dialogue project offering free coffee, donuts, and conversation. The initiative went viral, garnering coverage from NPR, People Magazine, The Boston Globe, Al Jazeera, and others.
Education
M.A. in Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary, New York City — 2018
(Studied under Rev. Dr. James Cone, founder of Black Liberation Theology)B.A. in English, University of Michigan–Flint
Islamic Studies, Jami‘ Abun-Noor, Damascus, Syria
Contemplative Practice & Ecology, Lama Foundation, Northern New Mexico
Family Life
Mona was born in Saudi Arabia to Syrian parents and raised in Flint, Michigan—the seventh of eight children.
She and Sebastian married in 2012 and have three children. After several years in Marrakech, Morocco, the family returned to Northern New Mexico, where they live simply—gardening, composting, homeschooling, and beekeeping.
Booking & Inquiries
For bookings, performances, lectures, or collaborations:
Mona Haydar 