Talib M. Shareef passed much of his life in the military, spending three decades in the Air Force, inspired to join by an uncle who had served in Vietnam—and by shows of patriotism within the Muslim community. During that time, he aspired to reform the military's treatment of its Muslim service members, helping to engineer a more inclusive climate.
“At first I had to pray in closets, because there just wasn't dedicated space,” Shareef recalls in this episode of Working. Thanks in part to his efforts, that had changed by the time he retired—and he had changed along the way, learning Arabic and committing himself more fully to his faith. Among other things, he also aimed to help educate other service members about “what Muslims were doing, how they have been serving this country we love.” As he puts it, “We were all on the same team, doing the same thing.”
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