TOLEDO, Ohio — Noor Alexandria Abukaram ran a cross-country meet for Sylvania Northview High School in 2019. Afterward, she learned was disqualified from the because she wore her hijab. Then, together with Sen. Theresa Gavarone, she worked to get Senate Bill 181 passed into law, protecting religious garments in sports.
"The only reason why I still run today is because of what happened in 2019. I run with that story strapped to my back," Noor said.
Her mother, Yolanda Melendez, said she was shocked back in 2019 because the family had been part of the Sylvania community for so long. She's proud of how hard and continuously her daughter has fought.
"We're so just blessed by everything Noor does. She is a force," Yolanda said.
Yolanda and her husband, Zaid Abukaram, both started running to stay in shape and keep up with not only Noor but her three younger siblings, ages 15, 10 and 8 years old.
They were even more proud of Noor when her message for freedom of expression in sports followed the trio to the New York City Marathon in 2022 and presented a new opportunity through the Active Inclusion group that spoke with her.
"They were like, 'Hey do you want to go to London?'" Yolanda said. "Noor, immediately was like, 'Yes, Is that an invite?' She goes, 'I come in a package. It's me and my parents.'"
Now a sophomore at The Ohio State University studying fashion, Noor said she was happy to learn her message of inclusion didn't just stay in one place.
"I've started to see more and more and more hijabis on the course.' So, that made me really happy and I'm just really happy to go and see that," Noor said.
Noor, Yolanda and Zaid will all be running in the London Marathon on Sunday, representing Active Inclusion and Muslim Runners. There, Noor plans to share her story and bring her message of inclusion and self-acceptance. She is also fundraising for Charity Right to feed children in other countries.
Even though SB 181 has already passed, the conversation shouldn't end there, Yolanda said.
"We belong in these spaces," Yolanda said. "People don't look like us and it's because for a very long time we were told we don't belong. "When you're told you don't belong, it has to come from somewhere. Noor has taken that on."
And taken it on she has. Noor said the passage of SB 181 was an important step and put forth a message that needs to continue being heard.
"Anywhere that people occupy, it's important to show up 100% as your full authentic self," Noor said. "If we start treating sports as this space that people can't show up as themselves, we're going to start losing the integrity of sport."