Mayors Medal of Honor Recipient: Regina Mustafa

We reported on the Rochester Mayor 2016 Medal of Honor recipients yesterday. You can imagine my glee when I saw one of my dearest friends receive one! Her name is Regina Mustafa and if you have not met this dynamic tenacious incredible woman yet, let me be the first to introduce you to her. She hosts her own (inter) Faith Talk Show but somehow finds time to add altruistic awesomeness to our community and beyond too. Her and I teamed up for NuDay Syria. I caught up with her to find out how she felt winning the honor with my quick five question snapshot.

DT: How'd you feel when you won?

RM: I was shocked. I was so enjoying the stories of the other recipients! I was actually confused as to why the Mayor had one more award to hand out! But it was truly an honor to be recognized among so many other amazing people in our city.

DT: What do you think the honor means for (your) future work?

RM: I have to continuously think of bigger and better ways of serving my community and reaching all demographics. My message of acceptance, education and compassion is vital, especially for our youth. I’m gaining headway into that area more and more and hope with future collaborations I can reach more of our young learners. 

DT: What's up next for you? Think you can top this past amazing year?

RM: This past year has been amazing. I this been difficult at times, especially with regards to socially-accepted prejudices and hate speech, I feel like I’ve only made a dent. I plan to take my Faith Talk Show “on the road” to towns outside of Rochester, into the Cities and beyond. I’d love to hold an episode in D.C. with President-elect Trump as my guest.

DT: Who's your inspiration and why?

RM: My children are my inspiration. Each child I meet is an inspiration. Every heroic story of someone overcoming an addiction, going back to school, tackling multiple jobs to provide for their families, etc. are inspirations for me. Sorry, I couldn’t narrow it down.

DT: You empower other women and lift them up. Why do you think this is important?

RM: I don’ have a sister and I always wondered what that relationship is like. I consider my friends my sisters. When you lift up another woman, you’re raising a community, you’re actually lifting up way more than that one person. I’ve overcome multiple obstacles, as we all do, to be where I am today. I want to help another woman along the way and I want her to help me as well.