Strength from Within

Sa’diyya Nesar is a TEDx speaker, poet, and award-winning author of Hearts that Remember and Strength from Within. Born with muscular myopathy, she transforms personal adversity into advocacy, sparking conversations on resilience, faith, and inclusion. She earned a Bachelor’s in English Language & Literature from The University of Hong Kong, and studied Islamic studies at Cambridge Islamic College, deepening her understanding of faith and storytelling. Her work has appeared in HuffPost, SISTERs magazine, Muslim Matters, and Malaysia’s Qalby app. She has prioritized her books to be accessible in braille and is recognized as a Zubin Foundation diversity list candidate and RESOLVE’s social justice fellow for DisABILITIES & Empowerment: Less Assumptions, More Conversations. Sa’diyya has participated in disability and interfaith panels, using her platform to foster dialogue and understanding. She has led initiatives like Women in Islam and Community Care in Islam in Hong Kong’s Muslim space, and spoken at international forums, including the Disability & Islam conference. She currently leads workshops on disability awareness, addressing misconceptions about visible and invisible disabilities to promote inclusive environments. Additionally, she offers book-themed workshops, creative writing, and advocacy sessions on both disability and Muslim-faith based needs for corporate and educational spaces.