Wrapped tightly all over her head, without having softly draping cloth to distract her all through meetings at her tech startup, Dilara Sayeed’s hijab is American in more means than one.

Her hijab, or Muslim headscarf, has a smooth, Expert profile that is usually observed from the U.S.

Plus the spirit with which Sayeed, a former Democratic candidate for that Illinois Dwelling of Representatives, wears her hijab is American at the same time. When Sayeed’s Indian-born father questioned her choice islamic fashion to address her hair at age 19, indicating, “You’re in America now; you don’t have to do this,” Sayeed’s comeback was the things of a highschool civics course:

“It’s since I’m American which i can prefer to cover, Daddy.”