"On Being Single: Holding Compassion for Ourselves & Others" Khutbah by Zariah Horton (9/28/18)

Khateebah Zariah Horton delivers the 45th khutbah for The Women's Mosque of America on September 28, 2018. In an incredibly courageous and vulnerable khutbah, Zariah emphasizes the importance of showing compassion and mercy to oneself as well as to others, with a special focus on the challenges of being a single Muslimah.

Bio:
Zariah Horton was raised on the importance of being of service to others, community activism, and social justice. She has been volunteering in the community since infancy, literally. She was born in an election year and her mother had her in a stroller encouraging people to vote. This foundation has led to over 20 years in public health and non-profit work.

Zariah started her career case managing persons living with HIV/AIDS and then expanding to providing sexual health prevention, education, counselling and testing. She has presented her work nationally on providing sexual health services in non-traditional settings. While managing one of the largest sexual health clinics in Los Angeles, she observed the intersection between sexual and mental health firsthand and returned to school to become a psychotherapist to better assist her clients and community.

Since completing graduate school, Zariah has become a psychotherapist and a life coach. She has concentrated her work in destigmatizing mental health, sexual health, and domestic violence in faith communities and communities of color. For several years, she managed group homes providing therapy and case management to adolescent girls on probation and in foster care. This led her to further her education and receive specialized training in counseling trauma survivors and commercial sexually exploited children.

Zariah taught courses at the graduate level regarding sexual health and psychology, human development, couples counseling, and family therapy. She has conducted workshops on the cycle of violence, identity development, sexual dysfunction, sexual addiction, substance abuse, and trauma and sexuality. She has written grants, received funding, and lead workshops on prevention and education of domestic violence in the Muslim community. She was on the board of Muslim Women’s League and currently is on the board of the Hajjah Project. She co-facilitated a process group at her local mosque regarding the Me Too Movement. She currently is a Mental Health First Aid instructor.

Recently Zariah has turned her energies towards expanding her knowledge and providing support to individuals and families experiencing fertility challenges. Lastly, she is a servant of God and tries to live everyday being compassionate and merciful to others as well as herself.