Herd in Hijab offered students an opportunity to learn more about hijabs and the Islamic religion, Monday in the Memorial Student Center. Students were encouraged to bring their own scarves, or use the available ones, to learn how to wrap them into hijabs during the event.

Olivia Giovingo, member of the Muslim Student Association, organized the event with the Women’s and Gender Center, and she said the purpose was to bring awareness about the hijab and invite students to try it on.

“What we hope is that students get a better understanding of what the hijab is, a better understanding of what Islam as a religion is, but this gives students the opportunity to come and talk to some Muslims and have that open conversation,” Giovingo said.

Iram Kingson, co-president of MSA, said hijabs often have a negative connotation in the media, and that this event was a chance to change those perceptions.

“Just getting to know someone who wears hijab, hearing their story and what it means to them, for people is just a really valuable experience,” Kingson said. “A hijab puts a target on certain women just because they associate it with all kinds of negative stuff, but we’re here if people have any questions or want to know more about what hijab means.”

Kingson said wearing a hijab for her makes her feel closer to her roots, as she is from Pakistan.

“Just being in a foreign country from where I’m originally from, there’s not many people of my culture or religion around here, so I think it’s just kind of a way to tie me closer and just remind me of my roots and where I came from,” she said.

Amanda Larch can be contacted at [email protected].