Ayah Galal, an American journalist of Egyptian origin, became the first hijabi news anchor in Connecticut, USA, this month where she works for WFSB News.
Galal spoke about her enthusiasm for the great professional achievement in her career and she also re-tweeted a number of media professionals and specialists in the world, who spoke about her.
Galal’s path was not easy in the US media, but she was able to make her way without abandoning her roots and traditions and gaining more experiences through a series of jobs and tasks that she performed efficiently and effectively.
She graduated from Quinnipiac University, majoring in journalism and political science.
Galal was distinguished by her comprehensive reports and videos, and her keenness on the truth with her “encapsulation” with graceful words that highlight her character and bring her closer to the viewers.
That earned her a special honor from the Connecticut Association of Professional Journalists and the Pinnacle College Media Award.
She also received an Academic Achievement Award from the Alumni Association for having the highest scholastic standing in her class.
While at Quinnipiac, she was an active member of student associations and held the position of news director at Q30 Television, the university's student-run official television station.
Galal also worked as a production assistant at a production company, where she helped edit multimedia projects for the Quinnipiac website and social media platforms.
During her final year at university, Aya interned at WTNH, where she wrote stories for the News 8 website.
She also held the position of Web Director for Q30 TV and was frequently involved in reporting and broadcasting on newscasts.
During the summer of 2016, she recalls, as an intern, that she covered the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
In addition to writing, she loves to travel and read with a cup of coffee.
What helped her stand out was her insistence on mastering the English and French languages, in addition to Arabic; which made her the most superior among her peers.
Galal was initially worried that news stations would not accept her as a TV presenter because of her hijab, so she initially went to get a job behind the scenes, but her colleagues encouraged her to pursue her dream of becoming a broadcaster.
She proved that she can bear the pressures of work, especially as she used to get up in the morning to go to her workplace to prepare the morning reports.
She said that over the years, she has noticed how the image of Muslims is distorted in the media, and has always tried to correct that image.
“Muslims are part of the fabric of this country. I receive many messages from Muslim families expressing their happiness on seeing a Muslim woman on air.”
She expressed her wish to inspire others to stay true to themselves and do what they love.
"I especially hope that younger generations will see that it is good to be different and embrace what makes you unique," she added.
