Meet Edina Lekovic, Communications Director for MPAC

By Sara Elghobashy

February 8, 2010

Edina Lekovic’s passion for activism is one to be reckoned with. From her TV appearances to the leadership programs she helped create for the Muslim Public Affairs Council , it’s clear that Edina enjoys helping others and making a difference. And believe it or not – she has Peter Jennings to thank for all that. As the Communications Director of MPAC, Edina strives to create a more accurate image of Muslims in the media. But where did this passion originate and what can we expect from Edina in the future? elan is here to find out.

Who did you look up to growing up?

My first love was Peter Jennings. When I was a little girl, my parents didn’t let me or my sister watch too much TV. The only exception was watching the evening news with my parents. I was probably around 7 or 8 when I fell in love with Peter Jennings. The news became my window to the world. It established my passion for journalism and for helping people and for changing the way we see the world.

I also looked up to my sister, Munira. She was a year older than me and was very different from me. She was always very principled and clear about what she wanted, and I was not. Today my sister is still the person I look up to. She wrote a book called “Before the Wedding” and she has her masters in marriage and family counseling. What I continue to admire about her is that she is charting new territory. We were both raised with a strong work ethic. If you see something that needs to be done, get up and roll up your sleeves and do it. I really admire the fact that my sister continues to do that.

What is your biggest indulgence?

Honestly, HGTV. It’s totally addicting. It’s because my job and all the things I’m passionate about are so intense and cerebral and emotionally heart wrenching. My biggest indulgences are the opposite side of things. At the same time, my obsession with HGTV has helped my work because it helps you to see the possibilities. You can take something that’s ugly and old and outdated, and with some vision and creativity, you can change it to something else.

Other indulgences, I love “The Biggest Loser” for the same reason. It’s the power of what’s possible. I think I need to be reminded of the potential for change and what’s possible when you set your mind to it. I also love to go hiking and I like working out as a way of stress relief.

What is the first thing you do Sunday morning?

Try to stay in bed a little longer and then I listen to “This American Life” on NPR.

Did you have any nicknames as a child?

I had a couple. My parents had two for me, one that I hated and one that I liked. My parents are Montenegrin so they called me “Bootso.” It’s a term of affection, but in my mind it always meant little chubby one. The other one was “Edina Surafina.” Loose translation would be “girl with the pretty face.” It had a prettiness to it. Later in high school, my nickname from my friends was “Edlek,” which is my first name and my last name together. And my office colleagues call me “Eddie.”

How did your background prepare you for your career?

I grew up in a non-practicing Muslim home. We were not very tied to the mosque. We followed all the big rules but didn’t know much about Islam. The knowledge I got about Islam was from TV, news and movies. I carried big assumptions of my own. I believed that Muslim people were intolerant and women were oppressed. Taking that experience plus my journalism background, what inspires me to do the work I do now is that I understand where other people are coming from. I had the same lack of understanding and the same stereotypes. Developing pride in my identity and my love of my faith was combined with my experiences and my journalism background has helped me understand how to serve as a resource. I can share my own experience and in the end get better stories told that are multidimensional and nuanced and work to get Muslims included in articles that have nothing to do with Islam. A Muslim doctor on a health story. That sort of thing.

What are your professional goals?

I don’t know. I’ve never really planned for next steps in my career. I make du’a every day saying “Dear God, please let me be useful.” I am a strong believer that opportunities will present themselves. I am very blessed to be in a position to work in an organization in which I believe so passionately. I work to get Muslims more engaged and the media more engaged. So down the road, I would hope to continue to do that in one way or another.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges facing young, Muslims today?

If I had to think about one thing, I would say a very serious identity crisis. It’s not that they don’t know who they are. It’s that they’re being hit from all sides, which interferes with creating a space where they feel comfortable with themselves. 9/11 is the defining thing for their place in their community and country and I worry about the degree to which it is making them prematurely cynical rather than embracing the opportunities being presented to them. They’re getting more marginalized and are feeling alienated, but they’re also doing all this phenomenal work.

My greatest hope is young Muslims. They are doing the most innovative, forward thinking projects and writing and taking new career paths. They are the ones who are going to play the defining role in expanding the role our community’s place in the country. We’re on the cusp of something exciting. While on one hand, our youth are facing an unprecedented challenge to define who they are; on the other hand, they are the ones that will be the tipping point for our communities. Because of their talent and power, and even their frustration, they are going to make great changes.