The Sozahdah family was blessed with 10 incredible daughters, who are now the stars of Hulu’s reality series Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozahdahs. With 5 of the sisters born in Afghanistan, and the other 5 born in the U.S.A., their Muslim-American identities vary widely, with the first-born sisters calling themselves the “lionesses” and the younger sisters branding themselves as “the wolf pack.” With all 10 episodes now streaming on Hulu, I had the honor of chatting with 7 of the Sozahdahs about their interest in allowing cameras into their lives, the cultural differences within their families, and what they hope Muslim-American women struggling with their sense of identity can learn from them. Khadija (sister #3), Rabya (sister #4), Shakur (sister #5), Jamila (sister #7), Siddiqa (sister #8), Nooreya (sister #9), and Hamida (sister #10) all participated in press interviews for the series.
(Maarten DeBoer/Hulu)
Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozahdahs may have just premiered on June 7th, but the show was actually 10 years in the making. Wolf Pack leader Shakur had been trying to get a show about her sisters and their unique dynamic for a decade. Rabya was paired for interviews with Rabya, the fourth-born who move to America as a baby. Her personality is more conservative and traditional like her elder sisters, whereas Shakur leads the Wolf Pack to be as modern as any woman in Los Angeles.
Khadija was the third born, who shared the inspirational message she hopes viewers who come from a similar background take away from the show. Their mother, who was born and raised in Afghanistan, never had the education and career opportunities that her daughters received. And in a world where opportunities for Muslim women can sometimes be limited, she hopes their story inspires them to keep dreaming. Jaimila, the seventh born, is a board-certified Physician Associate and entrepreneur in anti-aging and regenerative medicine, added that she hopes viewers can identify with a particular sister’s story and be inspired by them. They reminded that their stories don’t speak for every one of the Muslim faith or Afghani lineage.
The youngest of the sisters, Siddiqa, Nooreya, and Hamida, were all together for the interviews. They talked about how they’re mindful of how they dress and what they say around their mother and eldest sisters, but also shared that watching the show has been a revealing experience. In particular, the on-camera testimonials allow each sister to speak their mind in a safe space. While they’re sometimes surprised by the things they’ve said about each other, it ultimately brings them all closer together.
All 10 episodes of Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozahdahs are now streaming on Hulu. The sisters are eagerly awaiting potential news of a second season, but shared that in the meantime, viewers can find them as a group on TikTok, where they sometimes even go live. And if you identify with a particular sister, most of them are on Instagram. “If you find one Sozahdah, you can find all Sozahdahs,” Hamida said, adding that they always tag each other. But you can also use the links below as a shortcut.