1st hijab-wearing American Olympian visits Villa Park Islamic school to inspire students

VILLA PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Olympic fencing bronze medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad inspired students with her story during a visit at the Islamic Foundation School in Villa Park.

"Being a student-athlete here, her whole journey and challenges, they were all very relatable and meeting her was an honor," IFS Student Mahin Syed said.

Muhammad is known for being the first Muslim-American woman to wear a hijab while competing at the Olympic Games.

"Seeing Ibtihaj Muhammad shows us that anything is possible with hard work and passion," IFS student Mohamed Abdelsalam said.

The Olympian-turned author is promoting her latest children's book: "The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship."

For Muhammad, representation matters.

"When I was growing up, I didn't see a lot of picture books that had stories of brown characters, didn't have stories that had character that wear hijab," she said.

She said it wasn't easy growing up as a fencer wearing a hijab.

"I grew up relentlessly bullied and it was really difficult to often be the only kid who was Muslim or to be the only brown kid on the fencing strip," Muhammad said.

But she persevered, making history and her community proud at the 2016 summer games.

"I know what my community means to me and I have always known that this journey is bigger than me," Muhammad said.

For IFS principal Farhat Siddiqui, she said she believes it is important for students to see themselves reflected in books.

"This is not just an opportunity for the female students to take pride in what they're seeing, but also for the young men to see their mothers and their sisters in such a positive light," Siddiqui said.