Learn how photography, resilience & travel to Africa helped Zaakirah navigate disability and find connection worldwide. Zaakirah Muhammad shares the remarkable story of how a photograph taken when she was an infant helped detect a rare eye cancer and ultimately save her life. She reflects on how photography became her creative outlet, how her first international trip to Costa Rica sparked a lifelong passion for travel, and why extended stays in countries like Ghana and Kenya transformed her understanding of identity, community and belonging. Zaakirah discusses traveling through Africa as a disabled person, spending a year living in Kenya with her mother, reconnecting with the continent through DNA ancestry research, and navigating the world as a Black Muslim woman. She also shares insights on accessibility, cultural immersion, Afrobeats, entrepreneurship, and how travel can help us better understand both ourselves and the places we visit.
395: Seeing Life Through a Different Lens: Zaakirah Muhammad on Disability, Belonging & Travel in Africa
Episode Summary
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About the Guest
Zaakirah Nayyar Muhammad
Zaakirah Nayyar Muhammad is an author, TEDx speaker, photographer, disability advocate, travel storyteller, and media entrepreneur dedicated to helping people see the world—and themselves—through a different lens. She is especially committed to helping Black, Muslim, and disabled creatives build legacy-driven brands rooted in authenticity. Diagnosed with a rare childhood eye cancer that resulted in both vision and hearing loss, she now travels the world documenting the intersection of disability, culture, identity, and belonging. Her work focuses on making travel more accessible and inclusive, and helping underrepresented voices reclaim their stories and shine.
What You'll Learn
- How a life-saving photograph led Zaakirah from childhood cancer survivor to global travel storyteller.
- What it’s really like to travel through Ghana, Kenya and beyond as a disabled traveler.
- How travel, ancestry and cultural immersion can deepen your sense of identity, belonging and home.
Links From the Episode
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READ ZAAKIRAH’S BOOK SEEING LIFE THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS
LISTEN TO ZAAKIRAH’S SEE LIFE DIFFERENTLY PODCAST
WATCH ZAAKIRAH’S TEDX TALK
OTHER MAVERICK SHOW PODCAST GUEST MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
CONTACT AND FOLLOW ZAAKIRAH
DISABILITY RESOURCE:
#1 BOOK THAT ZAAKIRAH RECOMMENDS
#1 PERSON WITH WHOM ZAAKIRAH WANTS TO HAVE DINNER
TOP 3 FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
TOP 3 BUCKELIST DESTINATIONS
- Bali (Indonesia)
- Cayman Islands
- Egypt
LOCATIONS WHERE THE INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE
- Matt: Asheville, North Carolina
- Zaakirah: Maryland
TOP 5 AFROBEAT ARTISTS
TOP 5 HIP-HOP ARTISTS
OTHER MUSIC ARTISTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
BASKETBALL PLAYERS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
LANGUAGES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
INSTITUTIONS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
US STATES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
PLACES IN KENYA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
AFRICAN EVENTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
SOUTH AFRICAN CITIES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Nigeria
- Senegal
OTHER PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Time Stamped Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
[0:43] Introducing Zaakirah Nayyar Muhammad
[2:50] How a Photograph Saved Zaakirah’s Life as an Infant
[4:30] Getting Her First Camera at 5 Years Old
[5:55] Photography in Middle School and High School
[7:18] 8th Grade Trip to Costa Rica with Other Hearing Impaired Students
[9:58] Merging Photography and Storytelling with Travel
[11:11] Living win Ghana in 2011
[14:55] Traveling to Senegal and The Gambia
[17:12] Traveling Solo to South Africa
[18:55] Experiencing the Continent as a Muslim Woman
[21:08] Moving to Kenya for a Year
[23:45] Living in Kenya with Her Mother
[26:34] Basketball in Kenya
[27:56] Immersing in Afrobeats on the Continent
[32:34] Returning to Ghana After 15 Years
[34:49] Moving Through the World as a Disabled Traveler
[36:22] How to Be a Better Ally to Disabled Travelers
[37:07] Zaakirah’s Support for Intersectional Struggles Against Oppression
[38:49] Writing Her Memoir: “Seeing Life Through a Different Lens”
[41:09] Hosting the Podcast “See Life Different”
[42:30] Consulting and Coaching Services for Entrepreneurs
[43:34] Founding Sanaa Nomads
[44:53] Motivation and Mindset Tips for Life’s Downswings
[46:03] Tips and Resources for Disabled Travelers
[47:26] Travel Lessons about the African Diaspora
[47:51] How Travel Has Impacted Zaakirah as a Person
[48:33] Reflections on Seeing Life Through a Different Lens
[49:13] What Travel Means to Zaakirah
[50:03] The Lightning Round
[54:47] Follow and Connect with Zaakirah
