I have an authentic talk with Mona Johnson, who is an Arab Muslim-immigrant to the US and retired lieutenant colonel with the US Army. She is believed to be the first Arab Muslim-immigrant woman to serve in the United States Armed Forces.

Born in Cairo, Egypt, Johnson and her family were exiled to Saudi Arabia before immigrating to the US in 1960. Acquiescing to a marriage to a Muslim man at a young age, she endured years of mental and physical abuse before escaping with her two daughters. She began her career with the US Army as a single parent before marrying again.

She shares her story to educate younger generations on immigration and assimilation of Arab-immigrants into the fabric of modern America. Throughout her journey, she felt the brunt of discrimination and stereotyping from Eastern and Western cultures. Mona pursued a life of equality, even while hiding her religious heritage from the US Army.

Mona lives with her husband Phil in South Bend, Indiana and is a devoted mother and grandmother. Learn more about Mona and her work at MonaJohnsonAuthor.com.

She is also author of "Not Created Equal: An Immigrant Muslim Woman’s Pursuit for Equality in her Family, the Army and America" follows a fearless quest to conquer Islamic stereotypes and bias in two cultures. If you like relentless determination, battling bigotry, and stories of unsung American heroes, then you’ll love Mona Johnson’s revealing memoir.

She suffered domestic violence and cultural discrimination. Can she build a new life as a single mom and military officer?

Mona Johnson dreamed of a world where a Muslim woman could be treated as an equal. After escaping a politically divided Egypt, she and her family lived in exile in Saudi Arabia before immigrating to the US in 1960. But assimilating into American culture was far from easy, as the values of her heritage clashed with her pursuit of being a modern feminist.

Giving in to her mother’s wishes, she became trapped in a seven-year abusive marriage. Forced to endure reprehensible acts of mental and emotional abuse, to include physical attacks, she eventually escaped with her two daughters and with her father’s encouragement, began a career in the Army Nurse Corps. Defying years of prejudice and gender inequality, Johnson became one of the first immigrant Arab-Muslim women to serve in the US Armed Forces and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

In this unflinching memoir, Johnson shares for the first time her heartbreaking and joyful journey. Drawing from her experiences as a single parent, army officer, and Muslim, she demonstrates incredible perseverance traversing Middle Eastern and Western societies.

Website: https://monajohnsonauthor.com