I am Shabnam Amini

By Shabnam Amini, special to shades Magazine

(Editor’s note: The following short video is part of a four-week series on modern Islam that is running daily on CNN.com throughout the month of Ramadan. Shabnam Amini, 16, answered the challenge with these thoughts on what it means to her to be Muslim.)

“Stereotypes … they are killing us.

“My 30-second video is about how people judge other people just by how they look, skin color, race or religion. People don’t really get to know a person before judging them. In this world, we live by stereotypes and I am trying to get the message out that stereotypes are usually wrong. I based it on my own point of view because I am an American Muslim and people judge me when they look at me because I wear a scarf on my head, and they automatically come to conclusions. I want to show people, us girls with scarves on our head, are just like everyone else.”

Follow Amini on Twitter @ShabnamAmini.