I am African American & Muslim (so, yeah – I feel you, Samar). My first time meeting with a client face-to-face wearing my hijab, I was beyond nervous. You should have seen the look on my clients' faces when I introduced myself! But before that meeting was over, we were both laughing, joking and discussing future projects for his firm. I worked with them for three years until he was forced to close his business and move, thanks in part to the recession.

Bottom line, I know what I bring to the table: I'm good at what I do. I'm dedicated and have a strong work ethic thanks to years spent working in deadline-centered environments in the corporate world. I define myself.:)

@Samar, thanks so much for sharing your experience – it's good that you know your own worth. (And I never realized that English was your second language – any client would be lucky to work with you!)

I spent the first 2 years of my freelancing life terrified of what folks would think if they realized I was a. a muslim, b. a head scarf wearer and c. a Pakistani (by this time I was usually hyperventilating).

I didn't mention it to anyone and no one mentioned it to me. It took a twitter acquaintance to make me realize that it really didn't matter.

We were talking stereo types when I mentioned being a hijabi (someone who wears a headscarf) and she said 'I know. I see your display picture every day'. That's when it struck me! People knew all along that I wore a head scarf. They might not know my nationality but they knew the other two important things without my even realizing it.

Before then I hadn't even thought of display picture giving me away – stupid really when you think about it but it never occurred to me 🙂

So while there have been clients who haven't gotten back to me after they find out where I'm from I chose to think that they were uncomfortable with using a freelance writer for whom English was a second language and not my Muslim, headscarf wearing, Pakistani passport carrying self. And even then, it's their loss.

I write kick ass stuff. Because English is my second language, I go through everything twice as much to make sure there are no mistakes.

It took me a while but I figured out my own worth eventually 🙂