Ranya Al-Huthaili
St. Paul, Minnesota
My Story
I was born in Saudi Arabia into an affluent family where I grew up in a religious culture. With an American mother and a Saudi Arabian father, I would quickly learn the dramatic differences between the two cultures.
While in Saudi Arabia, I enjoyed the company of family and friends. As a young woman, I openly embraced the Arab culture where I was taught to be submissive. The limitations placed on women my age were readily apparent, despite the privileges I experienced as a child. I often witnessed some of my close friends face systematic discrimination under the male guardianship system. As a result, I decided to explore new opportunities where I was determined to become a successful woman who will chart her own course in life.
In 2007, at age 17, My sister and I joined my mother in the United States of America. Our family owned a house in Roseville, Minnesota, and I was able to join my siblings who were already enrolled in school. With my credits from Saudi Arabia able to be transferred, I graduated from Roseville High School in 2008.
After graduation, I moved on to the English language program at the University of St. Thomas, where her brother and sister were already attending. I found it challenging to adjust to a life where I was regularly interacting with boys in social situations. In Saudi Arabia, women and men are mostly segregated, except for family members.
In 2010, I was accepted to Hamline University and pursued a degree in Communication studies through the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission scholarship program. During my tenure at Hamline University, I became involved in a relationship that would skew my education and career path. This event was the biggest challenge I had faced in my life.
Like most young people, I passed through several challenges developing my inner strength. Being raised in Saudi Arabia, women are taught to be submissive. This would cause me apprehension to sever the ties of a toxic relationship.
I used operant conditioning to help gather the skills and knowledge that allowed me to help others navigate similar relationships and cultural challenges. As a result, I enjoy assisting people in solving similar problems in their personal lives.
My insight is geared toward helping women develop observational learning and proactively build self-worth. I share about the challenges I have been through, how they impacted my life, and what I did to overcome them and develop resilience. I encourage people to apply my lessons to their own situations and leverage their personal strengths.
When women are raised submissive, they are significantly more vulnerable to manipulation and heartbreak. This was a harrowing experience for me when men were able to take advantage of my naivety and control me. That’s why I made up my mind to share my experience and help women put what I have learned into practice.
I hope to hold regular speaking sessions in prisons and institutions, educating young women and inspiring them to develop a new and positive attitude. I also wish to encourage them to remain optimistic and hopeful, so they can begin the process of navigating the many challenges they will face in life.
Many young women in prison find it challenging to reintegrate into society. People can experience a multitude of psychological damages caused by their time incarcerated, referred to as post-traumatic prison disorder (PTPD). I hope my prison activities will yield many positive results, I am an advocate for the recognition of post-traumatic prison disorder, providing support and motivation to women before their release.
I have come a long way from being born and raised in Saudi Arabia, to becoming a successful American entrepreneur and advocate in the US. I believe that anyone can live a rich and fulfilling life with the right support system. I strive to remain focused on my career, continue my education, and use my knowledge and skills to help others who struggled through cultural and relationship challenges to find a path to recovery and embrace change.