In this interview, Jo Ann Benoit discusses her childhood, including growing up in Haiti, attending a Catholic school there, and moving to Brooklyn as a teenager. She also talks about her passion for education and community activism, especially regarding her work as an English language teacher, interpreter, and school administrator. She elaborates about her Muslim faith, including her initial exposure to Islam through graduate level coursework, embracing Islam, observance of Muslim customs and traditions, and raising two children in an interfaith marriage. In addition, she speaks about having her portrait taken for an article in Essence Magazine. Interview conducted by Liz H. Strong.