“Socialpreneur,” Comedian, Model, and Activist Nawaal Akram Takes on Georgetown Qatar

When Nawaal Akram (SFS’29) rolls into a room in her high heels, latte in hand, she brings with her a mix of humor, purpose, and unstoppable determination. A comedian, model, social entrepreneur, and disability rights activist, she has already spent more than a decade challenging perceptions and reshaping narratives about what inclusion truly means. Now, she’s taking on a new challenge: university life at Georgetown University in Qatar.

For Nawaal, becoming a Georgetown student represents the triumph of perseverance over barriers. Diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at six and later denied the right to an education because of her disability, she transformed that early setback into a lifelong mission. At age 16 she founded the #EqualAccess initiative, promoting disability rights, educational and physical accessibility across Qatar and the MENA region, earning recognition from the BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women for her global advocacy in 2017.

A New Chapter at Georgetown

After years spent fighting for access to education, Nawaal successfully earned her high school degree from Awsaj Academy in Qatar Foundation, and set her sights on the best college to help further hone her advocacy. “I have a memory of speaking at the World Summit for Education, still struggling to find a school that would take me in. I met GU-Q alumna Dana AlAnzy, whose career as an advocate is inspirational for young girls,” she said. “I then went on to teach workshops on disability at GU-Q, and I knew I would find many like-minded people there that want to change the world.”

But her first semester hasn’t been easy. “I only had six years of formal education,” she explains, “I’m behind, and I have to work really hard to catch up–unfortunately it’s a tragedy that many disabled students face.” Instead of taking time off during fall break, Nawaal chose to stay on campus and catch up on her work, determined to finish the semester strong. “I’m finding my way, look out!” she declares on the way to the writing center to discuss an upcoming paper.

Like all first-year students, she has had to navigate the fast-paced demands of coursework, learn how to communicate effectively with professors, and make the most of academic support and tutoring services on campus, but unlike most students, she is also balancing a life as a content creator running a successful advocacy organization.

“In October my organization worked with the Georgetown Gazette on a series called “Afterthought: A Discourse on Disability Politics,” she shared. 

Finding Strength Through Laughter

In the midst of her chaotic semester, Nawaal found the time to reconnect with fellow comedian and celebrity disability advocate Maysoon Zayid, on campus as a Visiting Fellow.  Zayid, who remembered the fellow disabled, Muslim, female comedian who had reached out to her at the start of her career, invited her to participate in “DisCo at GU-Q,” a live filming of her hit Disability Community show.

Zayid’s message, that “Laughter is resistance,” deeply resonates with Nawaal. “Comedy opens doors,” she noted, “It helps people see disability not as limitation, but as perspective. I really like how Maysoon points out that people with disabilities are always the most interesting people in the room. When we were doing DisCo together, we brought the party, and it was wonderful to share that with GU-Q.”

Continuing the Fight for Equal Access

From giving workshops at schools to addressing global audiences about accessibility and inclusion, Nawaal has made it her life’s mission to create a more equitable world. Now, through her studies in International Politics at Georgetown, she’s preparing to deepen that work — using education as both a tool and a platform for change.

“It took years of fighting, patience, and faith to get here,” she said. “But I’m here — and I want to use what I learn at Georgetown to keep opening doors for disabled people everywhere.”