byHamza's vision is to highlight the beauty of the Arabic language, thus replacing negative associations of fear, terrorism and misery with hopes and dreams — all through charity. Simple words can be a small step toward breaking down barriers and disproving prejudices that Arab and Muslim societies face every single day.

Inspired by the episode where an American student was ejected from the plane for speaking Arabic, I, Aliaa Noelle Hamza, started my own heart and charity project. I want to share knowledge about the second language I grew up with, through my own designs wrapped in meaningful stories.

A UC Berkeley student was booted from Southwest Airlines for speaking Arabic over the telephone. 

“On 6 April, Khairuldeen Makhzoomi, an Iraqi refugee and UC Berkeley student, was on a Southwest Airlines flight at Los Angeles international airport talking to his uncle on the phone. He was removed, interrogated and searched by the FBI as a result. Then he was forced to find another flight. Why? Because another passenger heard him speak Arabic. “Inshallah,” which means “God willing,” an expression used by all native speakers of Arabic irrespective of religious affiliation, seems to have been the trigger”.

– TheGuardian.com  

MY STORY

My name is Aliaa Noelle Hamza, and I’m 31 years old. I was born and raised in Larvik, Norway, with three siblings. I work as a Web and SEO Manager at EY, but creativity has always been my passion. I love working on projects that reflect my values and cultural heritage.

As the daughter of a Syrian mother and an Iraqi father, both of whom fled political unrest and war in the 80s, I grew up navigating between two rich yet distinct cultures. This experience shaped who I am today, and I want to share that through byHamza. The past 13 years, especially since the fall of the Assad regime in 2024, have deeply inspired this project. There’s hope for freedom and the chance to return to our roots, which I want to honor through my work.

Prejudices exist in all of us, even if we don’t always realize it. It's easy to judge others without understanding their background, but true strength comes from confronting our own biases. I’ve witnessed how people with backgrounds similar to mine have been targeted by stereotypes and hate, often due to their Middle Eastern ethnicity.

This has driven me to use my voice for understanding and empathy. I want to create a society that sees diversity as a strength and reduces fear and discrimination, especially towards refugees and multicultural minorities. As a proud Norwegian-Syrian-Iraqi, I aim to share stories that inspire love and inclusivity.

Through this project, I want to challenge stereotypes about the Arab and Muslim communities, the Arabic language, and refugees. Each word on the bags I create carries meaning. As a woman with one culture behind me and another ahead, I hope my experiences can inspire others and help bring about change.