Muslims for Progressive Values founder, Ani Zonneveld, announces the release of her memoir, An Unlikely Social Justice Warrior: Making My Life Count As a Muslim Feminist, published on the 29th of July, 2025. The book is a compelling exploration of her life’s journey across music, activism, and faith, and a call to action for those seeking tangible solutions to tackle patriarchy and misogyny within Muslim societies and beyond.
Zonneveld was born and raised Muslim in Malaysia and across Germany, Egypt, and India as the daughter of an ambassador. Zonneveld’s story is one of crossing boundaries, cultural, religious, and personal. In her memoir, she reflects on how her formative years, including a defining childhood moment when she defied social barriers to play soccer with a Dalit boy in India, instilled in her a lifelong commitment to justice. This is just one example of many. “I don’t have to be a Hindu or a Dalit to be defending their rights,” she states. “I just need to be a human being.”
Before founding MPV, Zonneveld spent two decades in the music industry, where she confronted sexist and prejudiced experiences that echoed in her later human rights work. “The constant theme in the book is patriarchy, whether in entertainment, human rights spaces, or religion,” she explains. “I connect those dots to show how systemic misogyny impacts every field, and how we can dismantle it.”
What sets her memoir apart from others in the field is its focus on solutions rather than only problems. “Unlike other books that dwell on personal predicament, I lay out clear methodologies for countering patriarchy,” she notes. “Through partnerships with religious leaders, grassroots activists, and community influencers, I’ve seen how sustainable change happens from the ground up. My role is to find the resources and support local voices doing the work.”
Her approach is deeply rooted in her faith. A verse from the Qur’an, which urges believers to uphold justice even against their own self-interest, has served as her guiding principle. “That verse lit a fire in my belly after a national tragedy in 2001,” Zonneveld recalls. “It has shaped everything I do, whether fighting for women’s rights, advocating for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, or defending freedom of conscience.”
As president of MPV, Zonneveld has led the nonprofit for nearly two decades, offering consultative services at global intergovernmental organizations and creating platforms for progressive Muslim voices worldwide.
The mission of the organization is to inculcate a culture of human rights through public education, advocacy, and the arts. She also offers a vital alternative and empowering narrative in global discourse on Islam. ”I’m not trying to change Islam,” Zonneveld notes, ”I’m circling back to the inherently progressive origins of the Qu’ran.” Beyond activism, Zonneveld has also pioneered interfaith marriage officiation, offering inclusive services since 2006.
An Unlikely Social Justice Warrior is more than a personal memoir; it is a roadmap for resilience, allyship, and reform. With honesty and humor, Zonneveld weaves stories of cultural displacement and the arts on the global stage, urging readers to step beyond tribalism and embrace a radical empathy rooted in shared humanity.
The memoir is available now and will soon be released in Arabic to reach wider audiences across the Muslim world in 2026. For educators, activists, and readers interested in feminism, progressive Islam, and human rights, Zonneveld’s book offers not just inspiration but a framework for action against deep-seated issues within society.