The student-led organization Hope, Healing and Hairlines participated in the Walk For Alopecia by hosting a “Walk Where You Are” Team in Mission Viejo Sept. 27.
The initiative was founded in 2023 by senior Rizan Khan Muhammad to raise awareness for Alopecia and foster empathy towards people with similar medical conditions. Muhammad initially found himself drawn to this cause because of his personal experience with Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. Now, he strives to create a supportive environment for people facing similar challenges.
“I saw a need, especially in our area, for Alopecia awareness, because in bigger cities there is a lot more community and support, but we are [located] in the middle,” Khan Muhammad said.
Khan Muhammad established the organization with high school Sophomore Saniya Lalani, whose initial position was Outreach Coordinator. As their team expanded to include college Sophomore Shayan Cassim and high school Sophomore Inayah Hemani, who are now the Fundraising and Finance Lead and the Events and Operations Lead, respectively, Lalani’s position shifted to Publicity and Design Lead to accommodate for the increasing amount of projects and initiatives. Since then, the initiative has strived to help and positively influence people with Alopecia to seek support systems and trustworthy friends. Throughout the journey, Hope, Healing and Hairlines sought guidance from the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF), which provided mentorship to its sister organizations.
The Walk for Alopecia Event on Sept. 27 was hosted by the NAAF as a way to raise awareness for Alopecia Areata as well as to conduct fundraising in support of patients with this disease. The main event took place in Culver City and attendees not only included volunteers, but also influencers and public figures prominent in the Alopecia community. According to Khan Muhammad, Hope, Healing and Hairlines hosted a “Walk Where You Are” Team that brought together 30 volunteers for a walk on the Oso Creek Trail in Mission Viejo.
“Someone [from NAAF] was there with us to help us make the flyers, to help us market,” Khan Muhammad said. “[We] were able to use their tax ID number to receive donations and things like that.”
The event lasted from 9:00-10:15 a.m., with participants asked to arrive by 8:45 a.m. The event was initiated by a welcome message, which included an introduction and reading of top donors by Lalani and Hemani, and a speech from Khan Muhammad about his journey with this foundation. Sponsors of the event, which included Starbucks, Sprouts, Bagels & Brews and Trader Joe’s were also announced, with top donor families receiving a Starbucks cup for their efforts. In total, Hope, Healing and Hairlines was able to raise $500 for the Alopecia cause. A complementary breakfast was provided after the walk, giving participants a chance to socialize amongst themselves.
During the walk, volunteers talked with passersby who were curious about the event. According to volunteer Tanya Sultan, interacting with people and educating them is the most important thing you can do at an awareness walk.
“We were able to provide knowledge just by that little two-minute interaction, and we do not know [them], [they] do not know us,” Sultan said. “It still spread that knowledge, and if we are able to educate just one person, then we were successful [in raising awareness].”
Numerous testimonials from volunteers from the walk agreed on one statement: the purpose of the walk was honorable and worthy of being discussed and brought forth. According to volunteer Sania Hirani, she joined not only in support of Muhammad but also to support the cause the foundation is working towards.
“I really appreciate [Muhammad] bringing awareness to [the cause] and taking the time to organize [the event],” Hirani said. “I think a walk like this brings awareness because it gets people talking about it, and it is not something that would have [normally] crossed their minds before seeing us.”
While there were challenges with advertising the event, the fundraiser was largely considered a success by participants. According to Khan Muhammad, there were people that spontaneously joined the walk out during its duration.
According to Khan Muhammad, although he is going to college in the fall of 2026, he hopes to host another walk or event when he comes back to visit his hometown. Doing so would help raise more awareness and provide support for those who need it, he said.
“If not a walk, then I would love to do something or some sort of event where maybe people can come and speak about their experiences,” Khan Muhammad said. “To spread more awareness and make more of an inclusive community for people with Alopecia in our local area to come and [speak] at.”
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