ASTORIA, Queens (PIX11) -- In Astoria, Queens, one woman is changing lives through the power of self-defense because of her own story.

Rana Abdelhamid, the founder of Malikah, has dedicated her life to helping more than 20,000 people, especially women and girls, learn how to protect themselves, build confidence, and heal from trauma.

Abdelhamid, who was once attacked as a teenager for wearing a hijab, turned that painful experience into a mission.

Abdelhamid’s work received a major boost when she was named a winner of the David Prize, an award that gives one million dollars each year to five extraordinary New Yorkers making a difference in their communities.

She says the $200,000 will be used to expand Malikah’s mission in her neighborhood.

Her mother, Mona Elboghdadi, has been by her

See Full Page