Al-Arashi's photographic work usually interrogates the stereotypes of Muslim women in Western society, and her series "Northern Yemen" and "Face" has received critical praise for its depictions of Arab women as strong, powerful figures of grace and beauty.

This year, she decided to apply that critical perspective to Halloween. She noted that spooky costumes aren't just about dressing up as scary or sexy vampires (or racist clichés, for that matter). They also serve as a way to celebrate beloved figures in pop culture and history.

With that in mind, she says, "I dressed up as five of my female heroes from the region—not only to inspire readers to learn about them, but as a call to action for many young women to do the same." Working with Afghan-German illustrator Moshtari Hilal, Al-Arashi created a series of self-portraits and collages of herself as her favorite historical figures. Below, Al-Arashi writes about their stories and the impact of their lives on her own.