On Tuesday, junior Samia Abdul-Qadir will be attending President Trump’s address to Congress in Washington D.C. following an invitation by Illinois Rep. Bill Foster.

Abdul-Qadir was noticed by Foster after speaking at a community discussion at the Islamic Center of Naperville, in which Foster was a featured participant.

At the event, she spoke of several personal experiences, including her decision to start wearing a hijab. One experience that stood out to her in particular, was when one of her fencing teammates told her she looked like a terrorist.

“My message was that I wanted everyone to know that the Muslim Ban has not just affected immigrants from seven countries, but in fact, it is affecting Muslim citizens and other minorities with deep roots and service in this country,” Abdul-Qadir said.

The event was arranged in response to Trump’s executive order, dubbed the “Muslim Ban,” that restricted citizens of Somalia, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Syria, and Sudan from entering the United States. Held at the Islamic Center of Naperville on Feb. 13, its main goal was to “witness the impacts the President’s executive orders have on the Muslim community,” according to the center’s Twitter page.

Following the discussion, Foster invited Abdul-Qadir to the presidential address through a phone call to her mother. He then sent her an official invitation by email.

Tuesday’s address will be President Trump’s first to Congress, and will be televised. He is expected to talk about issues such as immigration, homeland security, and his plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Even though Samia won’t get a chance to speak at the event, she believes that just being able to attend speaks a thousand words.

“Muslims in America are part of the American fabric,” she said. “Even though I am just one person, the invitation by Congressman Foster affirms that we are an integral part of communities across the nation.”