Nazeem T. Hasan, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a certified speech-language pathologist, and community advocate who founded the Books to Bikes Program in Miami to combat the dual childhood crises of low literacy and rising obesity. Combining her background in clinical speech pathology with a personal passion for physical fitness, Hasan designed an initiative that simultaneously targets intellectual growth and physical activity for students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Nazeem earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from the illustrious Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and holds licenses in Georgia, California, Texas, Florida and Idaho. Her career includes working with children, adolescents, and adults across multicultural communication settings. She is an avid enthusiast of bike stunts, martial arts, pilates and most outdoor activities for not only the physical benefits but the mental health benefits as well.
Through her clinical work, Hasan witnessed two alarming trends in modern youth development: Rising Speech Deficits: Increased screen time and decreased face-to-face interaction have led to noticeable speech delays, articulation issues, and poor language engagement among young children. The Childhood Obesity Crisis: Sedentary lifestyles have fueled a sharp incline in pediatric weight and health issues.
Nazeem realized that typical clinical treatments were not working and waiting lists for Speech/Language Evaluations were at an all time high. Recognizing that cognitive development and physical health are deeply interconnected, she conceptualized a system where literacy and physical movement could reinforce one another. In 2025, Nazeem launched the Books to Bikes Program through her Florida-based practice, Happy Place Speech. Nazeem created milestones designed to get children off their screens, out into local parks, and moving specifically for children who live in large cities and underserved neighborhoods. Nazeem’s ultimate goal is to help all children in Miami-Dade access the resources they need to increase literacy and decrease obesity.