OCTOBER 14, 2020 7:00PMET | ONLINE - Muslim Advocates
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OCTOBER 14, 2020 7:00PM ET | ONLINE
MISSION STATEMENT Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization working in the courts, in the halls of power and in communities to halt bigotry in its tracks. We ensure that American Muslims have a seat at the table with expert representation so that all Americans may live free from hate and discrimination.
MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 3
CONTENTS 04 Program Agenda
06 2020 Accomplishments
10 Keynote
11 Speakers, Honorees and Performers
20 Staff
21 Board of Directors
22 Advisory Council
23 Sponsors
25 American Muslim Futures
MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 4
American Muslim Futures Performer
Qais Essar
Welcome
Farhana Khera, Muslim Advocates
Presenting Allyship Award
Qasim Rashid, Author, Activist and Attorney
Allyship Honoree
Jessica Gonzalez, Free Press
American Muslim Futures Performer
Sagirah Shahid
PROGRAM
Speaker
Maya Harris, Attorney, Activist and
Philanthropic Leader
Presenting COVID-19 Relief Awards
Abdul El-Sayed, Physician and Activist
COVID-19 Relief Honorees
Taneeza Islam, SD Immigrant Fund
Kamal Eldeirawi, University of Illinois, Chicago
American Muslim Futures Performer
Amirah Sackett
Presenting Racial Justice Award
Todd Cox, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 5
Racial Justice Honorees
Sanaa Abrar, United We Dream
The Family of Muhammad Abdul Muhaymin, Jr.
Speaker
Joe Biden, 47th Vice President of the
United States of America
Speaker
Aziz Huq, The University of Chicago
Presenting Civil Society Awards
Ibraheem Samirah, Virginia House of Delegates
PROGRAM Civil Society Honorees
Umer Rupani, Georgia Muslim Voter Project
Daisy Maldonado, Empowerment Congress
of Doña Ana County
Closing
Farhana Khera
American Muslim Futures Performer
Edy Blu
MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 6
WHO WE ARE
Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization working
in the courts, in the halls of power and in communities to halt
bigotry in its tracks. We ensure that American Muslims have a
seat at the table with expert representation so that all Americans
may live free from hate and discrimination. We are a big tent
organization that recognizes the rich and full diversity of the
American Muslim community – all are welcome.
WHAT WE DO
We litigate and advocate to uphold our country’s promise of equal
treatment under the law for all Americans – and we get results.
Muslim Advocates takes legal action to challenge discriminatory
laws and policies and to hold those who engage in anti-Muslim
hate accountable. No matter how big the challenge – from the
White House, Congress or the largest corporations in the world
2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS – we take on anyone trying to violate the rights of Americans.
2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2020 has been a year of challenges. COVID-19 has taken the lives
of hundreds of thousands of Americans and infected many millions
more. The economic toll of the disease has been devastating, too,
with at one point over 33 million Americans on unemployment,
and with front-line workers being forced to choose between their
paychecks and their health. The administration’s mismanagement
of the pandemic and desire to sow confusion have imperiled
American’s confidence in their democracy.
Muslim Advocates, however, has risen to these challenges
and accomplished amazing results. We continue to fulfill our
mission and have achieved significant victories in protecting
freedoms and liberties including the right to worship, to not be
discriminated against due to race or religion or to be subjected
to bigotry and hate.
MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 7
Right to Worship
• We sued Stafford County, Virginia after they abruptly
changed their rules to stop a community from building a
Muslim cemetery.
• We demanded answers from the Department of Homeland
Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement
about reports of Muslim detainees being forced to choose
between eating pork, rotten halal meals or nothing at all.
• We forced the Federal Bureau of Prisons to issue
new guidance recommending that all federal prisons
accommodate group prayer opportunities for Muslim
prisoners. We also forced a Kentucky prison to withdraw
a policy restricting group prayer.
The Muslim Ban
• We led the coalition of groups supporting the NO BAN
2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Act, a historic Muslim civil rights bill passed by the U.S.
House of Representatives this year that would end the
Muslim Ban and prevent future presidents from enacting
similar bans.
• We supported Muslim Ban victim Ismail Alghazali’s
attendance at the State of the Union address as the
guest of Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA).
• We spoke out, alongside other Black and African
organizations, against President Trump’s executive order
expanding the Muslim Ban to include several additional
African and Asian nations.
• We sued the Trump administration for refusing to hand
over critical documents that could shed light on the
expanded Muslim and African Ban.
• We provided guidance for Americans who may be
targeted by the Trump administration for denaturalization.
• We convened a historic meeting between House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and a group of Muslim community
leaders and public officials.
MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 8
COVID-19 Relief
• We spoke out against the Trump administration’s rampant
anti-Asian rhetoric that demonized and encouraged hate
against communities of color.
• We connected major corporations with local Muslim charities
and mosques to ensure that they had the resources needed
to keep helping their communities.
• We led a coalition of faith groups to warn federal and state
prisons to avoid using COVID-19 as an excuse to deny
incarcerated people their right to practice their faith.
• We trained mosques and Muslim charities to apply for federal
stimulus dollars by hosting a webinar with tax experts and
publishing a fact sheet.
• We helped mosques and other Muslim organizations that
hold virtual events in defending against Zoom-bombing and
online attacks.
2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Police Accountability
• We led a joint statement supported by more than 90 American
Muslim community organizations in support and in solidarity
with Black victims of police violence.
• We worked to bring accountability to the police officers in
Phoenix, Arizona who needlessly killed Muhammad Mu-
haymin, Jr. during an arrest and also mocked his dying
plea to God.
• We called on Congress to enact bold, sweeping reforms to
root out longstanding anti-Black prejudice that pervades our
nation’s police practices.
• We organized the American Muslim community to success-
fully urge Minnesota’s attorney general to indict the killers of
George Floyd.
MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 9
Taking On Facebook for Spreading Hate and Violence
• We led a call for Facebook to undergo an independent
civil rights audit, which was finally released this year and
confirmed that the company has a serious anti-Muslim
problem.
• We met with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and told
him directly how his company is causing harm to Muslims
in the U.S. and abroad.
• We joined leading civil rights groups and journalists to
form the Real Facebook Oversight Board, an independent
organization that works to hold Facebook accountable
for spreading hate and misinformation.
Addressing Anti-Muslim Bigotry
• We led a coalition of groups that derailed President Trump’s
nomination of an anti-Muslim bigot to a top position at the
2020 ACCOMPLISHMENTS •
Pentagon.
We called for the removal of an anti-Muslim bigot who was
appointed as a religious freedom adviser at USAID.
• We called out New York Times columnist Paul Krugman
for erasing the rampant bigotry experienced by American
Muslims after 9/11.
• We criticized MSNBC host Joy Reid for spreading the
false stereotype that Muslim leaders preach violence.
• We pressured then-presidential candidate and former
New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg to address his role
overseeing the NYPD’s sweeping anti-Muslim surveillance
program.
Making History and Building a Better Future
• We hosted a virtual National Iftar with Reps. André Carson,
Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Minnesota Attorney General
Keith Ellison to celebrate Ramadan.
• We launched a virtual art exhibition highlighting work from
Muslim and allied artists from across the nation that creates
the culture for a future America that is free from hate.
• We honored American Muslims who worked to make their
communities better at our first ever Muslim Making Change:
National Honors ceremony.
MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 10
KEYNOTE
Joe Biden
47th Vice President of the United StatesMUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 11
Sanaa Abrar
HONOREE
As a respected advocate for immigrants, Sanaa’s work as the
Advocacy Director at United We Dream exemplifies racial justice
in action. Inspired in part by her identity as an immigrant from
Pakistan and a Muslim woman who grew up in Kentucky, Sanaa’s
tireless advocacy for immigrant youth and families of color makes her worthy of the 2020
Muslims Making Change Honor in Racial Justice.
In an age where white nationalists actively advocate for the dehumanization, expulsion
and murder of immigrants of color, Sanaa responds against these efforts. She builds and
sustains relationships with different organizations, coalitions, and communities, organizes
counter-responses against racism, tracks legislation at the federal, state, and local levels,
and engages in the power building of immigrant youth advocates across the country. She
speaks out against the cruelty of ICE Detention Centers, the racism and Islamophobia
present via the Muslim and African Bans, and the cruelty of taking away valued protections
such as TPS and DACA. Regarding the importance of this work, Sanaa says: “Immigrant
youth are resilient and we will never stop defending the right of our families and people of
color to exist and thrive in this country.”
Sanna graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies and Spanish as well
as a minor in Public Health from Washington University in St. Louis. She went on to complete
her Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from
American University.
Edy Blu
PERFORMER
An enchanting singer and poetic songwriter, Edy Blu’s soulful music
flirts with jazz, pop, blues and folk. Edy’s mixed race heritage and
Virginia upbringing give her a unique perspective as she writes
about everything from relationships to revolution. A country girl with
an urban edge, Edy is an adventurer at heart and has called multiple cities and countries
her home. Although a world traveler, she relocated back to Virginia in 2020 to reconnect
with her roots.
Her energizing live performances are one of a kind and have garnered fans around the
globe. In May 2016, she released her debut EP, Heart Opener, a catchy, danceable pop-
soul project, recorded in Barcelona, Spain. An accomplished songwriter, her music has
been featured in TV, radio, movies, and commercials all over the world.
Edy is a certified yoga teacher and has spent much of her life educating youth in the areas
of cooking, fitness, and yoga. She believes in the healing power of music and its ability to
shift culture and perspectives. Her upcoming release “Wild & Free” is a 5 song EP centered
around women’s empowerment and living life untethered by society’s expectations.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 12
Todd Cox
PRESENTER
Todd A. Cox is a Program Director at Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
where he directs the Civil Society Program. Todd has dedicated
his career to public service. A lawyer by training, he has served in
the Administration of President Barack Obama and held leadership
positions in philanthropy and several social justice and civil rights organizations, including
the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the DC Public Defender Service
and the Ford Foundation.
He began his legal career as an honors trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S.
Department of Justice. Todd has testified before Congress and state legislatures, made
numerous media appearances, and authored several articles. Before becoming a lawyer,
Todd was a senior consultant with Anderson Consulting of Arthur Anderson & Co.
He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from
the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Dr. Kamal Eldeirawi
HONOREE Dr. Eldeirawi is an Associate Professor of epidemiology at
the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing. His
interdisciplinary scientific research focuses on factors associated
with chronic conditions, especially in vulnerable and underserved
populations. He teaches interdisciplinary courses and mentor
students, junior faculty, and international scholars. Dr. Eldeirawi’s work has been
disseminated widely in scientific conferences, top-tier journals, and media outlets (e.g.,
BBC News and Chicago Sun-Times). The leadership, guidance, and dedication Dr. Eldeirawi
demonstrated when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out makes him the ideal winner of the
2020 Muslims Making Change Honor in COVID-19 Response.
Dr. Eldeirawi is also a community advocate dedicated to empowering as well as improving
the lives and well-being of communities. He is actively engaged with community and
professional organizations. He coordinated and helped create the Council of Islamic
Organizations of Greater Chicago’s Joint COVID-19 Task Force of over 100 organizations
and volunteers, a collaborative effort which through a free hotline, connects people to
information about COVID-19 and local resources around the Chicago area. The CIOGC
Joint Task Force not only supplies free Telehealth, Free Tele Dental, and Free Mental Health
check ins, but also educates the public on COVID-19 and helps ensure that community
members also have access to food and unemployment benefits.
Dr. Eldeirawi also led a COVID-19 awareness campaign across Illinois through which
educational webinars were held for hundreds of community members and educational
banners were distributed to mosques and schools. Dr. Eldeirawi also led the development
of guidelines for reopening mosques in a safe manner. His demonstration of tireless
leadership has saved lives and provided families a resource to turn to.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 13
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
PRESENTER
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is a physician, epidemiologist, public health
expert, and progressive activist. He is the Chair at Southpaw
Michigan and a Contributor at CNN. He is the author of “Healing
Politics”, which diagnoses our country’s epidemic of insecurity and
the empathy politics we will need to treat it, as well as “Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide”
with Micah Johnson. He hosts “America Dissected,” a podcast by Crooked Media, which
goes beyond the headlines to explore what really matters for our health.
Prior, he served as Health Commissioner in the City of Detroit, appointed to rebuild the City’s
health department after it was privatized during municipal bankruptcy. He was also Director
of the Columbia University Systems Science Program and Global Research Analytics for
Population Health. He has over 100 peer-reviewed publications that have earned over 1200
citations, including a foundational textbook on Systems Science and Population Health.
In 2018, Abdul ran for Governor of Michigan, earning over 340,000 votes, and finished
second of three in the Democratic Primary. He was awarded “Public Official of the Year” by
the Michigan League of Conservation Voters and “40 under 40” by Crain’s Detroit Business.
Abdul holds a doctorate in Public Health from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes
Scholar, as well as a medical degree from Columbia University, where he was a Medical
Scientist Training Program Fellow and a Soros New Americans Fellow. He graduated Phi
Beta Kappa with Highest Distinction from the University of Michigan.
PERFORMER Qais Essar
“…a master of the rabab…” – NY Daily News
Qais Essar is a contemporary Afghan composer, instrumentalist
and producer who channels his melodic designs through the
rabab, a 2,500 year old instrument from Afghanistan. He has toured
extensively, sharing his new genre of music nationally and internationally. His first LP, The
Green Language (2014), quickly became an Amazon #1 bestseller, followed by Tavern of
Ruin (2016), and his 3rd album, The Ghost You Love Most (2018) gained critical acclaim.
He has contributed original music to feature films also. In 2017, Qais was recruited by
director Nora Twomey to compose an original song for her Golden Globe and Oscar-
nominated film, The Breadwinner (produced by Angelina Jolie). He earned a Canadian
Screen Award for “Best Original Song” for his piece The Crown Sleeps. Additionally, he
orchestrated a sold-out run of the musical Tear a Root from the Earth at the OBIE award
winning Ice Factory at the New Ohio Theater in New York City. Essar continues to be
featured in festivals and venues around the world including the Newport Folk Festival,
SXSW, The Kennedy Center, Treefort Music Festival and more.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 14
Jessica Gonzalez
HONOREE
An accomplished attorney and racial-justice advocate, Jessica works
closely with the executive team and key stakeholders to develop and
execute strategies to advance Free Press’ mission. A former Lifeline
recipient, Jessica has helped fend off grave Trump administration
cuts to the program, which helps provide phone-and-internet access for low-income people.
She was part of the legal team that overturned a Trump FCC decision blessing runaway
media consolidation. She also co-founded Change the Terms, a coalition of more than 50
civil- and digital-rights groups that works to disrupt online hate.
Previously, Jessica was the executive vice president and general counsel at the National
Hispanic Media Coalition, where she led the policy shop and helped coordinate campaigns
against racist and xenophobic media programming. Prior to that she was a staff attorney
and teaching fellow at Georgetown Law’s Institute for Public Representation. Jessica has
testified before Congress on multiple occasions, including during a Net Neutrality hearing
in the House while suffering from acute morning sickness, and during a Senate hearing
while eight months pregnant to advocate for affordable internet access.
Jessica earned a Bachelor’s in Communication Studies and Spanish from Loyola
Marymount University. She went on to achieve her JD at Southwestern Law School and
her LLM at Georgetown University Law Center. Additionally, she is a member of the District
of Columbia Bar and the State Bar of California.
Maya Harris
SPEAKER An accomplished attorney, public policy advocate and philanthropic
leader, Maya Harris is an innovative voice in global efforts to expand
equal opportunity, strengthen democracy and protect civil and human
rights. She is an MSNBC Contributor and, most recently, served as a
Senior Policy Advisor to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign,
where she played a leading role in shaping Clinton’s domestic policy agenda.
Prior she was a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, where she authored
“Women of Color: A Growing Force in the American Electorate.” She has served as the Vice
President of Democracy, Rights and Justice at the Ford Foundation and Executive Director
of the ACLU of Northern California. Prior to the ACLU, she conducted research and policy
advocacy on community policing issues at PolicyLink, where she authored the publications
Community-Centered Policing: A Force for Change and Organized for Change: The Activist’s
Guide to Police Reform.
She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and serves on the board of the Apollo
Theater Foundation. She is former Co-Chair of the Women’s Media Center.
After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley and receiving her law degree with
honors from Stanford Law School, Harris practiced law as a civil litigator.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 15
Aziz Z. Huq
SPEAKER
Aziz Huq’s teaching and research interests include constitutional law,
criminal procedure, federal courts, and legislation. His scholarship
concerns the interaction of constitutional design with individual
rights and liberties. His pieces have garnered the AALS Junior
Scholars Paper Competition Award in Criminal Law and been selected for the Harvard/
Stanford/Yale Junior Faculty Forum. Before joining the Law School faculty, Professor
Huq worked as Associate Counsel and then Director of the Liberty and National Security
Project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, litigating cases in both the
US Courts of Appeals and the Supreme Court. He was also a Senior Consultant Analyst
for the International Crisis Group, researching constitutional design and implementation in
Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. He clerked for Judge Robert D. Sack of the
US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the
Supreme Court of the United States. He is also a 1996 summa cum laude graduate of the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a 2001 graduate of Columbia Law School,
where he was awarded the John Ordronaux Prize. In 2015, Professor Huq received the
Graduating Students Award for Teaching Excellence.
Taneeza Islam
HONOREE
In response to COVID-19, Taneeza led the translation of important
information into five languages, in the “English only” state of South
Dakota where the state government does not translate information.
She created the SD Immigrant Fund, which SD Voices for Peace
staffs and administers in partnership with the SD Dream Coalition. To date she has raised
$900,000 for the fund which reaches over 1,300 households in SD. In response to the
murder of George Floyd she led the effort in partnering with 24 leaders of color and allies
to create the SD Justice and Equity Coalition which focuses on community safety and
justice reform in SD.
She co-founded the work of SD Voices for Peace in 2017 growing in three years to a
staff of 12. She launched Voices for Peace’s legal services program in November 2019 to
provide free legal service to immigrant children and domestic violence survivors in court.
She earned her Bachelor’s in Political Science from Albion College and a Master of Arts in
Intercultural Management and Diversity Leadership and Training. She earned her JD and a
certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Hamline University School of Law in 2007.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 16
Farhana Khera
SPEAKER Farhana Khera is the first executive director of Muslim Advocates.
Prior to joining Muslim Advocates in 2005, she was counsel to U.S.
Senator Russ Feingold and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee,
Subcommittee on the Constitution. She focused on the Patriot Act,
racial and religious profiling, and other civil liberties issues raised
by the government’s anti-terrorism policies after September 11, 2001. She co-wrote the
first drafts of the End Racial Profiling Act and organized the first ever congressional hearing
on racial profiling. Previously, she was a litigation associate with the law firms of Hogan &
Hartson and Ross, Dixon & Masback.
She has been honored by the Auburn Theological Seminary with its Lives of Commitment
Award and recognized by Islamica Magazine as one of “10 Young Muslim Visionaries.”
She was asked by the White House to facilitate the first and only meeting between Muslim
community advocates with President Obama.
She has written op-eds in the Washington Post and New York Times, and is often quoted in
The New York Times, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Politico, and the Los Angeles
Times. She has made numerous appearances on CNN, MSNBC, and C-SPAN.
Khera received her B.A. from Wellesley College and her J.D. from Cornell Law School.
Daisy Maldonado
HONOREE Daisy A. Maldonado is the Director of the Empowerment Congress of
Doña Ana County. She is from the desert southwest of El Paso, Texas
and while she identifies as a Chicana she also embraced Islam and
has been a practicing Muslim for the last 15 years. Maldonado joined
the Empowerment Congress in 2018 as its Coordinator, where she
developed its community leadership program, Cultivating Leadership for Social Justice, and
led the community organizing campaign, Somos Anapra. Now, as the Director, Maldonado
is further expanding the work of Empowerment Congress to reach more families and youth
within Doña Ana County colonias with the goal of community leaders exercising their agency,
taking ownership of their neighborhoods and leading the decision making processes.
During her 17 years living in Southern New Mexico, she has been an advocate for community
programs and organizations that put people at their center and shift power to those most
impacted by unjust systems. Her efforts with non-profits initially began with a focus on
gender justice, working as a sexual assault victim/survivor advocate and shifted to economic
justice for colonia communities by supporting the investment in and development of their
infrastructure and educational systems.
Maldonado earned a Bachelor’s degrees in both Communication Studies and Government
followed by a Master’s Degree in Economics with a minor in Applied Statistics from New
Mexico State University. She is an experienced educator, advocate, facilitator, administrative
and organizational development professional.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 17
The Family of Muhammad Abdul Muhaymin, Jr.
HONOREE
After Muhammad Abdul Muhaymin, Jr. was cruely mocked and
murdered by the Phoenix Police Department in 2017, Muhaymin’s
family started advocating for their beloved brother, son, father,
cousin, and friend with valiant determination. When speaking to a
crowd about the murder, Musallina Muhaymin, Muhammad’s sister, said: “How would you
feel if you were brutalized? If your family member is brutalized? If your child is brutalized?
For wanting to use a public bathroom.” The Muhaymin Family’s pursuit of accountability and
justice for Muhammad Muhaymin, Jr. makes them the ideal winners of the 2020 Muslims
Making Change Honor in Racial Justice.
Despite years of efforts and lawsuits, the Muhaymin Family continues to speak publicly
against police violence rooted in anti-Black racism and the anti-Muslim and ableist
mockery that haunted Muhammad during his final moments. The Muhaymin Family has
tirelessly reminded the public that Muhammad’s murder is connected with the broader
issue of racialized police violence against Black people in America and specifically
bears parallels with the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. More than anything, the
Muhaymin Family’s pursuit of justice for Muhammad is exemplied by courage, strength,
and responsibility that must be honored by us all.
Qasim Rashid
PRESENTER Qasim Rashid is a Pakistani-born American author, human rights
activist, politician, and attorney. He previously served as the national
spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. He is
the author of several books including The Wrong Kind of Muslim
and Talk To Me. He is a Democratic Party activist, and in 2019
he unsuccessfully ran for the Virginia State Senate. He is the Democratic nominee for
Virginia’s 1st congressional district in the 2020 election.
In October 2012, Qasim rallied a group of Muslim youths to march on Washington with the
slogan “Love for all, hatred for none” as a part of the “Muslims for Peace” campaign. His
outreach efforts in the American Midwest was featured by The New York Times. Qasim has
also published literature for numerous outlets including the NPR, Time, and The Independent.
As a freelance author, he has actively criticized the Trump administration’s Muslim Ban and
other events affecting religious groups. He is also a frequent lecturer on legal and human
rights issues and is regularly featured on national and international media outlets.
He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and received his Juris
Doctor degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. He served as executive
editor of The Richmond Journal of Global Law and Business.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 18
Umer Rupani
HONOREE
Umer is a servant leader who goes above and beyond to enhance
civic engagement in Georgia’s Muslim community. Umer’s
commitment to equal representation and justice in all forms
impacts his work as the Executive Director of the Georgia Muslim
Voter Project (GMVP). Umer’s passion in expanding Muslim civic engagement in Georgia
makes him the ideal winner of the 2020 Muslims Making Change Honor in Civil Society.
With a special commitment to Muslim, immigrant, and historically underrepresented
communities, Umer passionately works to ensure these communities have their voices
heard and are included in the political process. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he
fostered partnerships with local organizations and businesses to increase voter
registration and educate community members about relevant issues and procedures in
civic engagement. Along with the Georgia Muslim Voter Project Team, Umer expanded
voter registration into nine rural counties and helped other local civic engagement
organizations transition to remote programming and events. When discussing the work
he does with GMVP, Umer says that the goal is “to make sure that the people who don’t
think they have a voice remember and are reminded that they do.”
Umer earned his Bachelor’s Psychology from the University of Georgia with a focus in
Organizational Psychology before going on to complete a Masters in Organizational
Management from The George Washington University in 2018.
Amirah Sackett
PERFORMER An internationally recognized hip-hop dancer, choreographer,
and teacher, Amirah Sackett explores and embodies her Muslim
American identity through combining hip-hop movement and
Islamic themes. She is widely known for her creation of the
choreography and performance group known as, “We’re Muslim,
Don’t Panic”, which reached viral video fame after being featured on POPSUGAR Celebrity,
The Huffington Post, AJ+, and Upworthy. Sackett was honored to be a TEDx speaker, guest
lecturer at Harvard University, and a cultural diplomat with the U.S. State Department in
Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Kuwait.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 19
Dr. Ibraheem Samirah
PRESENTER
Dr. Ibraheem Samirah is an American dentist and politician serving
as a State Delegate from Virginia. In February 2019, he was elected
in a special election to the Virginia House of Delegates for the 86th
district. Dr. Samirah was re-elected to a full term on November 5,
2019. He is the youngest elected legislator in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, he enjoyed a typical American childhood – watching
basketball in the bleachers, riding bikes with his brothers, and then getting around to his
homework. That all changed in middle school when his father traveled to Jordan to care
for his grandmother and was denied re-entry to the U.S. by the Bush Administration. His
family uprooted and relocated to stay together and fight for his father’s reinstatement. After
eleven years, they won.
After returning to the U.S., he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in government and political
science from American University in 2013 where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Nu.
He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental
Medicine at Boston University in 2017. Currently, he runs a community based dental
practice serving patients throughout metro DC.
Sagirah Shahid
PERFORMER Sagirah Shahid is a Black American Muslim poet and arts educator
from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her work seeks to make sense of
the complexities of being human. She was one of the four poets
selected by the City of Minneapolis to participate in “Nicolett
Lanterns,” a collaborative public arts project which transformed
original poems into functional sculptural lanterns.
She is a recipient of a Loft Mentor Series award in poetry and fellowships from the
Minnesota Center for Book Arts and the Twin Cities Media Alliance. Sagirah is a 2020 TEDX
Minneapolis speaker. Her debut collection of poetry “Surveillance of Joy” is forthcoming
from Half Mystic Press in 2021.MUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 20
Farhana Khera Eric Naing
President & Executive Director Media Relations Officer
Naheed Qureshi Erik W. Martínez Resly
Deputy Director Digital Advocacy Officer
Kanya Shabazz
Director of Operations and
Brittany Boykin
Office Manager
Organizational Effectiveness
Mary Bauer Kathryne Robinson
Legal Director Legal Assistant
STAFF Renée Bullion Weston McClung
Director of Development Donor Database Associate
Scott Simpson Fatima Khan
Public Advocacy Director External Affairs Strategist
Madihha Ahussain Deborah Choi
Special Counsel for Legal Fellow
Anti-Muslim Bigotry
Matthew Callahan
Senior Staff AttorneyMUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 21
Rashid Alvi Farhana Khera
Chairman of the Board President and Executive Director
of Directors for Muslim of Muslim Advocates
Advocates
Shahzad A. Malik
Nahid Aliniazee Partner at Nixon Peabody LLP
Philanthropist and (Los Angeles)
community activist
Saema Somalya
Mohammad Fadel Lawyer and the Senior Vice
President Emeritus of NAML President and Deputy General
Counsel at Fifth Third Bancorp
Faiyaz Hussain in Cincinnati, Ohio
Senior Counsel at a
BOARD OF multinational pharmaceutical Mohamed Yusuf M. Mohamed
company Deputy General Counsel
DIRECTORS Employment & Immigration at
Osman Hussein Tesla, Inc.
One of the heads of
Americas Trading at Tiger Kameelah Mu’Min Rashad
Global Management Founder and President of
Muslim Wellness Foundation and
Naiel Iqbal Communities
Investment Professional at
hedge fund Tiger Global
ManagementMUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 22
Noreen Ahmad Wayel Kaakaji
Founding Partner, Third Eye Physician
Collective Munster, IN
New York, NY
Amber Khan
Mirza Baig Principal, AK Consulting
Managing Partner, Tipton Equity Washington, DC
Partners
Great Falls, VA Shafiq Khan
President and Founding Partner,
Ali Diab Teach the World Foundation
CEO, CollectiveHealth Gaithersburg, MD
Menlo Park, CA
Mohammad Ali Naquvi
ADVISORY Mohammed Hameeduddin CEO of Meditors Consulting and
COUNCIL Former Mayor and City
Councilman of Teaneck, NJ and
Advocacy Director of the Mohsena
Memorial Foundation
Owner of H&W Title Agency Princeton, NJ
Teaneck, NJ
Faran Tahir
Ammar Hanafi President, Javelin, Inc.
Co-Founder & General Partner, San Diego, CA
Moment Ventures
Palo Alto, CA
Aziz Huq
Professor, University of Chicago
Law School
Chicago, ILMUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 23
We are deeply grateful to all our sponsors and would
like to acknowledge the families, individuals and
institutions below for their generosity toward Muslims
Making Change: National Honors. The support they
provide ensures we can carry out our mission in
the courts, halls of power and communities. Their
dedication, generosity and belief in our cause- that all
Americans may live free from hate and discrimination-
allows us to be successful in our work. Many thanks
from all of us at Muslim Advocates.
Aisha Ahmad and Mustafa Haque
Faiz Ahmad and Sarah Pierce
Nahid Aliniazee and Kamal Ahmed
SPONSORS Shereef Elnahal and Marwa Kamel
Mohammad Fadel
Naiel and Rabia Iqbal
Amed Khan
Fouzia and Shafiq Khan
Shahzad A. Malik and Tanveer Hussain
Abeer Minhas
Christy and Reza Omarzai
Faiza Poshni and Mohammed Hameeduddin
Amr Razzak
Mahira and Junaid Razzak
Saema Somalya and Nabeel Kaukab
Qaiser and Ashraf Sufi
Samina and Wahid Umerani
Aamir and Mariam Virani
Lubna and Khalique Zahir
Fatima and Soofian Zuberi
AnonymousMUSLIMS MAKING CHANGE | NATIONAL HONORS 24
®
SPONSORS
Buckley LLP
Islamic Community Center of Lancaster
MARC Law
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Sidley Austin LLP* I’d like one page dedicated to American Muslim Futures, as outlined below *
* I’d like one page dedicated to American Muslim Futures, as outlined below *
Tijay Muhammad
Tijay Muhammad
American Muslim Futures is a collaboration between
MuslimAmerican
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between
Art, Culture &
American Design .
Muslim Futures is a collaboration
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~ Roya Ahmadi, high school
student and featured artist View this special exhibit envisioning a better America.MuslimAdvocatesGala Sponsored by
www.muslimadvocates.org @MuslimAdvocates
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