Amina Bey

Amina Bey serves as Executive Director of Newark Emergency Services for Families, a 45 year old nonprofit organization in Newark, NJ that provides emergency assistance to residents in crisis throughout Essex County, NJ. Amina manages over $6 million in grant funding that provides food, clothing, shelter placement, rental assistance, utilities assistance and other supportive services to the underserved and disenfranchised in the community. Amina is also a Professor at Rutgers University Newark, as well as a social services consultant through her company Brownstone Consulting Group. Amina has been very active in her community her entire life, spending over 25 years as Chairperson of Women In Support of the Million Man March (WISOMMM), a nonprofit organization she co-founded. She also co-founded two other community service organizations that were formed during the height of the COVID-19 crisis in order to assist Muslims in need – SIStars In Service and the Muslim Community Relief Fund.

The Muslim Community Relief Fund (MCRF) was organized in April 2020 by Amina Bey, Craig Drinkard, Jamal Majeid, Imam Ali Salaam and Imam Antar Mateen to assist Muslims in the Greater Newark Area who were suffering from food insecurities due to the COVID-19 crisis. The Muslim Community Relief Fund (MCRF) solicits and collects donated funds from the community and purchases Shoprite Supermarket Gift Cards to distribute to individuals and families in need. There is an application form provided to those seeking assistance and, based on the household size, recipients are provided Shoprite Gift Cards in the amount of $100, $150 or $200. The organization has distributed over $13,000 in gift cards and has assisted over 200 people in the Greater Newark Area. For more information please e-mail MuslimCommunityFund@gmail.com. Donations can be made via Cash App to $MuslimFund.

Fatima Ali

Fatimah Ali is a dynamic young Muslim woman who attended Mercy Community Center and Masjid Warithudeen Mohammed throughout her youth. She values the pursuit of understanding Allah's (SWT) guidance and insight - and aiding others along their own journeys towards understanding. She has a long-lived passion for building bridges and relationships with those who follow different religious and spiritual paths.

Academically, Fatimah Ali graduated with a bachelors in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. At Colby, Fatimah demonstrated campus leadership in the realms of faith and diversity. She strengthened the Colby Muslim Society during her time on campus, helping to revitalize the community and develop new Islamic programming for Muslim students on campus. In the realm of diversity, she was the first African American female to graduate from Colby College's Computer Science program.

Fatimah Ali is the Special Programs and Outreach Coordinator at Mercy Community Center. In her Special Programs work, she has fostered a space for teen and young adult Muslimahs to gather, learn, and grow in faith together through a Mercy CC program she created called Muslimah Nights. In her outreach work, she actively engages with youth and young adults in the community, inviting them to get involved during masjid events. She also embraces interfaith ambassadorship as part of her outreach work, earnestly engaging in interfaith community building efforts with various interfaith groups in Houston and the surrounding areas.

Fatimah demonstrates servant leadership in her work as the lead Web Developer at both Masjid Warithudeen Mohammad and Mercy Community Center. Finally, she is a legacy leader who recently accepted the opportunity to join the Islamic Learning Institute as both a Young Scholars Arabic Instructor and as a technical support resource.

Kamilah M. Shuaibe
Motivational Speaker/Spirtual Empowerment Coach

Kamilah M. Shuaibe is a love advocate. As a Published Author, Spiritual Empowerment Coach, Culture Creator and Entrepreneur she has always placed love at the center of her work. Her experience is deeply rooted in community organizing for non-profit organizations and youth advocacy work dating back over two decades. Kamilah’s creativity, originality, and ability to connect with others makes her masterful in the art of manifesting individuals’ visions into real life experiences. She is the Founder of the Love Is Always the Subject Institute, which assists indigenous women in their healing journey by prioritizing self-love, self-care and mental wellness. She is also the founder and executive director of She Win We Win, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to creating spaces for indigenous Women in business. She has faith that her work will support, motivate, and encourage the best in humanity by opening a platform where love is always the subject.

Born and raised in Oakland California, she learned early in life the importance of having a community of women who support you. Kamilah's unique coaching style is a mixture of life experience and ancestral healing that assists indigenous women on their journey to empowerment. Kamilah is a Woman, Mother, Sister, Aunt and Friend. But most importantly, she is authentically herself and through her coaching services, she invites you to do the same.

Booking: info@loveisalwaysthesubject.com

Kori Majeed

Since 2013, Kori Majeed has used her Green Ramadan platform to encourage Muslims to eat mindfully and tread lightly by cultivating sustainable habits during Ramadan. These habits are based on Islamic teachings and principles that call humanity to give all of Allah’s creation their rights. Kori is a GreenFaith fellow, Master Watershed Steward, a Muhammad Ali Scholar at Bayan Islamic Graduate School, and co-chair of the Green Team at Masjid Muhammad, the Nation’s Mosque, in Washington DC. Kori is also co-author of the ebook Forty Green Hadith: Sayings of the Prophet Muhammadﷺ on Environmental Justice & Sustainability.

Instagram: @greenramadan

Facebook: @GreenRamadan

Email: kori@greenramadan.com

Maryum “May May” Ali
Social Worker, Public Speaker

Maryum Ali was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and is the eldest of Muhammad Ali’s nine children. As a little girl, her father asked her what she thought her purpose in life was and she replied, “I want to help people.” May May’s efforts to help people have manifested in a myriad of ways throughout her life.  

Maryum has 15 years of experience in juvenile delinquency prevention and youth development, and she has worked in many capacities in this field; from having direct practice experience with over 300 families to working as a Regional Manager for the Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction & Youth Development in the City of Los Angeles. She is currently seeking private funding for the non-profit organization, DMTL, a gang prevention and youth development program that she co-founded with Nason Buchanan.

Maryum is the author of an inspirational children’s picture book about her father titled, I Shook Up the World: The Incredible Life of Muhammad Ali.  She is also a spokesperson for Team Parkinson and The Parkinson’s Unity Walk. Over the years, May May has appeared on television networks such as, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, ESPN, BBC, AL Jazeera, BBC, FOX, BET, Centric, Lifetime, and the Hallmark Channel. In the spring of 2016, Maryum was on the groundbreaking A&E docuseries, “60 Days In,” where she went undercover as an inmate to serve sixty days in a real county jail to learn more about the criminal justice system. 

Additional information about Maryum Ali can be found at www.MaryumAli.com and www.DMTLFamily.org.

Safiyyah Amina Muhammad

Safiyyah Amina Muhammad is a mother of five, a wife, and a relentless advocate for people with disabilities and their families. Her journey began in 1993 as young mother striving to understand her son’s diagnosis of Oppositional Defiance Disorder. Her journey shifted as three of her sons were eventually diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder beginning in 2001. A disability rights advocate was born.

Safiyyah Muhammad is a member of the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities. She was recently appointed to chair the council’s ad hoc committee addressing barriers to service delivery impacted by race, cultural and linguistic competency, poverty, and diversity. Safiyyah’s efforts of community organizing and lobbying for the rights of people with disabilities and their families has taken her to the White House and has afforded her a seat at the table with politicians like US Labor Commissioner Tom Perez, NJ Governor Phil Murphy, NJ Governor Jon Corzine, NJ Senator Ron Rice, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and countless other politicians working to protect the rights of working families.

Safiyyah Muhammad currently serves on the board of The H.U.B.B., FP Youth Outcry Foundation in Newark, she is the Our Revolution Essex County Healthcare Committee Chairperson, she is a 2007 graduate of Partners in Policymaking, a 2020 graduate of Karamah Law and Leadership program, she was featured in PBS Religion & Ethics documentary on Faith and Disabilities, and she volunteers with various social justice groups while highlighting the need for Black disability justice.

Dr. Swiyyah K. Fareed

Dr. Swiyyah Khairah Fareed is a retiree from Old Dominion University and Hampton City Schools she has worked for the state of Virginia for over 33 years. She is the former President of the International League of Muslim Women, Norfolk Metropolitan Chapter. A non-profit organization that serves the needs of the community locally and abroad.  Dr. Fareed has been actively involved with the community as an advocate for battered women, homeless individuals and families. Within the Hampton City School System Dr. Fareed was responsible for conducting semi-annual Cultural Diversity Workshops for administrators, para-professional, teachers and students. Dr. Fareed was the former Director of the Clara Muhammad Weekend School in Norfolk, Virginia for over 26 years, she recently accepted the position as a Board Member at Masjid William Salaam. Over several decades Dr. Fareed has been a guest on numerous television and radio programs in the Hampton Roads community. She also served as a panelist at Virginia Wesleyan College representing Al-Islam with several religious scholars and educators. Dr. Fareed’s recent endeavors took her to Turkey in 2009 as part of a delegation representing Imam W. Deen Mohammed. In 2010 Dr. Fareed along with her husband the late Imam Vernon Fareed visited Sydney, Australia to receive an award posthumously, on behalf of Imam W. Deen Mohammed. While in Australia she received an award of her own for “Cultural Diversity”, as she spoke to several women’s groups from around the globe. Dr. Fareed resided in Al Ain, UAE in 2018 assisting her son-in- law with a Homeschooling Program. Current endeavors consist of promoting Uniformity In Prayer written by Imam Vernon M. Fareed.

Dr. Fareed has a Bachelor and master’s Plus 30 Degree in Social Work, with emphasis on community development.  She recently received a Ph.D. in Social Work and Public Leadership in May 2021 from the The Graduate Theological Foundation. Defense Thesis was presented on “A Qualitative Assessment of African American Muslims Expectations from Charter Schools.” 

Dr. Fareed has received numerous awards and honors including Domestic Violence Award, Norfolk State University – 2001, Commendation from the Virginia House of Delegates - 2004, International League of Muslim Women, Inc. Award - 2004, Presidential Award for Volunteerism, National Boy Scouts/Islamic Sea Scouts of America - 2006, Cultural Diversity Award -  2007  Norfolk State University, and the Cultural Diversity Award - 2010 Sydney, Australia. Swiyyah has been married to the late Imam Vernon M. Fareed for 49 years. She has five children, 25 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.  

Jamila Mahdi

Jamila Mahdi is an experienced educator from the Washington metropolitan area, with a solid record of community building and educational leadership that spans over 30 years.  Jamila made Hijra to The Gambia, West Africa in October 2020 with her daughter, son in law and grandchildren. Since then she has established “Sand Bird,” a gravel and sand delivery company for construction projects.  Jamila has volunteered in several capacities in The Gambia as an educational consultant and teacher for various local organizations.  She and her family have also founded the Children’s Library of The Gambia & Makerspace which promotes childhood literacy and a wide range of skill sets to help develop young minds for success.  They are currently planning a future project for an educational farm on their land that will focus on teaching youth how to grow their own food and care for the earth.  In addition to homeschooling her  grandchildren, Jamila enjoys hanging out at the beach, learning the local language and spending time with friends.

Raheemah Shamsid-Deen Hampton

Raheemah Shamsid-Deen Hampton is a seasoned and successful Human Services leader with 25 years of experience in management and leadership roles. She is known for her passion to successfully advocate for and serve the most vulnerable people with medically and behaviorally complex needs, challenges and disabilities. She is an expert in Human Services Administration, Disabilities and Behavioral Health, and Child Welfare. She has provided oversight and technical assistance to a 3 billion human services organization portfolio and worked directly with their leadership to improve their performance and quality of care. She oversaw the largest PA child welfare and juvenile justice accounts and budgets. She is experienced in quality assurance and training and implemented many innovative programs and services in the human services arena. She is known for building outcomes-driven strategic partnerships and is seasoned in healthcare policy, child welfare policy, regulatory development, and state and federal systems change. She is a graduate of the Code Differently program, a software engineering boot camp in a remote environment with instructor-led instruction, labs, and projects with a focus on the programming languages of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Raheemah is the Secretary of Masjidullah's Board of Trustees, Assistant Director of the Masjidullah Madressa program, served as All School Director for 4 years at Abington Friends School and served on other Boards such as Philly Triple Threat, CAIR Philadelphia and The New Medina Institute. She has also been a part of other organizations and committees such as MECCA's Scholarship Committee.  Raheemah is married with two sons.

Zakiya Shareef-Givens

Mrs. Zakiya Shareef-Givens is the Executive Director and Mediator for The Resolution Hub for Peace, Inc, based out of Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA. She provides general education and advocacy in the areas of peace building and conflict resolution. In addition to facilitating trainings, program sessions and mediating conflicts. Her duties also include advocacy for families and children, refugees, and advocacy for social justice and human rights. Mrs. Givens builds and maintains relationships with community partners for underserved populations and among interfaith groups.

Mrs. Shareef-Givens also serves as a Licensed Master School Social Worker at a Georgia Public School, where she supports families in identifying strengths and needs, creating and coordinating interventions; performs needs assessments and identifies barriers prohibiting engagement. In this role she advocates for educational equity and resources for a diverse racial, socio-economical, cultural, and religious population. Mrs. Givens’ volunteer work includes community outreach and Tech support for Masjid Muhammad, The Nation’s Mosque; MAVA (Muslim American Veterans Association); Kennedy-Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity; PAACT and GEERS. 

Mrs. Givens is a veteran of the U.S. Air National Guard and serves as the National Historian for MAVA; and she is an MSW Alumni of University of Georgia. She earned her BS in Criminology with a focus on Psychology from Florida State University. Mrs. Givens is a registered and certified Neutral (Mediator) with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution (GODR); and she has participated in and received a Cohort Certificate from Karamah’s Women Islamic Law and Leadership Program held in Washington, D.C.

She has traveled to and been engaged in interfaith peacebuilding and conflict resolution in Turkey, Israel-Palestine, and N. Ireland. She has spoken at the Israeli Ambassador’s Home in Washington, DC during their Iftar. She is authored a book of her poetry entitled, An Inspired Bird Sings. She was entered into the National Poet Society. Mrs. Givens is based in Georgia, with her husband and children. 

Tariq Ameer

Tariq Ameer’s journey began with the Muslim Student’s Association at Morehouse College, in Atlanta, GA.  It was here that he began to study with local teachers including Shaykh Muhammad Mendes and Ustadh Jamal Ud-Deen Hysaw.  He would eventually follow the path of his teacher Jamal Hysaw to Tarim, Yemen where he would spend a year studying at the Badr Language Institute and eventually Dar Al-Mustafa.  Upon his return back to the states he continued his studies with local teachers in person and online including Dr. Khalil Abdur Rashid, Dr. Shadee El-Masry, Shaykh Farid Dingle, Shaykh Hamza Karamali, Ustadha Zaynab Ansari and Dr. Abu Zayd. Throughout his studies he has been given permission to teach in various sciences including Fiqh, Aqīdah and Hadīth.  In 2022 he also completed his Masters of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy. Currently he is working as a prison chaplain with the New Jersey Department of Corrections and a per diem chaplain with Robert Wood Johnson Hospital, while teaching with the MECCA Center based out of NY as well as the Islamic Center of Ewing.

Mark Crain

Mark is the executive director at Dream of Detroit, an initiative combining community development and organizing to revitalize a neighborhood and build a thriving community on the Westside of Detroit, around the Muslim Center of Detroit. DREAM is providing affordable housing, developing an economic corridor, and organizing local residents with folks from throughout Detroit's metro-area Muslim community in the fight for racial and economic justice in the city. Prior to DREAM, Mark worked in digital strategy and community organizing at Chicago's Inner-City Muslim Action Network, Obama 2012, and most recently, MoveOn, where he built a $5M, 15-person department. Mark also has significant organizational development experience and currently serves on the boards of the Detroit Justice Center, ReThink Media, and Emgage Foundation.

Salima Suswell

Salima Suswell is the President and CEO of Evolve Solutions, LLC which she founded in 2009. Evolve Solutions is a management consulting firm specializing in Government Relations; Public Relations; Community Engagement; Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Competency Training. Salima is also the President and CEO of The Halal Meal Resource, Inc. which she founded in 2019. The Halal Meal Resource, Inc. is devoted to ethical consumerism, providing high-quality organic meals and products to schools, hospitals, prisons, and other institutions nationwide. Prior to establishing her own companies, Salima worked as a Senior Litigation Specialist with the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 

Salima remains actively engaged in the political process primarily within the Philadelphia – Delaware Valley region and across the Nation, contributing her expertise to non-profit and political organizations and campaigns. Among Salima’s noteworthy contributions are the leadership and production of the Annual Philadelphia City Hall Ramadan Iftar Dinner, held at the Mayor’s Reception Hall at City Hall; her role as Project Manager and Steering Committee Lead for the Philadelphia Eid Coalition, who worked successfully to obtain the recognition of the two Islamic (Eid) Holidays in Philadelphia Public Schools and various Charter schools; and her role as Chair of the Muslim American Host Committee for the 2016 Democratic National Convention, held in Philadelphia. Salima also served as the Project Manager and Lead Advisor for the Philadelphia Please Touch Museum’s groundbreaking exhibition, America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far, which has received local and national acclaim. 

Salima serves as an advisor to the Office of Governor Tom Wolf for affairs pertaining to Muslim Pennsylvanians, and supports the planning for Governor Tom Wolf’s Annual Eid al Adha Dinner, held at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg, PA. In October 2017, Salima made history as the first Muslim woman appointed to the Pennsylvania Commission for Women by Governor Tom Wolf. The Pennsylvania Commission for Women serves as advisors to the Governor on policy and legislation that impacts women and girls. 

In 2018, Salima founded the Philadelphia Ramadan and Eid Fund, a 501c3 non-profit organization that supports the annual PREF Ramadan Iftar Dinner, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha festivities, feeding the homeless, youth programming, and more. In 2019 PREF presented its inaugural Philadelphia Eid in the Park Festival, which was very successful and attended by over 15,000 community members of diverse background. 

Salima has received distinguished honors and awards from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Pennsylvania State Senate, Philadelphia City Council, the Women-UP Organization of Entrepreneurial Excellence, City and State Magazine, the Muslim Youth Association, and the prestigious Faatimah Gamble Legacy Award. 

In 2009, Salima was featured on a CNN special program, entitled “CNN Presents – Faith and Money in America”. Salima’s work has been acknowledged both locally and nationally by the Washington Post, New York Times, USA Today, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Tribune, the Philly Public Record, Billy Penn, CBS 3, ABC 6, Fox 29, NBC 10, PHL 17, and other news outlets. 

A well sought after public speaker, among many speaking engagements, Salima was honored to address a crowd of over 60,000 attendees at the Women’s March on Philadelphia in January 2017. Salima has since become a key organizer for the Women’s March, and was appointed Vice President of the Women’s March on Philadelphia organization in 2018. 

Salima serves as Government Relations Director and Executive Committee Member for Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia), a civil liberties organization fighting against discrimination 

Salima also serves on the Leadership Council for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the board of the Philadelphia Community Stakeholders, and the board of Sky Community Partners. 

In 2020, Salima will publish her first book, a memoir entitled, Evolve: Salima Suswell, My Life and Poetry. 

Salima holds a degree in Legal Studies from Peirce College, and Business Administration from Drexel University’s Lebow College of Business. In 2019, Salima successfully completed an international Executive Law and Leadership certification program in Washington, DC with KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights. 

Salima Suswell is an entrepreneur, community activist, philanthropist, and author.

Clyde El-Amin

Clyde El-Amin has had a long career as an educational and managerial leader, having retired after serving successfully in numerous positions including president of two local community colleges. He is actively involved in entrepreneurial and community service efforts in the Chicago area. He has served on advisory and governing boards of multiple not-for-profits committed to youth service, health care, education, community development and leadership development. These include serving as the current board co-chair of Inner-city Muslim Action Network and a member of the Board of Directors of Insight Hospital and Medical Center. He has served on the boards of youth development organizations such as the former Hales Franciscan High School, Leadership Development Institute (LDI), and Hip Hop Detoxx. He was previously also a member of the Advisory Council of Upward Bound at the University of Chicago. He served as a member of the Muslim American Advisory Committee to former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. He has served 30 plus years in College administration, having served in numerous leadership positions including as president of Olive-Harvey College and Kennedy-King College, two community colleges in Chicago. Along with District support, he oversaw major program enhancements, certifications and expansions and contributed significantly to campus construction and plant improvements. While serving as the Kennedy-King and Olive-Harvey College president he, served as an Officer of the District of City Colleges of Chicago and was an active member of the board of Team Work Englewood community development organization. He was born and spent his early childhood in Montgomery, Alabama and the surrounding rural community. There, his elementary school years were spent in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. He moved to Detroit when he was almost 13 years old and spent the remainder of his adolescent/high school years there. He became re-engaged in activism while a student at the University of Michigan, where he studied psychology as an undergrad and graduate student. His initial interest in higher education grew out of his participation in efforts to enable minority students to enroll and be more successful at the University of Michigan. This interest eventually led to him moving to Chicago to further explore and pursue a career in higher education. He’s also spent some years working in K-12 education, including a brief period in public K-12 administration as well as in Muslim School administration. He played a key role in helping establish the system of Clara Muhammad Schools under the leadership of Imam Warithuddeen Muhammad. After earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, he pursued graduate studies at University of Michigan Rackham Graduate ​School, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Spertus College where he earned a Master of Science Degree in non-profit management.

Kaleem Shabazz Atlantic City Councilmember

Kaleem Shabazz is a longtime resident of Atlantic City, New Jersey. A graduate of Rutgers University, Councilmember Shabazz is a product of local schools and a proud graduate of Atlantic City High School. First elected in 2015, as Third Ward Councilmember for the City of Atlantic City, he was re-elected in 2019. Councilmember Shabazz also serves as Vice President of City Council and Co-Chair of the City Council’s Planning and Development Committee. A longtime civil rights advocate, Mr. Shabazz is also an adjunct professor at Stockton University. He is President of the Atlantic City Branch of the NAACP and serves as President of Bridge of Faith; Advocacy Committee Chair and Board Member for the Atlantic County Coalition for a Safe Community; and member of the Coalition for Good Government. Mr. Shabazz is the recipient of many distinguished awards, including the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award; the Father Thom Schivago Humanitarian Award (from Beth El Synagogue); the Community Service Award from the Mainland NAACP; and the Community Service Award from the Fellowship of Churches. Councilmember Shabazz says one of his “proudest moments” was speaking at the United Nations in efforts to successfully stop a South African-based casino from coming to Atlantic City during the time of apartheid. Councilmember Shabazz has been married to his beautiful wife, Yolanda, for more than forty years. They have one daughter, Anjail, and two grandsons, Emanuel and Emil. Mr. Shabazz is a self-proclaimed “nerd” who is an avid reader of the New York Times, Star Ledger, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Press of Atlantic City on Sunday mornings during breakfast or brunch.

Antwaun Banks

Antwaun Banks is the founder and CEO of Product of the Projects (POP). He founded the organization with a mission to meet the needs of inner city youth by providing them with strategies aimed at character development, goal setting, and establishing positive relationships. POP partners with several community organizations in Peoria, Illinois including Department of Juvenile Justice, and Juvenile Probation, and the Peoria Public Schools where he provides curriculums, including: POP Discipline and Character; POP 365 Nutrition, Wellness and Physical Fitness; and POP Soft Skills. Product of the Projects is well known for its annual events: Back2School Celebration, DeAndre Foote Scholarship Program, the POP Annual Thanksgiving Giveaway and an interfaith collaborative, the 309 Toy Drive. Mr. Banks dedicates his time to several leading organizations of Peoria, IL to support community access, education and empowerment. He serves on the Muslim Education Center Association (MECA) as Vice President, Illinois Department of Human Services RPSA (Reimagine Public Safety Act) Local Advisory Council as Resident Representative- Peoria, IL, and as a Transportation Committee of the Joint Commission on Racial Justice and Equity member-Peoria, IL. His devotion and work towards advancing community life has led to noteworthy recognition and awards. He was recognized for establishment, organizing, and managing programming and events that benefit the greater underserved community with the 2023 Peoria Public Schools Community Contribution Award, as all events serve thousands of children and families in the Peoria community. He received the 2023 Fatherhood Award from the Peoria Alumni Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and the 2022 Community Service Award from the Peoria Community Neighborhood Association and Juneteenth Committee. Antwaun Banks is an awarded scholar and Salutatorian of the inaugural class of the Islamic Leadership Development Program of 2023. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University and has a professional background in Logistic Operations and Management. [productoftheproject.org | popproject8@gmail.com]

Na’eem Prince Rashada

As Salaamu Alaikum beautiful people,my name is Na’eem Prince Rashada. I am a born and raised Muslim from Memphis, TN and life long member of Masjid Al Mu’minun (the first masjid in Memphis, TN). I am the eldest of my mom’s (Sis. Charmagyne Akram – who became Muslim at the age of 15 and currently sits on the Board of Directors at our masjid) four (4) children. I graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a degree in Biology and Environmental Studies. I am an also a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity Inc. I recently fulfilled half of my deen on August 6,2022, when the lovely and beautiful Lailah Rashada, graciously agreed to be my honorable and devoted wife (for the rest of my life (insha’llah,ameen)). My commitment within the Masjid community and broader community include or have included: being on the Executive Board at the Masjid(past), being a part of the Security Team at the Masjid(present),Charter Board Member of the Halal Food Pantry, as well as Food Distribution Coordinator(past), Shelby County Ethics Commision(present) and currently a delegate from the Masjid within MICAH(Memphis Interfaith Colalition for Action and Hope - an interfaith organization). I am employed by the City of Memphis, as an Environmental Enforcement Officer (assisting in abating illegal dumping/blight within the city and working in concert in prosecuting those responsible for such activity). I am a very passionate, energetic and outgoing individual who loves life and people. And I pray that as a sincere admirer/student of IWDM, that my participation/matriculation within ILDTP will enable me to have a positive impact within our community and contribute to the legacy of IWDM living, prospering and growing.

Omar Muhammad

Omar has worked as a community advocate and activist since 2007 as a volunteer for the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities (LAMC). He has served as LAMC’s web-site content coordinator and community engagement liaison. Currently, he serves as LAMC’s Executive Director. Omar sits on the Mitigation Workgroup which advises LAMC on implementation of the Mitigation Agreement between the South Carolina State Ports Authority, Palmetto Railways and LAMC; He serves on the Charleston County Affordable Housing Taskforce; He is an advisor to the executive boards for the Union Heights Community Council, Serve With Joy, Distinguish Gentlemen Mentoring Organization, Communities For Justice, local government agencies on community engagement strategies and the Amplify Fund South Carolina; He is a research consultant for the Charleston Community Research to Action Board (CCRAB); serves on the Clean Power Plan Environmental Justice Analysis Workgroup for the State of South Carolina and the Clean Power Plan Advisory Workgroup for the State of South Carolina; Environmental Justice Hub member for SC DHEC; A founding member for the South Carolina Environmental Justice Network and founding member for the Moving Forward Network’s Southeast Regional Network. Omar completed a 9 month training with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) Region IV’s Environmental Justice Academy and was selected Valedictorian for the inaugural class. He is also a past participant in a joint EPA Region IV and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Leaders in Environmental Action Pilot (LEAP) inaugural class. He has successfully lead efforts to engage the LAMC communities through various outreach strategies and is responsible for the EJRADAR's (an online mapping tool) success as an engagement and empowerment tool for Environmental Justice communities. Omar has successfully funded community research initiatives to train residents on the use of the EJRADAR online mapping tool, conduct a community-based health survey to assess health service gaps at the community level, conduct a zoning analysis for Environmental Justice communities and several other Citizen Science projects. Omar has been instrumental in leveraging relationships with academics and governmental agencies to assist in the development of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA), other projects to address legacy pollution in low-wealth communities and redevelopment of underutilized properties into productive spaces such as parks and greenspace.

Omar has been instrumental in securing mitigation dollars totaling over 4 millions dollars to address quality of life concerns in low-wealth communities. Specifically, he has lead efforts to create the only Community Land Trust in the City of North Charleston, negotiated 4 million dollars in mitigation with Palmetto Railways, lead an effort to complete the very first Community Benefits Agreement for a local community and a warehouse developer. Omar has presented across the country about LAMC’s mitigation and Citizen Science strategies and is highly sought after to speak at conferences, colleges and universities. Omar completed his Masters Degree in Community and Urban Planning with a policy focus at the College of Charleston in May 2021 to move the LAMC organization into becoming a community developer. Omar currently works as a planner with the City of Charleston overseeing the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Planning Commission Boards. Omar’s other duties includes community engagement for city planning activities, tracking and mapping city-wide commercial and residential developments and assisting the city’s rural areas with planning and development priorities and concerns.

Varsty Muhammad

Varsty Muhammad - President of the Philadelphia Chapter of The International League of Muslim Women, Inc., as well as the International Vice President of TILMW, Inc. Also serves as Chair of the International Education Committee and Co-Chair of the Al-Hajjah Sahira Muhammad Aleem Scholarship Funds. In addition to her services within TILMW, Inc., she serves as a Trainer for The Peaceful Family Project (PFP), a 501(c)(3) national organization with international research devoted to preventing domestic violence, with a focus on Muslim families of diverse cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (1991). Membership with Black Women’s Educational Alliance, Inc. - Philadelphia Chapter  (BWEA). 

Education: M. Ed in Counseling (K-12) from South Carolina State University, MA in Child and Family Studies from Syracuse University and a BA in English from Paine College in Augusta Georgia, and has completed ABD in Leadership and Policy in Higher Education,  a Certified Grant Writing Specialist and graduate of the 2024 class of the Islamic Leadership Training and Development Program.She also does training and development in Early Childhood Education and leadership.

Professional: Co- founder and the Director of Clara Science Academy, a Private K-8 STEM Community School. She also has over 25 years of experience working in higher education (HBCUs, & PWI), K-12 education (Private, Public and Charter), and Early Childhood Education. Expertise is diversified in the areas of education, family life and community engagement specifically as it relates to families from disenfranchised communities, families of color,  immigrants, and refugees. She enjoys re-imagining how we frame family & community engagement, and creating innovative ways to connect communities, faith based institutions, families to schools, and schools to communities.  

Other community work and collaboration involves Bridge-to-Africa Connection, Inc. (Ghana 2018), Somali Bantu Community Saturday Tutoring Program, Syracuse, New York (2011-2012). Hornets’ Nest Girl Scout Council, Daisy/Brown Age Level Consultant, Meck 5, Charlotte, NC (2000-2009). Brownies/Juniors Troop Leader, Troop 2211, Charlotte, North Carolina (2000-2009). A Muslim Troop servicings all Masjids within the region. Muslim Women of the Carolinas (MWOC), President, Charlotte, North Carolina (2001-2004). MWOC's principle goal and objective is to bring the diverse Muslim women of Charlotte and surrounding areas together to foster unity, encourage cooperation and coordination to perform good works. Its’ mission is to educate, motivate, and provide assistance to women that are willing to improve humanity.  

Varsty is a native of St. Croix, United States Virgin Island. She also calls home to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Charlotte, North Carolina.  She enjoys road trips, traveling, spending time with my immediate family and bonding with people who value her, her goals, and way of life. She also values and appreciates sisters who also make space for her. Words she lives by - “Be the change that you are seeking positively and intentionally.”Varsty Muhammad - President of the Philadelphia Chapter of The International League of Muslim Women, Inc., as well as the International Vice President of TILMW, Inc. Also serves as Chair of the International Education Committee and Co-Chair of the Al-Hajjah Sahira Muhammad Aleem Scholarship Funds. In addition to her services within TILMW, Inc., she serves as a Trainer for The Peaceful Family Project (PFP), a 501(c)(3) national organization with international research devoted to preventing domestic violence, with a focus on Muslim families of diverse cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (1991). Membership with Black Women’s Educational Alliance, Inc. - Philadelphia Chapter  (BWEA). 

Education: M. Ed in Counseling (K-12) from South Carolina State University, MA in Child and Family Studies from Syracuse University and a BA in English from Paine College in Augusta Georgia, and has completed ABD in Leadership and Policy in Higher Education,  a Certified Grant Writing Specialist and graduate of the 2024 class of the Islamic Leadership Training and Development Program.She also does training and development in Early Childhood Education and leadership.

Professional: Co- founder and the Director of Clara Science Academy, a Private K-8 STEM Community School. She also has over 25 years of experience working in higher education (HBCUs, & PWI), K-12 education (Private, Public and Charter), and Early Childhood Education. Expertise is diversified in the areas of education, family life and community engagement specifically as it relates to families from disenfranchised communities, families of color,  immigrants, and refugees. She enjoys re-imagining how we frame family & community engagement, and creating innovative ways to connect communities, faith based institutions, families to schools, and schools to communities.  

Other community work and collaboration involves Bridge-to-Africa Connection, Inc. (Ghana 2018), Somali Bantu Community Saturday Tutoring Program, Syracuse, New York (2011-2012). Hornets’ Nest Girl Scout Council, Daisy/Brown Age Level Consultant, Meck 5, Charlotte, NC (2000-2009). Brownies/Juniors Troop Leader, Troop 2211, Charlotte, North Carolina (2000-2009). A Muslim Troop servicings all Masjids within the region. Muslim Women of the Carolinas (MWOC), President, Charlotte, North Carolina (2001-2004). MWOC's principle goal and objective is to bring the diverse Muslim women of Charlotte and surrounding areas together to foster unity, encourage cooperation and coordination to perform good works. Its’ mission is to educate, motivate, and provide assistance to women that are willing to improve humanity.  

Varsty is a native of St. Croix, United States Virgin Island. She also calls home to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Charlotte, North Carolina.  She enjoys road trips, traveling, spending time with my immediate family and bonding with people who value her, her goals, and way of life. She also values and appreciates sisters who also make space for her. Words she lives by - “Be the change that you are seeking positively and intentionally.”

Mubaashir Uqdah

Mubaashir Uqdah accepted Al-Islam at Masjidullah in Plainfield New Jersey in 1977 under the leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed. From the moment he became a Muslim he has been an avid student of Al-Islam as expressed in the commentary of Imam W. Deen Mohammed and he has been an active worker in the community. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Systems and Information Technology from the University of Phoenix, has worked professionally as a Senior Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies, and worked in his own company as a Web Designer and Builder, a Book Publisher, and as a Real Estate Investor. He is married to Rita FurQaan Uqdah, and has three children.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

• Founder and Administrator of the IWDM Preservation Project.

• Founder and Administrator of the IWDM Study Library (www.iwdmstudylibrary.com).

• Special Assistant to the Conveners of Imams associated with Imam W. Deen Mohammed.

• Assisting the Conveners of Imams with developing a course for learning the Knowledge Body of Imam Mohammed.

• Webmaster of the IWDM Community Website (www.iwdmcommunity.com) on behalf of the Conveners of Imams.

• Author of books (8) on the Language and Logic of IWDM. (www.uqdah.com)

• Referenced as a Dr. of his Philosophy by IWDM, who publicly stated that Mubaashir Uqdah’s writings are required reading for his students.

• Advisor and counselor to many Muslims seeking advice and guidance.

• Owner of Uqdah Enterprises LLC, which provides book publishing and website development services.

PAST ACTIVITIES

• Northeast Section Convener of the Imams Associated with the Community of IWDM (2012-2015).

• Founder and Coordinator of the NJ Muslim E-mail Network.

• Founder and coordinator of the Higher Voice Dawah Movement.

• Co-founder of UMMRAH, United Muslim Musicians and Recording Artists.

• Website designer for numerous Muslim businesses and Masjids.

• Editor and Publisher of numerous books by Muslims in the IWDM Community.

• Coordinator of Unified National Curriculum project for the Consortium of Clara Muhammad Schools.

• Convener of the New Jersey Associates for Community Planning (ACP).

• Special Assistant to the NJ Council of Imams.

• Convener of the NJ Monitoring Team.

• Chairperson of local CRAID committee.