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Board Chair Broadens IMAN's Horizons

By Kauthar B. Umar
IMAN Communications Director

Four years ago New York Professor Amir Al-Islam was invited to join the ranks at IMAN.

An academic, social activist and interfaith leader, Al-Islam appeared to be a perfect fit for the rapidly expanding Chicago-based organization, despite the glaring fact that he didn't live in Chicago.

Today as IMAN embarks on its 10-year anniversary, Al-Islam now the Board of Director's Chair still resides in New York City but is considered one of the biggest assets, as he prepares the organization for an exciting future.

"While a resident of New York City, Amir has deep roots, family and experiences in Chicago," said IMAN Executive Director Rami Nashashibi. "Amir is the only individual with that level of experience, expertise and enthusiasm willing to embrace the task of developing the long term vision of IMAN."

Al-Islam's dedication to youth and interfaith work began in the 1970's and has taken him around the world and in and out of a variety of circles.

Currently, Al-Islam is the Executive Director of the Center for Professional Education at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York. He also serves as the Secretary General of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP), which sponsors interfaith dialogues, events and projects promoting religious, ethnic, and racial tolerance.

In addition, to representing WCRP at the United Nations, Al-Islam is a Ph.D. Candidate at New York University, specializing in Near Eastern Studies and African Diasporan History.

He holds an M.A. Degree from NYU in African-American History, a B.A. Degree from Shaw University, a certificate from King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Summer Institute in Islamic History and Culture and a certificate in the Management of Non-Profit Organizations from NYU.

Despite his many hats, Al-Islam remains dedicated to IMAN and is particularly determined to help provide a safe space for youth leaders who want to make change. His work over the years has in one way or another affected youth culture, domestically and around the world.

According to Al-Islam, Muslim youth in the United States have a tremendous amount of promise for the future, but they are currently looking for their place in society. Al-Islam argues that IMAN is the organization that could facilitate that search, as it engages youth in recognizing community needs, mobilizing together and making changes for the better.

"We (IMAN) cannot be everything to every one, but we are in a very unique position because we serve a Muslim population as well as a large non-Muslim population," said Al-Islam. Through our collaborations with various community based organizations we are in a position where we can make a difference in peoples lives on the ground."

As IMAN develops its strategic plan for the next five years, Al-Islam and the Board of Directors are considering ways in which to share best practices that have led to IMAN's success in Chicago.

According to Al-Islam, IMAN will have state chapters, in the near future, as a way to develop the organizations model on a national level. Al-Islam's presence and activism in New York City is a critical part of that development as IMAN explores opening a chapter in The Big Apple sometime in the next three years.

"Ideally, I'd like to see our first chapter open in New York," said Al-Islam. "Young people don't have many activities at all and this will be a great activity for them, to began to rally around issues that have to do with social justice."

Al-Islam says that he meets youth around the country who confess that they need to do what IMAN is doing. These youth are looking for the next thing and Al-Islam argues that IMAN can give it to them.