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| American Islamic Congress: Leadership |
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We are led by a diverse group of young activists, all in their 20s and 30s. Many of our staffers have overcome obstacles to achieve success, and all are committed to taking action despite the risks. To arrange a media interview or speaking engagement, call +1.617.266.0080.
 Zainab Al-Suwaij, Executive Director
Granddaughter of Basra’s leading cleric, Zainab was one of the few women to join the failed 1991 intifada uprising against Saddam Hussein. She fled Iraq and eventually became an American citizen. Following the shock of the September 11 terror attacks, Zainab left her teaching position at Yale to co-found the AIC. An outspoken advocate for women’s equality and interfaith understanding, Zainab has published editorials in the three largest American newspapers: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. She has appeared on NPR, BBC, Al-Jazeera, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, CNN, and Fox. Over the past several years, Zainab has directed AIC’s women’s empowerment programs in southern Iraq, leading a grassroots team that operates without international security. She has testified to Congress, lectured at Harvard, and participated in interfaith events around the world. Zainab currently serves on the board of the Oxford International Review. Named an “Ambassador of Peace” by the Interreligious and International Peace Council, Zainab has received Dialogue on Diversity’s Liberty Award and was recognized as “2006 International Person of the Year” by the National Liberty Museum.
 Nasser Weddady, Civil Rights Outreach Director
A native of Mauritania, Nasser grew up in Libya and Syria, traveling extensively through the Middle East, before coming to the US as a refugee in 2000. A few days after the September 11 attacks, Nasser was falsely detained by the FBI because of his ethnic appearance. A long-time activist in the struggle to end slavery in his homeland, Nasser has organized conferences for young activists across the Middle East; published in the International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and Baltimore Sun; appeared on Fox’s Hannity & Colmes, BBC World Service, Al Jazeera, and Radio Liberty; and testified to Congress’ Human Rights Caucus. Fluent in five languages, Nasser has lectured at the US Institute of Peace, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and diverse interfaith settings.
 Jana El-Horr, International Peacebuilding Fellow
Jana served as AIC’s DC Program Director and currently contributes as a Peacebuilding Fellow while completing her doctorate. A native of Lebanon, Jana grew up in amidst the daily strife of civil war. In reaction, she became committed to nonviolent advocacy and interfaith dialogue. She is a founding member of the Center for Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding in Lebanon and has also developed training materials on cultural diversity and minority rights for the Council of Europe. Jana leads AIC’s efforts to stop genocide in Darfur, partnering with interfaith groups and student activists; organizes AIC’s monthly Capitol Hill Distinguished Speakers Series; and assists Project Nur, AIC’s campus outreach initiative.
 Jesse Sage, HAMSA Program Director
Jesse directs the AIC’s Middle East civil rights initiative, HAMSA: Hands Across the Mideast Support Alliance. A pioneer in the contemporary anti-slavery movement, he has worked with slavery survivors from around the world and built grassroots interfaith coalitions. Recognized by Fast Company Magazine as a “Fast 50” innovator and an “Upstander” by Facing History & Ourselves, Jesse has co-edited the anthology Enslaved (featuring a forward by Gloria Steinem), published in the International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal; and appeared on the BBC, NPR, and BET. He runs AIC's annual “Dream Deferred Essay Contest” and serves on the board of the Human & Civil Rights Organizations of America.
Jeehan S. B. Faiz, Project Nur Coordinator
Born in Bangladesh, Jeehan graduated from the University of Maryland
with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. A former student intern with
Project Nur, she has also worked in the non-profit sector with
Greenpeace and the Dance Institute of Washington. Jeehan is passionate
about engaging in positive change and works with students of diverse
backgrounds on campuses primarily in the Northeast.
 Bashir Martin , Project Nur Coordinator
Of Haitian-Syrian origin, Bashir manages outreach efforts for Project Nur, mobilizing Muslim students at American universities. After graduating from Florida International University, he worked on several Boston area campuses in partnership with Americorps to increase student engagement in surrounding communities, implementing service-learning and leadership development programs. Passionate about coexistence, Bashir joined the Shalom-Salaam Social Movement, which brings together Jews and Arabs for informal interfaith and inter-ethnic understanding.
Tahera Zamanzada, Project Nur Coordinator
Of Afghan origin, Tahera's passion for human rights and social justice inspired her to join Project Nur. A graduate of George Mason University with a degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Tahera focused on the roles of identity and culture on conflict, globalization, and development, as well as reconciliation and peacebuilding. Tahera works to implement meaningful civil rights, human rights, and cultural programming on U.S. campuses.
 Dalia Ziada, Egypt Office Director
A poet and translator based in Cairo, Dalia first came to AIC’s attention after participating in the “Dream Deferred Essay Contest” on civil rights. Dalia, who runs AIC’s office in Nasr City, is a poet and a blogger-activist. She fights against female genital circumcision, in her own family and beyond, as she herself is a survivor. As an organizer of solidarity campaigns for jailed bloggers, she has been interviewed by international media outlets like the BBC and Al-Arabiya, as well as published in the International Herald Tribune. Dalia helps edit the bi-weekly CRIME Report on civil rights in the Middle East, an email alert distributed to young activists around the world.
 Mohammed Harba, Muslim Film Festival Coordinator
Mohammed curates the AIC's Muslim Film Festival and assists with
interfaith outreach. A native of Babylon and a former Fulbright
scholar, Harba has been profiled by NPR, The Boston Globe, and ABC
News. Harba is an expert on modern Arabic cinema (particularly the
depiction of female characters), which he currently teaches as part of
the first ever Arabic class at Phillips Andover Academy. A former
intern with Harvard's Pluralism Project, he was the first Iraqi Muslim
to study the Holocaust at Boston's Hebrew College. He translated many
literary works from English into Arabic.
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