EAST ATLANTA RESIDENTS RECOGNIZED AS INFLUENTIAL GEORGIA MUSLIMS AT ISLAMIC SPEAKERS BUREAU GALA

Four residents of East Atlanta (30316) were among the 50 honorees recognized as "Influential Georgia Muslims" at the first gala sponsored by the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta on September 20. The awards were presented in eight categories and were introduced by key Georgia leaders selected by an independent panel of judges., The categories include education; arts, media & sports; business & leadership; community involvement & religion; engineering & technology; philanthropy; law, law enforcement, & politics; science & medicine, and "Under 30."

Judge Fatima El-Amin (pictured) currently serves as Full Judge of the DeKalb County Juvenile Court. After earning her law degree from Emory University in 2000, Judge El-Amin worked as an associate in a private law practice and as an assistant district attorney in DeKalb County, before being appointed to the judgeship in 2014.

Dr. Jamillah Karim is a former professor of religion at Spelman College, now working as an independent scholar. She is the author of numerous books, most recently "American Muslim Women: Negotiating Race, Class and Gender in the Ummah."

Furqan Muhammad is the Imam of Atlanta's Masjid Al-Muminun. A native Atlantan, Imam Muhammad maintains initiatives to feed the hungry, provide spiritual services in nursing homes and hospices, and serves as a chaplain at local, state, and federal prisons.

Azadeh N. Shahshahani currently serves as National Security/Immigrants' Rights Project Director for the American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU of Georgia. Ms. Shahshahani earned her law degree at the University of Michigan. She is the first woman of color and first Muslim to serve as the president of the National Lawyers Guild.

For more information on this event, go to YouTube online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRDUf9YXgrA.

The ISB, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, apolitical educational organization, is dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of the Islamic faith between the many diverse communities across the state of Georgia. As part of the organization's mission, in March 2014, the ISB called for nominations for "100 Influential Georgia Muslims" to recognize and honor these outstanding leaders who have had an extraordinary impact on their community, who positively challenge those around them, and who instill passion, conviction, and confidence in others. A complete list of honorees is available online at http://www.100gamuslims.com/index.php/2014-honorees.

"It was a wonderful evening and a privilege to honor these outstanding Georgia residents, Muslims men and women who have contributed so much to their communities and to our state," said ISB founder and executive director Soumaya Khalifa. "They exemplify our ongoing effort to 'Continue the Legacy and Change the Narrative' of Muslims in America',"

For more information visit http://www.100gamuslims.com/index.php/2014-honorees, or find the gala on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/100gamuslims/timeline). Follow the conversation: #100GAMuslims, #isbatlanta.

The is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, apolitical educational organization that provides certified Muslim speakers to promote awareness about Islam and Muslims. Its mission is to counter prejudice and discrimination against Muslim Americans by teaching about their traditions and contributions in the context of America's history and cultural diversity, while building relations between American Muslims and other groups.