Aneelah Afzali and Islamophobia - Wednesday, Sep. 25 at 6:45 p.m.
Hate crimes against Muslims in America are at an all-time high in our country, with an alarming 67% increase in 2015. Anti-Muslim proposals and vitriolic rhetoric have reached unprecedented levels. Many have drawn comparisons between American Muslims today and Jews in 1930s Germany or Japanese-Americans in World War II. Where did all this hate against Muslims come from? This highly relevant workshop will help you understand Islamophobia, how it is a threat to us all, and how to take concrete action steps to combat Islamophobia and promote our shared American values of religious freedom and diversity.
Aneelah Afzali is the Executive Director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN), a new initiative of the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS) in response to the challenges of our times including the rising threat of Islamophobia. She also serves as a Governing Board Member of the Faith Action Network, and Director of Legal Clinic at the Muslim Community Resource Center.
Aneelah is an attorney and graduate of Harvard Law School who worked at two law firms in Seattle (making partner at one), before building and leading the Legal Department of a local healthcare technology company as General Counsel. In addition to her legal practice, Aneelah co-founded MELAW – the Middle Eastern Legal Association of Washington – and served as inaugural president for two years. The Washington State Bar Association has honored Aneelah with its Excellence in Diversity award, and Washington Law and Politics has recognized her as a Rising Star multiple years.
Four years ago, after a spiritual awakening and witnessing the growing divisiveness in our country, Aneelah took a break from her legal career to pursue two things her faith emphasizes – knowledge and service. Since then, Aneelah has served as a community activist, interfaith leader, educator and presenter, guest preacher, events coordinator, strategic adviser, civil rights advocate, community capacity-builder, seeker of knowledge, and volunteer attorney. Her work with faith and non-faith communities has helped build bridges of alliance, increase understanding of Islam and Muslims, fight bigotry and discrimination, and combat Islamophobia with facts over fiction, faith over fear and love over hate. To continue this work, she founded MAPS-AMEN in December 2016.
Aneelah graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Psychology (and minors in Business and Spanish) from the University of Oregon Robert D. Clark Honors College, and was named a Chayes International Service Fellow at Harvard Law School. Aneelah enjoys traveling, snowboarding, and football, and is a proud Seahawks and Ducks fan!
Aneelah Afzali is the Executive Director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN), a new initiative of the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS) in response to the challenges of our times including the rising threat of Islamophobia. She also serves as a Governing Board Member of the Faith Action Network, and Director of Legal Clinic at the Muslim Community Resource Center.
Aneelah is an attorney and graduate of Harvard Law School who worked at two law firms in Seattle (making partner at one), before building and leading the Legal Department of a local healthcare technology company as General Counsel. In addition to her legal practice, Aneelah co-founded MELAW – the Middle Eastern Legal Association of Washington – and served as inaugural president for two years. The Washington State Bar Association has honored Aneelah with its Excellence in Diversity award, and Washington Law and Politics has recognized her as a Rising Star multiple years.
Four years ago, after a spiritual awakening and witnessing the growing divisiveness in our country, Aneelah took a break from her legal career to pursue two things her faith emphasizes – knowledge and service. Since then, Aneelah has served as a community activist, interfaith leader, educator and presenter, guest preacher, events coordinator, strategic adviser, civil rights advocate, community capacity-builder, seeker of knowledge, and volunteer attorney. Her work with faith and non-faith communities has helped build bridges of alliance, increase understanding of Islam and Muslims, fight bigotry and discrimination, and combat Islamophobia with facts over fiction, faith over fear and love over hate. To continue this work, she founded MAPS-AMEN in December 2016.
Aneelah graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Psychology (and minors in Business and Spanish) from the University of Oregon Robert D. Clark Honors College, and was named a Chayes International Service Fellow at Harvard Law School. Aneelah enjoys traveling, snowboarding, and football, and is a proud Seahawks and Ducks fan!