2008 UMMAH IMAGE AWARDS

UMMAH IMAGE AWARDS RECIPIENTS

We celebrate the accomplishments of the first ever recipients of the Ummah Image Awards. Gamma Gamma Chi Sorority, Inc. is proud to recognize the accomplishments of the following women for their work that supports our mission of promoting a positive image of Muslim women and Islam in general.

Soumaya Khalifa
President, Executive Director, and Founder
Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta
Peachtree City, GA

As founder and Executive Director of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB), Soumaya Khalifa brings an array of corporate and non-profit experience to her role. Her professional background in human resources, diversity and talent management for several Fortune 100 companies helped in starting and growing the ISB.

Through the efforts of Soumaya and more than 30 volunteers, ISB has given presentations to thousands of people in metro Atlanta and surrounding states about Islam and related topics. The presentations are interactive and help bring a better understanding of how practicing Muslims live their lives as Americans. The ISB is active in interfaith work.

Soumaya was born in Egypt and raised in Texas. She holds an undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of Houston and a master's degree in human resources from Georgia State University. Outside of the bureau, Soumaya is a Human Resources and Diversity Consultant. She serves as Vice President of the Anti-Prejudice Consortium, Board member of Kids4Peace and Secretary of Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters. Soumaya is also a member of the FBI's Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee. Soumaya has appeared on BBC, NPR, AIB, CBS, Fox, PBS, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. She has received many awards for the work of the Islamic Speakers Bureau including the Unsung Hero Award by the Anti-Defamation League.

Tayyibah Taylor
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Azizah Magazine
Atlanta, GA

Tayyibah Taylor is the founding editor-in-chief and publisher of Azizah Magazine. Through Azizah, Tayyibah Taylor realized her vision of providing a vehicle for the voice of Muslim American women a vehicle that portrays their perspectives and experiences, and shatters commonly held stereotypes. This work blends her passion for spirituality, women's issues and communication. For six years of her life, Tayyibah Taylor had simultaneous legal claim to residency in five different countries. This unique experience provided her with the lens through which she views the universe.

Tayyibah has visited 26 countries and has presented lectures on Islam and Muslim women at national and international conferences, including the Harvard Divinity School's Islam in America Conference; the International Islamic University of Malaysia's Islam and Muslims in the 21st Century Conference, the Belgian -US Muslim Dialogue, the Lecture Series at the women's college of Shariah and Law of the International Islamic University of Islamabad, Pakistan, and the Fulbright Symposium in Perth, Australia. She was a participant and a panel moderator at the 2006 WISE conference in New York City which convened 100 Muslim women leaders from all over the globe to discuss women's participation in Islamic law. Tayyibah Taylor has worked on several interfaith initiatives and traveled to Turkey, Spain, Morocco, Jerusalem, Greece and Jordan with various groups of Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Born on the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean, Tayyibah Taylor grew up in Toronto, Canada and studied biology and philosophy at the University of Toronto. She lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for several years and attended classes at King Abdul-Aziz University for Arabic and Islamic Studies.

She presently sits on the board of the Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta and the board of directors of Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters and she has also served on the board of trustees for the Georgia Council for International Visitors. Tayyibah Taylor received the 2005 Media Award from the Concerned Black Clergy of Atlanta, the 2003 Honoring Women in the Media Award from the Muslim Women's League and the 2002 Hagar Achievement through Sacrifice Award from Sisters United in Human Service. She has attended the 2008 Leadership Institute for Women Journalists, is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta, Class 2005 and the Diversity Leadership Academy, Atlanta Class 2003. Tayyibah Taylor is the mother of five children.

Sisters United in Human Service, Inc.
Atlanta, GA

Nadira Abdullah, Majeedah Ali, Khayriyyah Faiz, Zakiyyah Hassan, Kim Mujahid, Dr. Deborah Najee-ullah, Adilah Saleem, Antionette Shakir

Khayriyyah Hanan Faiz
President, Sisters United in Human Service, Inc.

Khayriyyah Hanan Faiz was a Mental Health Service Director for the past 23 years, until her retirement in September 2008. She is very actively involved in the Muslim Community and the broader Atlanta Community. She is an active member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Master Addiction Counselor and a Certified Criminal Justice Specialist. She can also be found in active support and pursuit of those programs and activities sponsored by, and occurring within, our faith community and many Masaajid. She works relentlessly to help/support others, advancing the spirit of one Ummat (community) for the Pleasure of Allah (SWT).

Khayriyyah provided dedicated leadership to Islamic education in the 1970's, then known as Muhammad University of Islam and Sister Clara Muhammad School. She continues today to support the advancement of Islamic education, locally, nationally and internationally. She is also an active member of the Community Support Group of the Atlanta Masjid (a counseling and referral service for Muslims and non-Muslims in the Atlanta area) and serves as editor of the Support Group's Publication: The Community Support Quarterly.

Sister Faiz is an active consultant, Counselor, writer, speaker and floral desgner. She is also the author of a book, Becoming The Honorable Sister. She can always be found giving of herself, her knowledge, resources and abilities to support the best in others. Her community awards are numerous, including the recent Women in Community Service Award, given by the Atlanta Concerned Black Clergy. She presently chairs Sisters United in Human Service, Inc., a non-profit human service organization of Muslim women currently based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Hajjah Khayriyyah Faiz was blessed to make her pilgrimage to Mecca in November of 1978 and to be further blessed with the birth of her younger daughter, Attiyya Mubaarika, nine months and three days, thereafter.

Khayriyyah can best be described as one who sincerely wants for others nothing less than what she wants for herself. She says that she "strives daily to be the best believer, mother, employer, worker, servant and friend" that she can be. She "is truly grateful for being blessed in 1974 to accept Al Islam, for the vision and leadership of the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, for the universal guidance of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and for the contemporary leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed."

She is the mother of two daughters, Natalie Theresé and Attiyya Mubaarika and one son, Raja'ee Na'im.

Zakiyyah Hassan
Chair, Public Relations Committee, Sisters United in Human Service, Inc.

Zakiyyah Hassan is the Public Relations Chair for Sisters United in Human Service, Inc. Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, she currently lives in Conyers, Georgia, and works in the Dekalb County School System as a Kindergarten Paraprofessional at Oak View Elementary School. Prior to this job, Zakiyyah worked at AT&T Corporation and as a Realtor with several major brokerage firms.

As a Paraprofessional her responsibilities are to work with several educators and to help them to provide learning tools for students, assist with the implementation of lessons to inspire and influence students' success as lifelong learners as well as positive change agents.

Zakiyyah attended several universities throughout her adult life, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management in 1995 from Brenau University of Gainesville, Georgia.

Zakiyyah Hassan is one of the founding members and a former board member of Sisters United In Human Service, Inc. Over the course of her involvement, she has served as both corresponding and recording secretary as well as Chairperson of the Welcome and Hospitality Committee, and Chair of the Public Relations Committee, her current position.

Zakiyyah says, Working for the Pleasure of Allah is one of the most rewarding experiences for me, and sharing this experience with such a diverse group of like minded, loving professional sisters is such a blessing, one that I am eternally grateful for.

She is the proud grandmother of a living, healthy, thriving and handsome grandson who was a preemie at birth weighing only one pound, one ounce.

Antionette Shakir
Chair, Economic Development Committee, Sisters United in Human Service, Inc.

Antionette Shakir is one of the founding members of Sisters United In Human Service, Inc. She is the Chairperson of the Economic Development Committee and also a member of the Board of Directors, for which she is the Assistant Treasurer.

Antionette is a Sales Support Coordinator for RBS World Pay, a merchant credit card processing company which is owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland and located in Atlanta , GA. At RBS World Pay, Antionette is responsible for assisting Midwest and Southeast Region sales teams in meeting their sales quotas. Prior to being a Sales Coordinator, Antionette worked in the Fraud/Risk department for four years at this same company.

Before joining RBS World Pay, she worked with Wachovia Bankcard for seven years as a Fraud Analyst. Working with both companies has given her over 10 years experience in credit card and check fraud. Antionette has participated in many special projects and workshops on enhancing her skills as a Fraud Analyst and Sales Coordinator.

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571.257.6732

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UMMAH IMAGE AWARDS RECIPIENTS We celebrate the accomplishments of the first ever recipients of the Ummah Image Awards. Gamma Gamma Chi Sorority, Inc. is proud to recognize the accomplishments of the following women for their work that supports our mission of promoting a positive image of Muslim women and Islam in general.
		Soumaya Khalifa President, Executive Director, and Founder Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta Peachtree City, GA As founder and Executive Director of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB), Soumaya Khalifa brings an array of corporate and non-profit experience to her role. Her professional background in human resources, diversity and talent management for several Fortune 100 companies helped in starting and growing the ISB. Through the efforts of Soumaya and more than 30 volunteers, ISB has given presentations to thousands of people in metro Atlanta and surrounding states about Islam and related topics. The presentations are interactive and help bring a better understanding of how practicing Muslims live their lives as Americans. The ISB is active in interfaith work. Soumaya was born in Egypt and raised in Texas. She holds an undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of Houston and a master's degree in human resources from Georgia State University. Outside of the bureau, Soumaya is a Human Resources and Diversity Consultant. She serves as Vice President of the Anti-Prejudice Consortium, Board member of Kids4Peace and Secretary of Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters. Soumaya is also a member of the FBI's Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee. Soumaya has appeared on BBC, NPR, AIB, CBS, Fox, PBS, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. She has received many awards for the work of the Islamic Speakers Bureau including the Unsung Hero Award by the Anti-Defamation League.

		Tayyibah Taylor Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Azizah Magazine Atlanta, GA Tayyibah Taylor is the founding editor-in-chief and publisher of Azizah Magazine. Through Azizah, Tayyibah Taylor realized her vision of providing a vehicle for the voice of Muslim American women a vehicle that portrays their perspectives and experiences, and shatters commonly held stereotypes. This work blends her passion for spirituality, women's issues and communication. For six years of her life, Tayyibah Taylor had simultaneous legal claim to residency in five different countries. This unique experience provided her with the lens through which she views the universe. Tayyibah has visited 26 countries and has presented lectures on Islam and Muslim women at national and international conferences, including the Harvard Divinity School's Islam in America Conference; the International Islamic University of Malaysia's Islam and Muslims in the 21st Century Conference, the Belgian -US Muslim Dialogue, the Lecture Series at the women's college of Shariah and Law of the International Islamic University of Islamabad, Pakistan, and the Fulbright Symposium in Perth, Australia. She was a participant and a panel moderator at the 2006 WISE conference in New York City which convened 100 Muslim women leaders from all over the globe to discuss women's participation in Islamic law. Tayyibah Taylor has worked on several interfaith initiatives and traveled to Turkey, Spain, Morocco, Jerusalem, Greece and Jordan with various groups of Jews, Christians and Muslims. Born on the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean, Tayyibah Taylor grew up in Toronto, Canada and studied biology and philosophy at the University of Toronto. She lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for several years and attended classes at King Abdul-Aziz University for Arabic and Islamic Studies. She presently sits on the board of the Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta and the board of directors of Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters and she has also served on the board of trustees for the Georgia Council for International Visitors. Tayyibah Taylor received the 2005 Media Award from the Concerned Black Clergy of Atlanta, the 2003 Honoring Women in the Media Award from the Muslim Women's League and the 2002 Hagar Achievement through Sacrifice Award from Sisters United in Human Service. She has attended the 2008 Leadership Institute for Women Journalists, is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta, Class 2005 and the Diversity Leadership Academy, Atlanta Class 2003. Tayyibah Taylor is the mother of five children.

		Sisters United in Human Service, Inc. Atlanta, GA Nadira Abdullah, Majeedah Ali, Khayriyyah Faiz, Zakiyyah Hassan, Kim Mujahid, Dr. Deborah Najee-ullah, Adilah Saleem, Antionette Shakir

		Khayriyyah Hanan Faiz President, Sisters United in Human Service, Inc. Khayriyyah Hanan Faiz was a Mental Health Service Director for the past 23 years, until her retirement in September 2008. She is very actively involved in the Muslim Community and the broader Atlanta Community. She is an active member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Master Addiction Counselor and a Certified Criminal Justice Specialist. She can also be found in active support and pursuit of those programs and activities sponsored by, and occurring within, our faith community and many Masaajid. She works relentlessly to help/support others, advancing the spirit of one Ummat (community) for the Pleasure of Allah (SWT). Khayriyyah provided dedicated leadership to Islamic education in the 1970's, then known as Muhammad University of Islam and Sister Clara Muhammad School. She continues today to support the advancement of Islamic education, locally, nationally and internationally. She is also an active member of the Community Support Group of the Atlanta Masjid (a counseling and referral service for Muslims and non-Muslims in the Atlanta area) and serves as editor of the Support Group's Publication: The Community Support Quarterly. Sister Faiz is an active consultant, Counselor, writer, speaker and floral desgner. She is also the author of a book, Becoming The Honorable Sister. She can always be found giving of herself, her knowledge, resources and abilities to support the best in others. Her community awards are numerous, including the recent Women in Community Service Award, given by the Atlanta Concerned Black Clergy. She presently chairs Sisters United in Human Service, Inc., a non-profit human service organization of Muslim women currently based in Atlanta, Georgia. Hajjah Khayriyyah Faiz was blessed to make her pilgrimage to Mecca in November of 1978 and to be further blessed with the birth of her younger daughter, Attiyya Mubaarika, nine months and three days, thereafter. Khayriyyah can best be described as one who sincerely wants for others nothing less than what she wants for herself. She says that she "strives daily to be the best believer, mother, employer, worker, servant and friend" that she can be. She "is truly grateful for being blessed in 1974 to accept Al Islam, for the vision and leadership of the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, for the universal guidance of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and for the contemporary leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed." She is the mother of two daughters, Natalie Theresé and Attiyya Mubaarika and one son, Raja'ee Na'im.

		Zakiyyah Hassan Chair, Public Relations Committee, Sisters United in Human Service, Inc. Zakiyyah Hassan is the Public Relations Chair for Sisters United in Human Service, Inc. Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, she currently lives in Conyers, Georgia, and works in the Dekalb County School System as a Kindergarten Paraprofessional at Oak View Elementary School. Prior to this job, Zakiyyah worked at AT&T Corporation and as a Realtor with several major brokerage firms. As a Paraprofessional her responsibilities are to work with several educators and to help them to provide learning tools for students, assist with the implementation of lessons to inspire and influence students' success as lifelong learners as well as positive change agents. Zakiyyah attended several universities throughout her adult life, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management in 1995 from Brenau University of Gainesville, Georgia. Zakiyyah Hassan is one of the founding members and a former board member of Sisters United In Human Service, Inc. Over the course of her involvement, she has served as both corresponding and recording secretary as well as Chairperson of the Welcome and Hospitality Committee, and Chair of the Public Relations Committee, her current position. Zakiyyah says, Working for the Pleasure of Allah is one of the most rewarding experiences for me, and sharing this experience with such a diverse group of like minded, loving professional sisters is such a blessing, one that I am eternally grateful for. She is the proud grandmother of a living, healthy, thriving and handsome grandson who was a preemie at birth weighing only one pound, one ounce.

		Antionette Shakir Chair, Economic Development Committee, Sisters United in Human Service, Inc. Antionette Shakir is one of the founding members of Sisters United In Human Service, Inc. She is the Chairperson of the Economic Development Committee and also a member of the Board of Directors, for which she is the Assistant Treasurer. Antionette is a Sales Support Coordinator for RBS World Pay, a merchant credit card processing company which is owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland and located in Atlanta , GA. At RBS World Pay, Antionette is responsible for assisting Midwest and Southeast Region sales teams in meeting their sales quotas. Prior to being a Sales Coordinator, Antionette worked in the Fraud/Risk department for four years at this same company. Before joining RBS World Pay, she worked with Wachovia Bankcard for seven years as a Fraud Analyst. Working with both companies has given her over 10 years experience in credit card and check fraud. Antionette has participated in many special projects and workshops on enhancing her skills as a Fraud Analyst and Sales Coordinator.





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