Gamma Gamma Chi Sorority, Inc. online newsletter

Azizah Magazine's founding editor in chief and publisher Tayyibah Taylor will be the keynote speaker for GGChi's Second Annual Awards Dinner. The Awards Dinner is a part of GammaFest, a weekend of fun and sisterhood for the sorors of Gamma Gamma Chi Sorority, Inc. GammaFest 2008 is scheduled for October 10-12 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ms. Taylor was born in Trinidad, her parents were from Barbados, and she grew up in Toronto. She lived in Saudi Arabia for six years, and she has been an American citizen for 15 years. As she describes herself, Taylor says that she is a " citizen of the world." She embraced Islam in the 1960's after a high school field trip to a local mosque in her community.

In 2000, Ms. Taylor established Azizah Magazine. Designed to highlight the accomplishments of Muslim women, Azizah Magazine features women that might be overlooked by other print media. According to Ms. Taylor, she selected the name, "Azizah" for its meaning. "In Arabic, 'azza' means 'strength' and it also means 'dear.' So there's this combination of dearness and strength, which to me is the epitome of a perfect woman."

The mother of five children, Ms. Taylor worked as the administrator of the Islamic School of Seattle which she helped found over 20 years ago.

She has presented workshops and lectures on Islam and Muslim women throughout the United States, including the Society of Professional Journalists Conference, the Hands On Atlanta's Martin Luther King Jr. Service Summit, and the Harvard Divinity School's Islam in America Conference.

She sits on the board of the Georgia Council for International Visitors, the advisory board of the Southern Regional Council, an 84-year-old organization that promotes racial justice and democratic rights, and on the board of Crescent University Foundation, an organization seeking to establish America's first Muslim-centered institution of higher learning and on the board of trustees for the Georgia Council for International Visitors. In 2003, Tayyibah Taylor received the 2003 Honoring Women in the Media Award from the Muslim Women's League and in 2002, she received the Hagar Achievement through Sacrifice Award from Sisters United in Human Service.

In announcing this year's keynote speaker, GGChi President and Executive Director Dr. Althia F. Ali said, "We are very pleased to have our sister in Islam Tayyibah Taylor serve as our keynote speaker during GammaFest. In considering possible speakers, we wanted to identify someone who is a great role model for other Muslim women and who, by example, helps us further our mission of promoting a positive image for Islam and Muslim women. Tayyibah has been a friend of Gamma since our founding in 2005, and we are pleased to see our relationship continue to grow as we support each others' organizations."

The Second Annual Awards Dinner is one of two public events held during 2008 GammaFest. The other public event is the Emerald Evening. Tickets to both events go on sale August 20. Click >> here to buy tickets to the Awards Dinner and to the Emerald Evening.

Get additional details about 2008 GammaFest.


		August 2008 Online Newsletter
				Tayyibah Taylor to keynote Second Annual Awards Dinner at 2008 GammaFest
				Azizah Magazine's founding editor in chief and publisher Tayyibah Taylor will be the keynote speaker for GGChi's Second Annual Awards Dinner. The Awards Dinner is a part of GammaFest, a weekend of fun and sisterhood for the sorors of Gamma Gamma Chi Sorority, Inc. GammaFest 2008 is scheduled for October 10-12 in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Taylor was born in Trinidad, her parents were from Barbados, and she grew up in Toronto. She lived in Saudi Arabia for six years, and she has been an American citizen for 15 years. As she describes herself, Taylor says that she is a " citizen of the world." She embraced Islam in the 1960's after a high school field trip to a local mosque in her community. In 2000, Ms. Taylor established Azizah Magazine. Designed to highlight the accomplishments of Muslim women, Azizah Magazine features women that might be overlooked by other print media. According to Ms. Taylor, she selected the name, "Azizah" for its meaning. "In Arabic, 'azza' means 'strength' and it also means 'dear.' So there's this combination of dearness and strength, which to me is the epitome of a perfect woman." The mother of five children, Ms. Taylor worked as the administrator of the Islamic School of Seattle which she helped found over 20 years ago. She has presented workshops and lectures on Islam and Muslim women throughout the United States, including the Society of Professional Journalists Conference, the Hands On Atlanta's Martin Luther King Jr. Service Summit, and the Harvard Divinity School's Islam in America Conference. She sits on the board of the Georgia Council for International Visitors, the advisory board of the Southern Regional Council, an 84-year-old organization that promotes racial justice and democratic rights, and on the board of Crescent University Foundation, an organization seeking to establish America's first Muslim-centered institution of higher learning and on the board of trustees for the Georgia Council for International Visitors. In 2003, Tayyibah Taylor received the 2003 Honoring Women in the Media Award from the Muslim Women's League and in 2002, she received the Hagar Achievement through Sacrifice Award from Sisters United in Human Service. In announcing this year's keynote speaker, GGChi President and Executive Director Dr. Althia F. Ali said, "We are very pleased to have our sister in Islam Tayyibah Taylor serve as our keynote speaker during GammaFest. In considering possible speakers, we wanted to identify someone who is a great role model for other Muslim women and who, by example, helps us further our mission of promoting a positive image for Islam and Muslim women. Tayyibah has been a friend of Gamma since our founding in 2005, and we are pleased to see our relationship continue to grow as we support each others' organizations." The Second Annual Awards Dinner is one of two public events held during 2008 GammaFest. The other public event is the Emerald Evening. Tickets to both events go on sale August 20. Click >> here to buy tickets to the Awards Dinner and to the Emerald Evening. Get additional details about 2008 GammaFest. ________________________________________________________________ Visit our website Gamma Gamma Chi Sorority, Inc. P O Box 15283 Alexandria, VA 22309 571.257.6732 Newsletter provided compliments of Noor's Designs