Community News (V11-I19)

Randa Kuziez chosen for Tony Blair Faith Foundation fellowship

WASHINGTON D.C.– Randa Kuziez, one of the national vice presidents of the Muslim Students Association, has been selected as a fellow of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. The former British prime minister started the foundation to raise awareness about efforts to fight malaria in Africa.

Kuziez will work with other another fellowship recipient to educate youth groups, reach out to religious communities, and develop programs to promote awareness of malaria’s toll in Africa, where it kills an estimated 1 million people a year, most of them children.

Last year, Kuziez had organized a fast-a-thon in the month of Ramadan that mobilized over 400 students of many faitsh and raised over $1000. The MSA is helping to coordinate fundraising for bednets within the Muslim community by encouraging all its chapters to raise funds for purchasing bed nets.

Samia Zahran runs for union president at Tufts

Samia Zahran, a senator at Tufts University’s student union, is now aiming for the top job by running for the president.

A sophmore she had served as a community representative on the Senate in her freshman year.

She had also worked with a number of student organizations including the MSA , Arab Student Association, Filipino Cultural Society, and the Pan-African Alliance.

Muslim teens grow in numbers in Canada

TORONTO — More teenagers in Canada identify themselves as Muslim than with the Anglican, Baptist and United churches combined, according to a recent survey.

The upswing in Islam — plus three other major non-Western religions — is largely due to immigration, said Reginald Bibby, the director of Project Kids Canada, which has tracked youth in an ongoing survey since 1984.

His research showed that the number of teens who identified themselves as members of “Other Faiths,” (including Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism and aboriginal spirituality) grew to 16 percent last year, compared with 3 percent in 1984. Muslims accounted for 5 percent of that group.

During the same period, teens who claimed membership in Roman Catholic or mainline Protestant denominations dropped dramatically.

Anwer Khan appointed director at West Monroe Partners

CHICAGO, IL–West Monroe Partners, a full-service business and technology consultancy, today announced that Anwer Khan has joined the firm as a director in its Chicago office. Khan will lead the firm’s Chicago Healthcare practice, primarily focusing on health plans, insurers, and payers. He will have responsibility for practice strategy, solution development, client service, business development, and team management.

“Anwer Khan not only has a distinguished track record for client service and practice development; he is a recognized thought leader and innovator with respect to information management in the healthcare industry,” said Kevin McCarty, who leads West Monroe Partners’ Chicago office. “His industry knowledge and leadership are a welcome addition to our team and a source of tremendous experience for our clients to leverage.”

Khan joins West Monroe Partners from Diamond Management & Technology Consultants, Inc. As a principal for Diamond’s Healthcare and Life Science vertical, he served as a trusted management and technology advisor to senior industry executives, managed all aspects of industry IT and business strategy projects, and developed viewpoints on topics ranging from IT financial management to healthcare and IT standards and legislation. Affiliated with a variety of industry and data management organizations, he is a frequently sought author and speaker.

Previously, Khan served as an associate partner and practice leader for IBM Global Services, where he ran the Healthcare and Life Science Business Intelligence practice. He also has several years of management experience in the healthcare industry for healthcare institutions and software and service organizations. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Clinical Psychology from Boston University, Certification in Economics and Accounting from Cornell University, and Master of Science in Health Care Management from Brandeis University.

Muslims join effort to end corruption in Illinois

CHICAGO, IL–Muslims in the Chicago area are taking part in a host of grassroots based community work ranging from immigration to corruption. Earlier this month Muslim leaders joined a number of faith leaders in their call to end corruption.

Mere steps from indicted former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s office, hundreds of people gathered in downtown Chicago with a simple message: “We’ve had enough!” Voters joined with civic and business leaders, religious and non-profit groups for a public CHANGE Illinois! rally calling for an end to corruption in Illinois politics.

“Corruption in Illinois has turned us from the land of Lincoln to a national laughingstock,” said Rev. Patricia Watkins, Executive Director of Target Area Development Corp. “We need to take special interest money out of Illinois politics — the people deserve to get their voices back.”

The rally, organized by CHANGE Illinois!, focused on the need to clean up Illinois politics now. Rally speakers drove home the need for political reform and urged the General Assembly to take action, including: Rev. Patricia Watkins, Executive Director of TARGET Area Development Corp.; Rami Nashashibi, Inner City Muslim Action Network, Executive Director; Merri Dee, AARP Illinois State President; Peter Bensinger, Chicago business leader and former Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency; Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Enlace Chicago, Executive Director; and Rev. Philip Blackwell, Senior Minister of First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple.

Company which placed Islamic ads loses contract

An ad company which had sold spaces on buses for Islamic ads in Broward County had lost its contract with the city.

County commissioners dropped the firm in favor of a competitor that offered higher advertising revenue each year. The religious ads had provoked an angry response from some commissioners, but they said the change in companies was based solely on economics.

“They are not related,” Commissioner Ken Keechl said. “The incumbent firm has a minimum annual guarantee of revenue that was so low.”

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