Empowering African-American Muslims: MANA and BMLC Join Forces for Community Town Hall Event on 2024 Election

In a powerful display of unity and advocacy, The Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA) and The Black Muslim Leadership Council (BMLC) are coming together to host two community town hall events focused on the pressing question, “What’s at stake in the 2024 election?” This collaborative effort aims to engage African-American Muslims in meaningful discussions surrounding political participation, civic engagement, and the impact of their voices in the upcoming election.

The first town hall took place May 31, 7-9 PM. The second will take place August 2, 7-9 PM. This event brings together a diverse panel of five esteemed speakers, each offering unique perspectives and insights on the critical issues facing our communities. From policy advocacy to voter turnout, civic education, and leadership development, MANA and BMLC are committed to empowering African-American Muslims to take charge of their future and make their voices heard nationally. The date for the second town hall will be announced at the event.

The Black Muslim Leadership Council, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been at the forefront of advocating for social justice, equity, and representation for Black Muslims across the country. Through their tireless efforts in policy advocacy and community engagement, BMLC has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and driving positive change at the grassroots level.

As we approach this crucial election year, the partnership between MANA and BMLC symbolizes a powerful alliance rooted in shared values, common goals, and a deep commitment to uplifting our communities. Together, we stand united in our belief that every voice matters, every vote counts, and every individual has the power to shape the future of our nation.

Join us at the community town hall event as we explore the critical issues at stake in the 2024 Election. Let us engage in thoughtful discussions, exchange ideas, and inspire one another to take action and make a difference in our communities and beyond. Together, we can build a brighter future for all.

 

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PANELISTS (in alphabetical order)

Dr. Alia Ammar

Dr. Alia Ammar is the CEO/Director of Neuropsychology for Midwest Consultants for Cognitive Medicine (MCCM), a private practice established to provide neuropsychological assessment and psychotherapy to clients in Lake County, Illinois.

As part of the extension of her professional endeavors and interests in social justice, Dr. Ammar proudly participates in the Compassionate Care Network to provide free access to healthcare to uninsured Muslims, immigrants, and other underserved individuals.  She also serves as a board member for two Chicago-area masjids and Muslim Democrats.

Hajja Ayisha Jeffries-Cisse

Hajja Ayisha Jeffries-Cisse is currently President and Chief External Affairs Officer of KMI Group International, a private consultancy headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, whose primary service is public relations consulting for global leaders in Government Business, Civil Society, and Faith Communities.

She is also a political activist who works closely with community leaders and elected officials in several strategic roles: political consultant, analyst, and fundraiser for campaigns ranging from Mayoral/Council to US Senate and Presidential campaigns. Her most recent campaigns include Atlanta Mayoral candidate and current Mayor, The Honorable Andre Dickens, District Attorney Fani Willis, and the Senate Campaigns of Georgia Senator John Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Recently named Senior Advisor to the Chairs of the African American Islamic Institute and the Daratul Hikmati Kitabi Sénégal, Hajja will develop strategic engagements to solidify Muslim Outreach strategies in the West.

Hajja Jeffries-Cisse is a Jersey City native who relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to serve in the administration of the late Mayor Maynard Holbrook Jackson, one of the first African American Mayors elected to a major US City. She served in this historic administration as a Budget Policy Analyst and Legislative Review/Governmental Affairs liaison.

A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University in Economics, she has an M.A. from the Liberal think tank, the Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy, the New School located in New York City. Currently an applicant in the Public Leadership Program at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, she co-chairs the late US Congressman John Lewis Commemorative Plaza and is a working member of the John Lewis Legacy Task Force, chaired by The Honorable Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, is a consult to Nasrul Ilm America, Camp Butterfly Girls, a Charter member of the ASMA Society, the Global Muslim Women’s Fund, The Shura Counsel, and the Sufi Society, published poet and lover of the Arts.

Most importantly, she is a wife, mother, grandmother, and servant of the Community.

Dr. Sherman Jackson 

Dr. Sherman Jackson is the King Faisal Chair of Islamic Thought and Culture, and Professor of Religion and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California (USC). He was formerly the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Visiting Professor of Law and Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor).

Dr. Jackson received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and has taught at the University of Texas at Austin, Indiana University, Wayne State University and the University of Michigan. From 1987 to 1989, he served as Executive Director of the Center of Arabic Study Abroad in Cairo, Egypt. He is the author of several books, including Islamic Law and the State: The Constitutional Jurisprudence of Shihâb al-Dîn al-Qarâfî (E.J. Brill, 1996), On the Boundaries of Theological Tolerance in Islam: Abû Hâmid al-Ghazâlî’s Faysal al-Tafriqa (Oxford, 2002), Islam and the Blackamerican: Looking Towards the Third Resurrection (Oxford, 2005) Islam and the Problem of Black Suffering (Oxford, 2009), and most recently Sufism for Non-Sufis? Ibn ‘Ata’ Allah al-Sakandari’s Taj al-‘Arus (Oxford, 2012).

Basheer Jones

Basheer Jones, while born in Brooklyn, New York, spent his formative years in Cleveland’s historic Ward 7. After graduating from Martin Luther King High School, Basheer attended Morehouse College in Atlanta where he graduated with honors in 2006 and later pursued graduate studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Basheer ultimately received his Master’s degree from Bayan-Claremont School of Theology and will begin his Phd studies the fall of next year.

Basheer’s love for Cleveland drew him back to the region as the youngest news talk radio show host at Radio One. Notable magazines including Time, JET, USA Today and Essence have interviewed him regarding his stance on community and political issues. Basheer also served as a guest correspondent on CNN, CBS MSNBC, and CSPAN. He entered the political sphere in the 2008 election of Barack Obama and later became the Regional Field Director for the Obama Campaign and the Democratic National Committee in 2012. Basheer has international recognition as noted author with the success of his first book, I’ll Speak for Change. He went on to author his autobiography A Journey to Leadership and multiple children’s books.

In 2016, Basheer Jones launched his second bid for City Council in Ward 7 and successfully defeated the incumbent marking another historic nod as the first Muslim to serve in Cleveland City Council. As Councilman he reinvigorated his neighborhood by bringing close to $500 Million dollars of Development to a place that had been stifled because of the reputation of the Hough Riots. Basheer helped change that narrative by highlighting the positive aspects of his community. Basheer Jones also founded several community initiatives to benefit the residents for years to come, including but not limited to, The Imani Food Distribution Center, servicing thousands of residents with fresh fruits and vegetables monthly and Ward 7’s first free healthcare clinic, Salaam Clinic.

Ayesha K. Mustafaa

Ayesha K. Mustafaa is a graduate of Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Penn., where she earned a BA Degree/Double Major in Psychology and Political Science, and a Master’s in Journalism from Columbia College-Chicago.

In 1974, she converted to Al-Islam, coming from a Mississippi family of Civil Rights activists from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. era. She joined the community of Muslims affiliated with Imam W. Deen Mohammed in late 1974. She was named Muslim Journal editor in 1989. She also worked in Prison Dawah/Islamic teachings to incarcerated populations.

Ayesha also traveled as part of delegations led by Imam Mohammed, several to Saudi Arabia, to Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories of Gaza and West Bank – most notable was the meeting between Imam Mohammed and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat.

She made Hajj in 1977 with the then largest Muslim group from the U.S.A. led by Imam Mohammed and has made Umrah several times. She was a presenter at the 3-day International Media Conference, hosted by the interfaith-based Focolare Movement’s NetOne Media Group, held in Rome, Italy, in 2004, with 800 participants from over 20 countries.

Moving to Jackson, Mississippi, in 2015, she joined the faculty of the HBCU, Tougaloo College, in its Mass Communications Department as instructor teaching courses like Investigative Reporting and “The Race Beat.” In 2020, she joined the International Museum of Muslim Cultures (IMMC) board of directors in Jackson and became member of the advisory board of the online news platform Mississippi Free Press.

In December 2022, she joined the African Diaspora Connect delegation of 47 people, traveling to Senegal, West Africa, organized by Special Envoy for Sierra Leone, Ambassador Waleed Shamsid-deen.
The U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) honored Ayesha among its 2022 “National Muslim Woman Achievement” Awardees. A street in New Medinah, Miss., was named in her honor in 2011. She was named the Muslim Woman of the Year in 1994 by the Community of Imam W. Deen Mohammed.

Salima Suswell (Moderator)

Salima Suswell is considered one of the nation’s emerging leaders and top strategic thinkers on the local, state and national level. She founded Evolve Solutions, a management consulting firm eleven years ago to address the racial and socio-economic disparities within the black community. ES provides from the ground floor up, political and policy development that positively impacts community engagement outcomes.

Prior to establishing her own consulting firm, Salima worked as a Healthcare Fraud Investigator and Senior Litigation Specialist with the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Salima is engaged in the political process regionally and nationally where her expertise is sought out for advocacy campaigns and policy initiatives. Salima’s noteworthy contributions include her role as Director for the Philadelphia Eid Coalition, who made history by leading a successful campaign to obtain the recognition of the two Islamic (Eid) Holidays on the academic calendar for Philadelphia Public Schools; her role as Chair of the Muslim American Host Committee for the 2016 Democratic National Convention, held in Philadelphia. Salima serves as an advisor to the Office of Governor Tom Wolf for affairs pertaining to communities of color, women, and faith. Salima has also served as an advisor to the Office of Mayor James Kenney for issues pertaining to Muslim Philadelphians.

In 2018, Salima founded the Philadelphia Ramadan & Eid Fund, a nonprofit organization which hosts the annual City Hall Iftar Dinner, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holiday celebrations, arts and culture educational programming for youth and families, and advocacy for Muslim students. In 2019, PREF presented its inaugural Ramadan Iftar Dinner at the Please Touch Museum, and the Philadelphia Eid in the Park Festival, which unified over 15,000 community members of diverse backgrounds.

Salima also serves on the Leadership Council for the Philadelphia United Negro College Fund; and in 2020 was appointed by Mayor James Kenney to the Mayor’s Commission for Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs.

Salima has received distinguished honors and awards from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Pennsylvania State Senate, Philadelphia City Council, the Women-UP Organization, City and State Magazine, the Muslim Youth Association, The Philadelphia Public Record, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the prestigious Faatimah Gamble Legacy Award. In November 2019, Salima was honored by The Philadelphia Inquirer as a Diversity and Inclusion Pioneer.