The Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA) has established a groundbreaking organizing committee of distinguished African American leaders committed to empowering Muslim youth. Spearheaded by Atiba Jones (Founder/Executive Director of the SAVE Institute), this coalition will debut its efforts through an interactive online workshop on May 18th:
“Preparing the Next Generation: Building an Effective Youth Group”
Key Workshop Features:
- Practical strategies for creating dynamic youth programming
- Expert insights from veteran organizers with decades of combined experience
- Framework development for sustainable community engagement
- Best practices in culturally-responsive Islamic leadership
This inaugural event introduces the National Initiative for African American Muslim Youth Development – a pioneering network designed to:
- Connect professionals and volunteers across communities
- Standardize excellence in youth programming
- Provide ongoing professional development resources
- Facilitate national collaboration on youth initiatives
Distinguished Organizing Committee Members
Leadership Team:
- Atiba Jones: SAVE Institute
- Baiyina & Hanif Khalil: Kamp Khalil
- Muhammad Abdul Warith: Jawala Scouts
- Kamaal Ahmad: Islamic School of Louisville
- Mahmoud Shaheed – Active Community Member
- Ihsan Bagby: Founding MANA Board Member, Professor Emeritus
All community stakeholders, educators, and youth advocates are encouraged to REGISTER for this FREE workshop and join the national network.
This organizing committee is under the umbrella of MANA’s Initiative to Strengthen Families of African-American Muslims (ITSFAAM), a two-year initiative launched in October 2023. Through the efforts of community members who have expertise and passion, ITSFAAM has three cohorts focused on strengthening African-American Muslim families in three strategic areas: youth engagement, young adult leadership, and healthy marriages. These areas of focus were chosen based on results from a nationwide community survey that assessed the needs of African American Muslims. Dr. Ihsan Bagby produced a report of the findings, which helped establish and prioritize the community’s needs. The first ITSFAAM meeting was held on October 29th.
Dr. Bagby obtained his PhD from the University of Michigan in Near Eastern Studies (1986) with specialty in Islamic Law. His research for the last 10 years has focused on Muslims in America. In 2001 he published the results of the first comprehensive study of mosques in America, entitled The Mosque in America: A National Portrait. (available at www.cair-net.org). Based on the 2001 study, Dr. Bagby has published four articles, “Imams and Mosque Organizations in the United States,” in Muslims in the United States, “A Profile of African American Mosques” in Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center, “Attitudes of Mosque Participants Towards America,” in the forthcoming book A Nation of Religions: The Politics of Pluralism in Multireligious America, and “The Mosque in the American Public Square,” in Muslims’ Place in the American Public Square.
