When a winner of the 2020 Presidential election was declared, like many people, I felt a sense of immense relief that the contentious cycle had ended. That feeling was fleeting, and immediately replaced by an overwhelming sadness at the divided nation we have become. I have dedicated much of my career – and my life – to finding ways to bridge communication gaps, to increase understanding and to help people find commonalities. This election has made it clear to me that there is much work left to be done.
As the Executive Director of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta (ISB), I have witnessed moments when barriers come down and connections are made, bringing the parties to understanding, empathy and consensus. This happens because ISB’s core values of education and engagement are expressed in all of our programs. From our annual gala that brings together hundreds of Atlanta’s most prominent corporate, civic, faith and community leaders to our Leadership Institute that trains emerging leaders to be effective and transformational influencers in the public square, to our partnership with Atlanta’s City Hall for the annual Mayor’s Ramadan Iftar dinner, ISB offers models for effective intercultural (and inter-political) engagement.
Credit: contributed
Credit: contributed
The ISB has been providing opportunities to learn about Islamic culture and Muslims objectively through dialogue, outreach programs, presentations, and panels. By showcasing the diversity and richness of Islamic culture, the ISB opens a window into the lives of Muslim neighbors and colleagues. The ISB shares true and positive stories that are a powerful narrative to counter the negative stereotypes so often projected onto Muslims.
We recognize that becoming a visible and successful community-building organization means connecting with different ethnic and religious groups. ISB’s collaborative programming with Atlanta’s Jewish community is one of our most successful efforts. Knowing that personal feelings of distrust and disillusionment could make Muslim-Jewish cooperation all the more difficult, ISB and our partners have relied on our own traditions to find innovative ways to come together. The first-ever Muslim-Jewish Iftar and the unique Muslim-Jewish Seder are the best examples finding common ground in seemingly unlikely ways.
These efforts have value even within the Muslim community. The ISB’s One Heart Initiative is aimed at building stronger bonds between and among the members Atlanta’s diverse Muslim community. The initiative strengthens mutual respect by gathering Muslim leaders of different ethnicities, backgrounds and races to understand each other’s histories, experiences and biases with the goal of improved community relations working toward dismantling racism and other common goals.
As a nation that honors diversity, civil liberties and human achievement, we must find ways to move beyond our comfort zones to discuss difficult subjects and differing opinions. As Pete Buttigieg said when questioned about reaching out beyond his own political party, “I can’t be mad at somebody for not understanding my perspective if they, literally, have never heard it.” My experience has taught me that people with long-held preconceptions hold on to those tightly. I am not suggesting that people let go of their beliefs, convictions or ideologies; but to grow as individuals and to come together to address mutual concerns, we must learn to listen, really listen, to people with different ideas and experiences.
The divides in our country have never been so apparent or so devastating. The good news is that as Americans, we know how important it is to seek ways to cross those divides, be they racial, ethnic, political, religious or socioeconomic. The work is not easy or quick. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., reminded us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” We realize that we are making incremental changes and that real societal change will take a long time, but it will happen. The ISB is leading the way by creating models for open, nonjudgmental communication that remind us of our commonalities and help us work toward a brighter future together.
Soumaya Khalifa is the executive director and founder of the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta and president of Khalifa Consulting. She is a longtime resident of metro Atlanta.
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