Starting 2024 With Heartfelt Gratitude and an Upcoming Farewell
Starting 2024 With Heartfelt Gratitude and an Upcoming Farewell
As’salaam alaikum (peace be upon you) beloved community:
Jummah Mubarak and Happy New Year! May 2024 be full of love, laughter, and light that guides us all and brings with it the hope and promise of peace, justice, liberation and freedom for all.
I write this message full of mixed emotions, as it is time for me to say goodbye as Executive Director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS-AMEN). After much contemplation, as some of you may have already heard, I decided to embark on a new chapter in my life, and it is with deep appreciation that I share this news with you. My last day with MAPS will be on January 31, 2024.
Serving as the Executive Director of MAPS-AMEN for the past seven years has been a blessing, privilege, and honor. The passion, dedication, and unwavering commitment of so many on the frontlines of grassroots organizing and activism have been the driving force behind our collective impact, and our ability to weather the rough storms we have faced together.
We launched MAPS-AMEN at the end of November 2016, at a very precarious time for the Muslim community – right after our MAPS sign had been vandalized and following a presidential campaign that profiteered off Islamophobia and xenophobia. Since then, MAPS-AMEN has educated fellow Americans about Islam, Muslims, and Islamophobia; built coalitions and engaged friends and allies in combating hate, bigotry and various forms of injustice; encouraged positive change to the media’s negative portrayal of Islam and Muslims; and empowered advocates for justice to make meaningful and concrete change. Together, we have overcome challenging obstacles, achieved milestones, and made a meaningful impact in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. You can read about our accomplishments through the MAPS-AMEN annual reports for 2017-2022 available here.
Given the nature of AMEN’s justice advocacy work, it has been rewarding while also all-consuming and at times overwhelming. In light of this, I actually scheduled a sabbatical that was set to begin on September 1, 2021. Unfortunately, just a couple of weeks before that time, the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in a reckless way on August 15, 2021, unleashing chaos and crisis for people in Afghanistan and in the diaspora. For me, as an Afghan-American, there was no way I could leave my role at that time. So instead of decreasing the workload, MAPS-AMEN expanded its scope to engage in work for Afghan refugees too, including by partnering with the Statewide Refugee Coordinator to oversee the resettlement and welcome of Afghan refugees to Washington state, and later helping lead a campaign to secure $30 million in state funding to support refugees.
This year, as I prepared for a break, we had the horrible attack by Hamas on October 7 and the brutal war on Gaza and genocide unfolding before our eyes, following decades of occupation and subjugation of the Palestinian people. I recognize that it is also a devastating and precarious moment. But this time, I will in fact leave – even if I return to this work in some capacity in the future.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to the leadership, staff, volunteers, and donors of MAPS (too many to name individually!), as well as all our many partners, allies, friends, and co-conspirators who supported our work over the past seven years. Your trust in me, collaboration on many projects/events, tireless efforts, belief in our many causes, and prayers have fueled the success of our work and the impact we’ve had. I’m immensely proud of what we have accomplished together during my tenure and know it would not have been possible without YOUR support and engagement.
As I transition into this new phase of my life, I carry with me the valuable experiences, lessons learned, and memories we have shared. The resilience, power, strength and spirit of justice within our movement have been a constant source of inspiration for me, and I have hope and confidence that our work will continue and our movement will thrive under the capable leadership of so many others. We are in the process of assessing community needs and reimagining MAPS-AMEN, so stay tuned for more information on those changes to come. In the meantime, MAPS Board Member Hend Alhinnawi will be the point of contact for MAPS-AMEN starting February 1, 2024.
And, while I may be stepping away from my role with MAPS as of January 31, I am not stepping away from the community or the Seattle area (although I will take some time to travel out of the country, including an upcoming umrah/pilgrimage in February). I will continue to support and champion the many causes about which I (like many of you) am passionate about, from wherever life takes me. I also remain excited to witness the continued growth and success of MAPS as an organization.
Thank you to every single one of you for supporting me in this role and this rewarding journey. Your prayers and support have sustained me, and I ask for those to continue as I begin this new chapter. The memories we've created and the lives we’ve touched will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Wishing you all – and our community – continued success, growth, and fulfillment, and sending deep appreciation and warmest regards.
Jazakum Allahu khairan (may God Almighty reward you),
Aneelah Afzali, Executive Director
MAPS-AMEN (American Muslim Empowerment Network)
CONNECT WITH US
Muslim Association Of Puget Sound (MAPS) | 17550 NE 67th Ct, Redmond, WA 98052