Merve Kavakci is a Lecturer of International Affairs at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. She is a consultant for US Congress Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, a columnist for Turkish daily Vakit newspaper. Prior to her academic career she served as the head of foreign affairs of Welfare-Virtue Party's Women's Commission. Kavakci was elected to the Turkish Parliament, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in 1999. However she was prevented from serving her term due to her headscarf. Kavakci's political party was closed down, her Turkish citizenship was revoked, banning her from politics for a period of five years. She took her case to European Court of Human Rights and won in 2007.
Kavakci addressed the British Parliament House of Lords, United Nations Commission on Human Rights, US Congress Helsinki Commission and Interparliamentary Union. She has lectured at myriad of American, European and Canadian Universities including Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Cambridge, Berlin, Insburg and Ottowa universities.
Kavakci was recognized among "Women of Excellence" by NAACP in March 2004. She was awarded the Public Service Award in Tribute and in Recognition of efforts for the advancement of human rights and Muslim Women's empowerment by International Association for Women and Children in 2000. She was awarded Service to Humanity Award by Haus Der Kulturellen Aktivitat und Toleranz in Vienna, Austria in 1999. She was granted Mother of the Year Award by Capital Platform of Ankara and National Youth Organization in 1999.
Kavakci holds a Ph. D in political science from Howard University, an MPA from Harvard University where she was recognized as Edward Mason Fellow and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to that Kavakci attended the Medical School of Ankara University for two years. However she was not permitted to continue due to the headscarf ban.
Kavakci is the author of Basortusuz Demokrasi (Turkish) which has been translated to Arabic and Persian and also forthcoming in English and French. She is mother of two, Fatima and Mariam.
Mubarakah Ibrahim is the owner and head trainer of BALANCE fitness Studio for women in New Haven, CT where she offers fitness education, personal training and group fitness classes for women.
In her fitness career she has gained a reputation as a leader in innovative fitness for women. Her appearances includes multiple appearances on ABC affiliate WTNH News Channel 8, CBS radio Affiliate WELI Morning Show and has recently contributed to Prevention Magazine on an article for fitness for women over 40 and Azizah Magazine in an article on Fat Loss. In addition she has has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show "Thirty-something in America ". Mubarakah lectures, promotes and conducts workshops on alternative health, fitness and healthy living throughout the United States. She is a national speaker Author of Fat Loss 10: The 10 Commandments of Fat Loss and a published poet. She lives with her husband and 4 children in New Haven, CT.
Unreliable sources have made Islam by far the most misunderstood religion in the world. "The Fog is Lifting: Islam is Brief" is a documentary that challenges your knowledge about the Islamic faith and traditions. You will learn in 74 minutes more information than what you can acquire in 74 days of reading.
Have you wondered why Islam is the fastest growing religion in the West? Have you wondered why Americans choose to convert to Islam despite the continuous propaganda against Islam and Muslims. Come listen to a panel of Muslims who were raised in different faiths, but chose to revert to Islam, the natural state of submission to God that everyone is born in. Enrich your experience and have your questions answered
An evening full of laughter and lessons to be learned from the creator of "The Reminder" series Baba Ali. He will focus in on Islam and its contemporary issues facing the Muslim youth of today. Bring your family and friends for a FREE evening of enlightenment. It'll be held at the Rome Ballroom, at 7 PM (NOT brown standard time) on Friday March 21st. Check out Ummahfilms.com
An evening full of laughter and lessons to be learned from the creator of "The Reminder" series Baba Ali. He will focus in on Islam and its contemporary issues facing the Muslim youth of today. Bring your family and friends for a FREE evening of enlightenment. It'll be held at the Rome Ballroom, at 7 PM (NOT brown standard time) on Friday March 21st. Check out 
