It is with great happiness that we present our 12th class of the Law and Leadership Summer Program. Though we miss them, we are excited about their next steps. They are a talented group of leaders, and we are sure that they will affect substantial change in their respective communities.
Mr. Hilary Shelton, NAACP Washington Bureau Director and Senior Vice President for Advocacy, gave commencement remarks to the graduating LLSP class. Mr. Shelton made comments on the current state of civil rights and justice in America.
The day before graduation, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, and former U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, spoke about the need to promote women’s rights all over the world. “Women’s rights are consistent with Quranic values that protect women and advocate for their education and well being,” she said. “Educated women advocate for rights, build a network…and help other women raise their voices successfully.”
Ambassador James Jones, the former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, a recognized leader in the fields of law, government and business shared his experience with LLSP participants. He spoke about political leadership. Ambassador Jones noted that, as a leader, you should “do your homework, know your adversaries, and judge your circumstances.”
Imam Mohamed Magid is Director of All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling, Va. and former President of Islamic Society of North America. He spoke to the participants about sources of Islamic knowledge. “The path to God is the path of knowledge. There’s no basis to the claim that knowledge should be kept from masses,” ImamMagid said. “People with little knowledge make a lot of noise.”
Dr. Azizah al-Hibri, chair of KARAMAH’s board of directors, led many sessions about Islamic law, women’s rights and religion. Dr. al-Hibri noted that Islam recognizes differences between genders, while being at the same time gender equitable.
During a “get-to-know each other” segment, each woman wrote out her life story and shared it with her partners and the class.
Samia El Solh is pictured here, carefully sketching out her story.
During the annual “Stronger Voices, Stronger Communities” event held to highlight the empowered women of the Law and Leadership Summer Program, five women told their life stories to a rapt audience at local Washington, D.C. Busboys & Poets. Here, Rukia Mohamed is pictured sharing her story.
During graduation, Maria Assif, the student commencement speaker shared some reflections and insightful stories with the class and attending guests.
EN 
AR