Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur
is part of a national movement to end gender discrimination
in the American Muslim community by participating in a civil
action to give women space and voice in American mosques
where they have traditionally been banned. In addition to
working to establish women as prayer leaders, unprecedented
in the American Muslim community, and co-organizing a historic
woman-led prayer in New York City, Abdul-Ghafur edited LIVING
ISLAM OUT LOUD: American Muslim Women Speak, the first
anthology collecting the voices of American Muslim women.
The book presents American Muslim women dealing with the
complexities of forging their own identities while contributing
powerfully to public life. Abdul-Ghafur is a founding member
of the Progressive Muslim Union of North America’s
board of directors and will chair PMU’s inaugural conference
in Atlanta, GA in November. Formerly, Abdul-Ghafur was a
member of the triad
that produces Azizah
magazine and,
prior to her work with Azizah, she was a program officer
for Victoria
Foundation. She
is a graduate of Columbia University.