The Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta is celebrating its 20 years of education and engagement, not only by looking at how far we’ve come in two decades but by looking to the future to celebrate the next generation of exemplary Muslim leaders. ISB is launching its new initiative, “20 Under 20 Georgia Muslims,” to recognize the young people who are making the world a better place.

It may be a cliché to say that “young people are our future,” but the ISB believes that is only half the truth. Young people are also our present. We must encourage and nurture young Muslims to become leaders and activists now, and not wait for the future. That is the spirit behind showcasing our youth in the 20 Under 20 initiative.

ISB’s 20 Under 20 is a celebration of well-rounded and accomplished young Georgia Muslims. We are shining the spotlight on students and other young adults who are achieving spectacular success in academics, work, or internships; demonstrating active leadership in community service or extra-curricular activities; and inspiring others to have an impact.

We are excited to recognize the truly exceptional young people in our community and we trust that they will be the ones to lead our community in the next 20 years. The 20 young Muslims who will be selected will represent the wide diversity of Georgia’s Muslim community. Since this is such a competitive award and we expect many nominations, we have tasked a volunteer selection committee to make the difficult choices.

The Muslim community is already extremely proud that our next generation is showing leadership and achievement in all parts of their lives. Because we are asking the youth to self-nominate, we will learn about their initiative and commitment. We are looking forward to hearing about all the great things our young people are doing and sharing with the greater community. The 20 Under 20 will be recognized at a networking gathering and will be featured on a variety of social media platforms.

To be eligible, young people must be at least 16 years old and under 20 on May 31, 2021, identify as a Muslim, and live in or be strongly connected to the state of Georgia. Applicants are required to complete the nomination form themselves. In addition, they need to submit personal references and we ask them to provide a short video about their accomplishments. The deadline for self-nominations is May 31, 2021. Winners will be announced on August 1, 2021. More information, eligibility, requirement, and self-nomination are available at https://isbatlanta.org/20-under-20.

By Ahmed Hashem
ISB’s board member leading the initiative and an executive at a pharmaceutical company

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