ISLAM
As it stands today, Islam is the most misunderstood and misrepresented religion in the world. Conflicts and violence rooted in differing religious beliefs, opposing political ideologies and territorial disputes, are often labeled Islamic causing the West to view Muslims as the source of this evil. However, many are unaware of the 1.3 billion people in the midst of these struggles that manage to find peace in Islam.
Iman is the Executive Director and Founder of the locally based non-profit, Meet The Middle East, (MTME), which fosters relationships between the US and the Middle East through education and immersion travel. As a first-generation Palestinian American, Iman is fluent in Arabic and maintains a second home in Ramallah, Palestine. Using her background and education, she offers alternative travel opportunities for Americans to Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Egypt that are otherwise unseen in the West. She also locally hosts cultural and educational programs through MTME for those unable to travel to insure exposure to the Middle East. Entities ranging from Children’s Hospital to the US Districts Attorney’s Office often call on her expertise to consult about the geo-political situation of the Middle East or Islam. As the Spokeswoman for the Colorado Muslim Society, Iman also plays a major role in representing Muslims on a variety of social justice arenas statewide. Iman lectures at the University of Denver’s University College Enrichment Program and teaches The Israeli Palestinian Conflict: From Ancient History to Today’s Headlines as well as Life Under Occupation: A Palestinian Perspective. In 2006, she received her master’s in Public Policy from the University of Colorado at Denver where she focused her graduate studies on urban redevelopment and citizen participation in the West Bank. Subsequently, she worked for the Abraham Path Initiative where she assisted with fundraising, women’s engagement, policy and economic development in the Middle East. She also worked at the University of Denver’s Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning where she had the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge on structuring and implementing service learning projects.