Mahnaz Shabbir

Mahnaz Shabbir Mahnaz Shabbir is president of Shabbir Advisors, an integrated strategic management consulting company focusing on planning, marketing and diversity transformation on a national basis. nationally and internationally to organizations interested in knowing more about diversity issues. She has been the subject of dozens of articles, both locally and nationally. In March 2005, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius appointed Shabbir to the REACH Health Care Foundation Community Advisory Committee, a $100 million foundation. Shabbir is also on the faculty at Baker University, Park University and Avila University. She is frequent lecturer at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Belvoir, Virginia. I am an American Muslim Prior to forming her own company, Shabbir was a Vice President for Carondelet Woman Health, a Catholic health care system in Kansas City. She had been with the organization for over 18 years. In this capacity, Shabbir planned $40 million projects like the four story medical mall at Saint Joseph Health Center. She has a By Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Missouri- Kansas City. Mahnaz M. Shabbir Shabbir is a board member of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council, Boy Scouts of America, CRES (Center for Religious Educational Studies) and University of Missouri-Kansas City Women’s Center Board. She is also the past president of the Heartland Muslim Council and past board member of the Crescent Peace Society. She is also the Kansas Political Chair for the Greater Kansas City Woman’s Political Caucus. Her work has been featured nationally in Family Circle (April 2005) and Entrepreneur (July 2005) magazines. Her article, “I am an American Muslim Woman” appeared in the Kansas City Star and was syndicated throughout the United States. She has also written articles for Kansas City Voices, Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, and Ingram’s Magazine. Her articles are found in national publications such as New Light, the National Catholic Reporter, Boomer Market Advisor and Chicken Soup for the Soul (September 2009). She is also the founder of Community Praying for Peace. “I am interested in creating an environment where Shabbir was featured in the CBS special “Open Hearts, Open Minds” in October people can learn from each other in a way that 2002 and interviewed in 2003 on Voice of America. In February 2005, she presented an hour-long program on the radio show, Voice of the Cape that aired doesn’t make one person right and the other wrong. in Cape Town, South Africa to 150,000 listeners. In May and July 2008, Shabbir was interviewed on Channel Islam International broadcasting to 150 countries My hope is that we can create a place where fear worldwide from Johannesburg, South Africa. and hatred will be replaced by friendship and Shabbir was the Kansas City Press Club Journalist of the Year for 2003 and peace.” received other Journalism awards in 2005 and 2007. In October 2003, Shabbir received the award for Community Image from the Heartland Muslim Council. Mahnaz Shabbir In March 2004, she received the YWCA award for the Gold Honoree in the category of Racial Justice. Shabbir Advisors was nominated as “Minority Professional Service Firm of the Year” at the US Small Business Administration annual regional meeting.. In November 2005, Shabbir received a special [email protected] recognition award from the Crescent Peace Society for her contributions in community service. On September 11, 2006, Shabbir received the Human Rights www.shabbiradvisors.com award from Church Women United. She received the ACLU Liberty Award for Racial Justice and honored at the CRES annual Thanksgiving dinner in 2007. In Shabbir Advisors 2008, she received the Humanitarian Award from Harmony. PO Box 23175 Overland Park, Kansas 66283 Shabbir is the mother to two adult sons and two young sons. She is also a (816)213-2536 certified tree farmer. I would open myself to people only when I could trust them- only when I felt it was safe to disclose that I was a Muslim and my faith was different from theirs. I didn’t realize that this barrier kept people at a distance from me until a trusting colleague told me she was surprised that I was a lot of fun to be with. I thought about her statement. Why I Am An American Muslim Woman was she surprised? Of course, it’s fun to be around me. Why hadn’t she By Mahnaz Shabbir seen it before now? I then saw the cost of my silent barrier. The cost of Special to the Kansas City Star January 9, 2002 hiding that I’m different. The cost of withholding my self-expression.

I am an American Muslim Woman. These words are very powerful for That awareness happened six years ago. Since then, I have led interfaith me. Words I would never have said out loud-yet unquestionably that is prayer services and given talks to schools, churches and hospitals. I who I am. Why would this be so difficult you ask? Would you have have been the emcee for the annual Ramadan Eid dinners where difficulty saying that you were an American Christian or Jewish Muslims and non-Muslims celebrate the ending of the Muslim holy Woman? Probably not, yet my identification as a first generation days. The chaplains at Saint Joseph Health Center have called on me to American Muslim Woman has been a struggle. The events of help them in their ministry as Muslim women were dying in the September 11th have caused more concern--but the need to share and Emergency Room. Muslim women I never knew when they were disperse misunderstandings is greater. conscious, but spiritually supporting them, their families and the hospital staff during the last minutes of their lives. All of these incidents would I didn’t realize I was different from other four year olds growing up in never have occurred if I had not seen the cost of my sentence. My New Jersey until the kids in my nursery school teased me with whooping sentence that I was gloriously different. noises (similar to the 1960’s television version of American Indians). All of a sudden, I realized I was not like the other children. So now another life altering moment-September 11, 2001. Oh, how I prayed, like many American Muslims, do not let these people be Later, in sixth grade, an event occurred that altered how I thought of Muslims. Nevertheless, they called themselves Muslims. I was out of myself. It was 1971. My cousins had just immigrated from India. Before town on a business trip. My fear was for my children. Will people treat that, I was the only non-white, non-black, non-Christian, non-Jewish them with malice? Painfully, I found out that both my older boys had student in school. One of my cousins was in the same grade. Finally, experienced negative comments. Can you imagine a 14 year old telling someone like me. another 14 year old he was responsible for the terrorists’ attacks? I initially became that sixth grader-- 30 years ago. I was afraid and wanted It was the month of Ramadan. My cousin’s teacher wanted to know why to hide. However, there has been so much negative information about he wasn’t eating. He tried to explain the Islamic fasting month to his Muslims and Islam, I knew I couldn’t be silent. I had to speak out and let teacher. However, his teacher was unsatisfied and came to my others know the truth. Thank God, for people who want to know the classroom. He bent over me and demanded to know, “Why isn’t your truth. cousin eating?” I tried to explain Ramadan as best as a 12 year old could at the same time wishing my cousin didn’t go to my school and hoping I Recently, I’ve been giving presentations on, The Truth about Islam- would disappear. It was at that moment that a sentence was handed Dispelling the Myths. I’ve also been on a radio talk show, local television down to me. A sentence I would carry for many years. A sentence that news, and continue to speak to various groups about my faith. The silent said, I Am Different. moderate Muslim community can no longer be silent. We have to share ourselves with others so our children won’t face discrimination and racism. I told my parents what had happened and my dad met with the principal I cannot say I have lost my inhibitions, and fears. They are all there, but and the teachers. Logically, I said, “My dad took care of them!” what is stronger is my identity of who I am and what I can contribute as However, 24 years later, I realized what my sentence cost me. It cost me someone who is different. Someone who is an American Muslim Woman. my silence and my identity.

From then on, I did whatever I could to blend in. However, my name and my skin color would always give me away. I would try to be the best student, the one the teachers would like. I was a friend to all, trying to please everyone. I remember someone telling me they didn’t see me as being different. I felt I had succeeded.