Project100: Who's Who Profiles Project100

In this episode we speak with Lamise el Betar, who describes how her medical condition gives her empathy for others and inspires her to serve those in need. Never afraid to stand out, Lamise is a role model who encourages Muslims to be their authentic selves and help those around them.

Lamise is a non-profit professional who first came to the US as an international student from Egypt on a special scholarship funded by then President Barack Obama. She talks about how important it is for Muslim immigrants and international students to build connections by giving back to their host communities, even if they plan to be there for a short time. Lamise and a small group of friends founded Akron Muslimas, an community organization dedicated to challenging stereotypes and supporting new Muslims.

Every masjid has them. A quiet brother or sister who shuns the limelight but is always there putting in the work and getting things done. Adam Aly is one such unsung hero. He proves that even those who are on the quiet side still have a lot to say. Listen to his story about finding community and finding his voice in the process. It's a story that proves that anyone can change and that change can come from unexpected places at unexpected times. 

Time is not promised. This is the lesson that Sr. Tahira Wellman learned as a frontline healthcare worker during the Covid-19 pandemic. While continuing to work full time as a physician assistant, Sr. Tahira decided to go back and continue her Islamic education by enrolling in the first ever cohort at the Boston Islamic Seminary. In doing so, she has deepened her spirituality and elevated her status as a role model to her two sons. The road has not been an easy one, but Sr. Tahira is committed to making the most of the time she has been given by striving to embody the prophetic example. This is a must-listen episode for all parents and professionals thinking of undertaking full-time Islamic education. In this episode we ask the vital question - if the pandemic has taught us about the preciousness of time, how are we using it?

This is a must-listen episode for all Muslim youth and young Muslims professionals. Brother Harith talks about growing up in a predominantly African American Muslim milieu in Brooklyn, a supportive community that prepared him well for the academic challenges of studying mechanical engineering in the top engineering programs in the country. At a certain point in his life, Harith realized he had to start practicing his deen more intentionally, and questioning it more critically. In an important message, he calls upon Muslim communities to create supportive spaces for Muslim youth to ask the critical questions, and grow stronger in their faith as a result. Today, he seeks to improve the world through his skills in engineering, putting the pleasure of Allah over profit.

In this episode, we speak with business developer and lifelong entrepreneur Dr. Maher El Jamal, a man who comes from a long line of enterprising Palestinian immigrants who have built themselves with nothing. Dr. El Jamal has a history of turning tragedy into triumph, having earned his master's and doctoral degrees without having even graduated high school. Listen as he tells about the tragic moments and tough love he experienced, and how it all comes together when you are willing to listen and have faith. 

Brother Hashim Mir is a former Facebook developer and now a software engineer for WayMo, the Google self-driving car project. In this episode we discuss everything from the future of driverless cars, to navigating the demanding world of the high-pressure tech-sector while remaining grounded in Islamic faith and practice.   

To meet other amazing young Muslim professionals like Br. Hashim, and to start your journey of transformation, check out the Project100 website: https://www.muslimamericansociety.org/project-100/