FOCUSED ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Post Office Box 814 / Lincolnton Station / New York NY 10037-0814

212. 576.8875 / www.womeninislam.org / info@womeninislam.org

Let there arise out of you

A band of people inviting to all that is good.
Enjoining what is right,
And forbidding what is wrong:
These are those who are successful.
Al-Quran III:104

MEDIA ADVISORY
14th Annual Dr. Betty Shabazz
Awards Ceremony
WOMEN IN ISLAM, INC. to present Dr. Adelaide Sanford,
Educational Visionary, Leading National Advocate for the Education
of Students of African Ancestory with the Fourteenth Annual Dr. Betty
Shabazz Awards.
WHAT

14th Annual Dr. Betty Shabazz Awards Ceremony

WHEN

Sunday, May 3, 2015, 3:00pm-6:00pm

WHERE The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

515 Malcolm X Boulevard at 135th Street, Harlem

CONTACT
Sarah Sayeed
917 414 8453
ssayeed@womeninislam.org

New York, May 3, 2015 Held in honor of Dr. Betty Shabazz, the wife of Hajj Malik
Shabazz (Malcolm X) this event highlights the contributions of women to social
justice. It upholds Dr. Shabazz to our communities, as a Muslim woman committed
to her family and to helping humanity.

Women In Islam, Inc. 2014-2015

programs are in part funded by
Council Member Inez Dickens, the 9th
Council District, Council Member Mark
Levine, 7th Council District, and the
New York City Council. The 14th Annual
Dr. Betty Shabazz Awards Ceremony
is being held in partnership with the
Schomburg Center for Research in
Black Culture.

Each year, this ceremony recognizes women from all faith backgrounds who have
continued her legacy and dedicate their lives to uplifting those around them.
Ilyasah Shabazz (daughter of Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz) will present this
years Dr. Betty Shabazz award.
This years event will also recognize two additional dynamic women leaders
who embody a passionate commitment to justice, community, and social
transformation. Compass Awards will be presented to Lucia Gomez
Frontline Advocate for Immigrant and Worker Rights and Linda Sarsour
Racial Justice and Civil Rights Advocate, and a Leading Voice Countering
Islamophobia.
Highlights of the ceremony include special live art performances by visual artist
and architect Nadia J, and Sudanese born singer, songwriter and ethnomusicologist
Alsarah. Our Master of Ceremonies will be Cheryl Wills, acclaimed anchorwoman of
New York One News.
Women In Islam, Inc, is an organization of professional and social activist Muslim
women who are dedicated to the empowerment of women through knowledge
and practice of Islam. Our mission is to advance the spiritual and intellectual
development of women to empower them as dynamic participants in civil society
and as advocates for human rights and social justice.
For additional information, visit our website: www.womeninislam.org

The 14th Annual

Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial Lecture
& Award Ceremony
Celebrating Women's Dynamic Leadership
to Advance Justice

Sunday, May 3rd, 2015

3pm-6pm

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

515 Malcolm X Blvd. / New York, NY 10037

General Admission: $25

Students: $10
After April 25th
General Admission: $40
Students: $20

The 2015 Dr. Betty Shabazz Honoree

Dr. Adelaide L. Sanford

Educational Visionary, Leading National Advocate

for the Education of Students of African Ancestry

The 2015 Compass Award Recipients

Lucia Gomez

Frontline Advocate for Immigrant and Worker Rights

Linda Sarsour

Racial Justice and Civil Rights Activist,

Leading Voice Countering Islamophobia
With Artistic Performances By

Nadia J Art
Visual Artist

Alsarah

Singer & ethnomusicologist

and Master of Ceremony

Cheryl Wills

Anchor, New York One News

For more information & to purchase tickets online,

visit www.womeninislam.org

Women In Islam, Inc. 2014-2015 programs are in part funded by Council Member Inez Dickens,
the 9th Council District, Council Member Mark Levine, the 7th District, and the New York City
Council. The 14th Annual Dr. Betty Shabazz Awards Ceremony is also held in partnership
with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

14th Annual Dr. Betty Shabazz Awards Ceremony

Meet Our 2015 Dr. Betty Shabazz Awardee

Dr. Adelaide Sanford

Dr. Adelaide Sanfords professional career has spanned the elementary through
college and graduate school levels. She has been a classroom teacher, teacher of
guidance, assistant principal, and principal in the New York City School system.
During her nineteen-year tenure as principal, Public School 21, the Crispus Attucks
School in Brooklyn, earned a reputation as an outstanding inner-city school and
received city-wide recognition.She has taught education courses at Baruch College,
Fordham University and Harvard University.
Beginning in 1986, she was elected to and served for 19 years on the Board of
Regents of the State of New York and held the position of Vice Chancellor of the
Board of Regents, among many titles. Dr. Sanford is a leading national advocate
for the education of students of African Ancestry. She developed the concept of
a Board of Education of People of African Ancestry and was instrumental in its
founding, development, and growth.
Among the hundreds of awards presented to her, Dr. Sanford has received The
Humanitarian Award from the Congressional Black Caucus, The Distinguished
Alumna Award from Brooklyn College and was presented The First Distinguished
Black Alumna Award by the African Studies Department of Wellesley College in
Massachusetts. She holds honorary doctorates from Mercy College, The Bank Street
College of Education, Five Towns College, and most recently, St. Johns University.

FOCUSED ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Post Office Box 814 / Lincolnton Station / New York NY 10037-0814 212. 576.8875 / www.womeninislam.org /info@womeninislam.org

14th Annual Dr. Betty Shabazz Awards Ceremony

Meet Our 2015 Compass Awardee

Lucia Gomez
Lucia Gomez is the Executive Director of La Fuente, a Tri-State Worker and
Community Fund that empowers immigrants and their communities to take action
through grassroots organizing, leadership development and civic engagement.
She has overseen the enhancement of the membership program at La Fuente, as
well as the Leadership Development Institute. Additionally, La Fuente has become
a vanguard actor in coordinating actions around economic justice, educational
justice, access to services, immigration reform and civic engagement under her
direction. La Fuente has been a dedicated participant in the Coalition for Eid
Holidays.
Ms. Gmez has a history of thorough and impassioned involvement in community
issues. Ms. Gomez has served on the transition team and, later, as Community
Affairs advisor for New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera. Her time as the Assistant
for Community Affairs to Governor David A. Paterson saw her spearhead Latino and
Immigrant relations for the administration.
Ms. Gomez spent time as the Director of the New Jersey Regional Office of
the Cuban American National Council (CNC). She served as the Administrator
of Elections for the City of Providence, Rhode Island and worked as the Civic
Participation Program Director for Latino Justice PRLDEF and the National Institute
for Latino Policy, overseeing programs in eight states, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin
Islands in political redistricting and mobilizing Latino communities for the 2000
Census.
Ms. Gomez is a graduate of the 2011 class of the Coro Immigrant Civic Leadership
Program and a Policy Fellow for the National Institute for Latino Policy (NILP).

FOCUSED ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Post Office Box 814 / Lincolnton Station / New York NY 10037-0814 212. 576.8875 / www.womeninislam.org /info@womeninislam.org

14th Annual Dr. Betty Shabazz Awards Ceremony

Meet Our 2015 Compass Awardee

Linda Sarsour
Linda Sarsour is a working woman, racial justice and civil rights activist, every
Islamophobes worst nightmare, and mother of three. Ambitious, outspoken and
independent, Linda shatters stereotypes of Muslim women while also treasuring
her religious and ethnic heritage. She is a Palestinian Muslim American and a selfproclaimed pure New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn! She is the Executive
Director of the Arab American Association of New York and Senior Strategist for
Take on Hate, a recently launched campaign which aims to change perceptions
of Arab and Muslim Americans including refugees. In 2013, Linda co-founded
the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, the first of its kind in NYC. In wake of
the police murder of Mike Brown, she co-founded Muslims for Ferguson to build
solidarity amongst American Muslim communities and encourage work against
police brutality. She is a member of the Justice League NYC, a leading NYC force of
activists, formerly incarcerated individuals, and artists working to reform the New
York Police Department and the criminal justice system.
Linda has received numerous awards and honors including Champion of Change
by the White House, the New York City Councils Shirley Chisholm Women of
Distinction Award and received the inaugural American Muslim of the Year honor
from the Council on Americans Islamic Relations. She has written for and has been
featured in local, national, and international media discussing impact of domestic
policies that target Arab and Muslim American communities, criminal justice issues
and Middle East affairs.

FOCUSED ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Post Office Box 814 / Lincolnton Station / New York NY 10037-0814 212. 576.8875 / www.womeninislam.org /info@womeninislam.org