2024 Candidate Statements for MuBANY Elections
2024 Candidate Statements for MuBANY Elections!
This year, MuBANY has all positions up for elections! MuBANY's Board is composed of 4 Officers, who serve two-year terms, and 5 Directors, who serve one-year terms.
On June 18th, members will receive an email entitled “Vote Now: MuBANY 2024 Board Elections” from an Election Buddy email address which will allow for electronic voting.
Members can vote any time between June 18th to June 29th 11:59pm EST through Election Buddy.
Thank you to all who have submitted candidate statements, and to all of our members who have made MuBANY what it is!
Candidate Statements
Officer Level, 2 year term, 2024-2026
Candidate for President
President: Thamanna Hussain
My name is Thamanna Hussain and I am a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. It has been an honor serving on MuBANY’s Board for five consecutive terms and leading MuBANY this past year. If given the opportunity, I hope to continue serving MuBANY as President. I am immensely proud of the work MuBANY has done throughout the years for the professional advancement of our members, particularly this year. MuBANY has thrived through the dedication and collective effort of our members, and I am proud to have been part of this journey. However, there is still much work to be done, and I am eager to build on our successes.
My institutional knowledge of MuBANY coupled with my team-oriented attitude and enthusiasm makes me the right candidate for this position. My involvement with MuBANY began when I was a first-year law student volunteer in 2016. I immediately felt a sense of community and found mentors who helped shape my skills both personally and professionally.
Since then, I have played an active role in MuBANY's growth and served as a member of MuBANY's Gala committees. During my time as Director and Vice President, I increased our social media presence, designed promotional materials, and helped with all aspects of the gala. I organized and promoted social events and public service roundtables, assisted in drafting public statements, and helped create MuBANY's COVID-19 Resource Page.. I organized and hosted a discussion of Tanzin v. Tanvir which was filed on behalf of American Muslim men who were placed or kept on the No-Fly List by the FBI in retaliation for their refusal to spy on their Muslim communities. I also helped organize educational, networking, and professional development events for our members. For example, I moderated a professional development panel focusing on navigating the job market in an economic downturn. In addition, I organized and moderated a Know Your Rights workshop on domestic violence and compiled resources for survivors, victims, and allies. I also helped launch our inaugural mentorship program connecting law school students with experienced Muslim attorneys in the field.
I stepped into the role of President during a turbulent period, but I saw it as a profound calling to protect and advocate for our members. This past year, we have faced significant adversity, but despite these hardships, MuBANY has stood firm in its commitment to justice, advocacy, and support for our members and the wider Muslim community. Under my leadership, we have developed and implemented critical programming to address these unprecedented times. We organized numerous events, workshops, and forums to raise awareness and foster dialogue. We collaborated with various organizations to amplify our voice and ensure that our concerns were heard at all levels.
My vision for the next term includes: (1) deepening MuBANY’s efforts to help first-generation law students and practicing lawyers of color by strengthening our partnership with law school MLSAs and law firm affinity groups; (2) focusing on the well-being of our members by prioritizing mental health resources and self-care programming; and (3) continuing to increase MuBANY’s role in the broader legal community by actively engaging and collaborating with other bar associations.
I look forward to the opportunity to serve MuBANY once again and would greatly appreciate your vote. Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Candidate for Vice President
Vice President: Abdul M. Hafiz
My name is Abdul M. Hafiz, and I seek your support in continuing in my role as MuBANY's Vice President. Professionally, I am a Data Privacy and Cybersecurity associate at White & Case LLP.
Early in my life, I began volunteering in my community during elementary school and advocating for various causes such as window safety, environmental preservation, and more. I matriculated through NYC public schools and subsequently completed my undergraduate degree at Northeastern University as a Torch Scholar. I returned to New York and earned my law degree from Fordham University School of Law.
I’ve had the privilege of becoming involved in MuBANY during law school. From 2017 to 2018, I served on the Gala Committee. From 2018 to 2019, I served as the Law School Liasion. In 2021, I served as a mentor in MuBANY’s inaugural mentorship program. From 2022-2023, I served as a Director and a co-chair for the MuBANY gala, and most recently as Vice President.
As you can see, my involvement in MuBANY is not new, and I wish to continue to serve the Muslim legal community and further our collective agenda.
I would be humbled and elated to continue to serve as MuBANY's Vice President for the next term. Thank you for your consideration.
Secretary: Ramz Aziz
My name is Ramz Aziz. I am a senior Finance Associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York, practicing primarily in the areas of corporate borrowing and lending. Prior to that, I was an associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and White & Case LLP in each firm’s New York office and an associate with Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP in the firm’s Toronto office. In my life before law, I worked as Vice-President and President of the Dalhousie Student Union, advocating for civil rights and earning certifications in project and change management.
I am tremendously grateful for MuBANY’s impact and achievements throughout the years for the benefit of the community and wish to advance the interests of the organization and its members by serving as Secretary for the coming year. With respect to my qualifications, I am fortunate to have over 10 years of experience in corporate strategy and governance as a corporate/non-profit director, having served as a director with, among others, Dalhousie University, Penny Appeal Canada, the Islamic Finance Authority of North America, the Fort York Food Bank, and most recently, Miftahul Uloom Academy, an Islamic Montessori school. I was also blessed to serve on the City of Toronto’s Advisory Group for Digital Infrastructure Planning, advising Toronto’s Chief Information Officer.
Regarding my experience in advocacy, I am grateful to Allah for having served as an International Human Rights Fellow, preparing a report on the right to life for the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing as well as researching migrant rights in Canada. I also served as a Fellow with the School of Cities, a think tank at the University of Toronto, researching and advocating for equitable frameworks for digital transformation in smart cities. I was fortunate to present my findings at various venues, including at KPMG’s Hyperconnected conference.
In my spare time, I enjoy exploring the outdoors with my spouse and two young children, reading and volunteering in the community. The majority of my efforts in the community are focused in the areas of poverty alleviation, chronic food and housing insecurity and education. I hope to leverage these experiences, networks and perspectives to develop avenues for impact for MuBANY and its members.
If elected to the Board, I plan to work with the Officers to help build MuBANY into one of the premier bar associations in the United States by:
1) Expanding Member Services: Creating value for our stakeholders through:
Enhancing our jobs and member directories, and introducing a referral service;
Organizing the annual gala and other professional/social/educational events
(including the iftar, Eid, career panels, networking events and other opportunities
for social interaction); and
Designing opportunities for recent graduates, law students and young lawyers to
gain experience and propel their careers, including expanding the mentorship
program.
2) Developing Partnerships: Growing MuBANY’s reach through:
Collaborating with professional associations on events and initiatives to increase
representation in the legal profession;
Integrating MuBANY into New York State’s beautiful cultural mosaic through
programming with community-based organizations; and
Conducting outreach to underserved and marginalized communities through
strategic partnerships with community service organizations.
3) Building Communities: Bolstering MuBANY’s community impact by:
Serving hard to reach communities by establishing a Community Legal Clinic for
Muslims and other individuals in need;
Advocating on issues of timely importance to the community; and
Supporting grassroots campaigns and other member-driven initiatives to break
barriers.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my candidacy. It would be a privilege to build upon the weighty legacy of past MuBANY Directors and Officers. I trust that my experience in corporate governance, law and business will enable me to make a lasting, positive impact on MuBANY and its stakeholders.
Candidate for Treasurer
Treasurer: Humza Qureshi
My name is Humza Qureshi and I am a mid-level associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as a MuBANY Director for the last year, 2024 MuBANY Gala Committee Co-Chair and 2023 MuBANY Gala Committee member. I am running this year for the position of Treasurer for MuBANY.
Professionally, I focus my practice at Cahill in capital markets, leveraged finance and M&A. I represent leading investment banks, private funds and corporations in a variety of transactions, including debt offerings, high yield bond offerings, equity offerings, bank financings, syndicated institutional loans, asset backed loans, tender offers and consent solicitations in connection with acquisition financings, leveraged buyouts, going-private transactions, recapitalizations, project financings, bridge lending and loan commitments and other financing transactions.
MuBANY has been a big part of my legal career dating back to law school when I was a volunteer at the old galas at the midtown Hilton. I was honored to be on the board this past year during a uniquely challenging, but even more rewarding time. We had a great opportunity to leverage the organization’s unique platform for the benefit of our community which we strove to. do. This year, as a Director, I co-chaired the gala committee and we hosted one of our most successful galas we’ve had. We established a Palestine Justice Taskforce and provided and issued support for our community in times there was none
available, we signed on to various amicus briefs and supported partner organizations across the country, we grew our mentorship program and hosted various other events and programming for our members.
Personally, I live in New Jersey and in my spare time, I enjoy playing and watching sports, working out, spending time with friends and family, grilling during the summers and exploring the great halal food scene New York and New Jersey have to offer.
I am running for Treasurer this year to continue to serve the organization and community and grow the platform and community to being one of the most firmly entrenched in the legal community. This isn’t a one-year task and takes a long time, but only happens in many successful one-year increments.
Director Level, 1 year term, 2024-2025
Director: Isha Atassi
Assalamu Alaykum. My name is Isha Atassi and I am a partner at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen, and Loewy - a corporate immigration law firm. I would like to join the Board of MuBany as a Director to get more involved with the organization and find ways to strengthen and support our community. A little background on me - I live in Long Island with my husband and 15 year old, special needs son. My father’s side of the family is from Syria and my mother’s side is Russian and Romanian - my mother actually converted to Islam. I have been with Fragomen for over 23 years - I started as a paralegal straight out of college and went to law school in the evenings while working full time. I am also on the Board of includeNYC, which is an organization that advocates for children with disabilities within the 5 boroughs. I attended the MuBany Gala and was so impressed by the whole event - from the numbers in attendance to the honorees and organization of it all. The break for Maghrib prayer, non-alcoholic beverages, halal only food, and multiple muhajaba in attendance made me feel like I was at home. It is often difficult to find comfort at law events and it ignited my interest to get involved. Thank you for considering me
Director: Bella Tabassum
My name is Bella, and I am seeking your support for a Director position with MuBANY for the 2024-2025 term. After graduating from CUNY School of Law, I began my career at the NYC Law Department as an Assistant Corporation Counsel, and later served as an Executive Agency Counsel for the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Since 2023, I have been an Assistant Commissioner in the Division of Youth and Family Justice at ACS. Growing up in the Bronx, I became a lawyer because I lacked representation in the spaces I aspired to be. As a lifelong public servant, I believe lawyering is a pursuit of justice.
I have had the privilege of being part of MuBANY for the past two years as a member, mentee, and a member of the gala committee. As Director, I aim to further strengthen the MuBANY community by supporting the mentoring pipeline, coordinating networking events for law students, new attorneys, and seasoned professionals, and advocating for our community. I am committed to uplifting the voice of Muslims in New York City in collaboration with frontline organizations that work tirelessly every day. I hope as a Director in MuBANY we can create a more inclusive and supportive legal community, empowering the next generation of Muslim legal professionals to achieve excellence and advocate for justice.
Director: Ayyan Zubair
Serving as a Director on MUBANY's Board for the past year has been an immensely rewarding experience. I would be humbled for the opportunity to continue serving the community as a MUBANY Director for the upcoming year
Director: Amna Rashid
My name is Amna Rashid, and I am a 2ndyear Associate at Milbank LLP. I am excited to run for the Director position on the board of the Muslim Bar Association of New York (MuBANY).
I first got involved with MuBANY during law school, when we collaborated with the organization for an event related to Muslims in the judiciary. MUBANY played such an integral role in helping us connect with Muslim judges and allowing us to put on a great event. From that moment, I knew I had found a valuable community.
As I transitioned into my professional career, MuBANY became a key organization for me, providing opportunities to connect with fellow Muslim legal professionals. I’ve been involved in the mentorship program, attended many events, and helped organize the annual gala as a Gala committee member.
Through MuBANY, I’ve met amazing people who have been incredibly supportive and have formed lasting friendships. These experiences have been enriching, and they drive my desire to give back and contribute more to the organization. If elected as a Director, I plan to focus on expanding our programming to include "Know Your Rights" workshops for law students, increasing initiatives for Muslims interested in government roles, and finding new ways to strengthen our mentorship programs. Additionally, I want to explore more creative ways to fundraise, and also increase our social and professional programming to foster a stronger sense of community. I'm passionate about the mission of MuBANY and believe in the power of our community. I look forward to the opportunity to serve on the board and help make a positive impact. Thank you for your consideration.
Director: Nabintou Doumbia
As Salaamu Alaykum, My name is Nabintou Doumbia, and I am running for a MuBANY director position this year. I am a Georgetown Law alum, and current litigation associate at Milbank. In the short time that I have been involved in MuBANY, it has been a pleasure being able to connect with and serve the Muslim legal community in New York. As someone who was involved in my undergrad’s MSA and law school’s MLSA, I am passionate about increasing accessibility for Muslim professionals, especially within law.
This year, I had the pleasure of serving on the Gala Committee. I believe that experience offered me a bit of insight into what it could be like to serve as a MuBANY Director. Being able to not only share my ideas, but collaborate with team members to make them better capture the essence of the work MuBANY aims to do.
If selected as a Director, I would love to spearhead more community events that connect Muslim law students and lawyers; expand MuBANY’s reach beyond Muslim big law professionals; foster spaces for honest conversations; and create more resources that close opportunity gaps, to name a few. As a seasoned organizer, I am not only willing but excited to roll up my sleeves, and do the work that needs to get done to push the organization forward. It would be an honor to serve as one of your directors this year.
Director: Tanzeel Hakak
I am a litigation associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. I am excited to announce my candidacy for a board position at MuBaNY. Having grown up in the conflict region of Indian-occupied Kashmir and moving to Toronto as a teenager, I have lived in New York, California, the Middle East, and Toronto. These experiences have provided me with a diverse understanding of what it means to be a Muslim in various parts of the world.
I was first introduced to MuBaNY as a first-year associate when I attended the Gala and met Muslim lawyers and advocates in large numbers for the first time. It was a profound moment for me as a lawyer, as the legal field has historically underrepresented Muslims. Over the past year, my interest in engaging with more Muslim lawyers and building our community has grown significantly. I believe in the importance of community building and legal advocacy, especially in light of recent global events that underscore the need for solidarity and support within our community.
I am committed to serving our community with the skills and experiences I have gained. I have served on student organizations during undergrad, graduate school, law school, and beyond, including roles as an International Human Rights Fellow, Junior Fellow at the Canadian Centre for Responsibility to Protect, Summer Intern at Human Rights Watch, advocate role with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Co-Editor-in-chief of the Journal of International Law and International Relations and Senior Editor of the University of Toronto Law Review. I was also an active member of the Muslim Law Students Association.
My primary goal is to extend MuBaNY's reach and membership by engaging wider audiences and collaborating with other organizations to provide programming that serves underprivileged community members. For example, I envision partnerships with groups like Muslim Advocates to enhance our impact. Additionally, I aim to create a Muslim lawyer mentorship program that matches junior lawyers and law students with senior attorneys and members of the judiciary. This program will help break barriers, advocate for issues important to Muslim legal professionals, and support our community at large.
I am passionate about building a strong, supportive network for Muslim lawyers and look forward to the opportunity to contribute to MuBANY's continued growth and success. I humbly ask for your support and vote.
Director: Fatou Waggeh
Legal advocacy, community organizing, and social justice are at the core of my identity and purpose in this dunya (world). As a first-generation Gambian-American, the daughter of Black immigrants, and a self-proclaimed Muslim feminist, I am committed to using my legal education to address the systemic inequities facing marginalized communities throughout inner-city America. Fundamentally, I am committed to harnessing the power of the law for the benefit of the forgotten among us: help make our society's most marginalized fight for their rights and protect them from injustice.
My professional trajectory demonstrates a commitment to take action. As a Civic Organizer at African Communities Together (ACT), I successfully campaigned for the inclusion of French and Arabic into New York City's language access plan. I coordinated a coalition consisting of legal advocates, faith leaders, community partners, in which I organized rallies and protests to combat President Trump's Muslim Ban and Refugee Ban and preserve TPS and DACA. I facilitated Know Your Rights workshops at local masjids in The Bronx and helped use my voice and skills to advocate for our city's growing Black immigrant community. As a Corporate Paralegal at Wachtell Lipon Rosen & Katz, I advocated for working-class New Yorkers through a Legal Aid Society's housing rights project, where I helped individuals file claims against landlords responsible for unwarranted rent increases and discrimination. Furthermore, I am the co-founder of the Smiling Coast Women Empowerment Network (SCWEN), a mentorship program for West-African-Muslim-Women committed to empowering them to pursue higher education, explore issues of social justice, and grow into thought leaders. While in law school, as an Extern at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, I helped the organization further its work on educational and racial justice. Today, as a junior Litigation Associate at Shearman & Sterling LLP, I continue my passion for legal advocacy. As a recipient of the "Pro Bono All Stars Award," I have helped fight for the asylum rights of a family displaced at the border and helped further police accountability and racial justice concerning the New York Police Department (NYPD).
Engagement with MUBANY will be a trajectory to my political ambition of using the law to break cycles of poverty and injustice. I look forward to helping MUBANY further its work on advocacy and help build the present and future Muslim legal leaders. As a Director, I am not only committed to helping MUBANY bring to the forefront the unique issues facing Muslims in New York City, but also build new partners, including local grassroots organizations, civic organizations and local Masjids. Specifically, I also hope to help MUBANY elevate the issues facing Black Muslims, in particular, a group that continues to be invisible in Muslim spaces. All while doing this, I will help foster a strong Muslim community among MUBANY members, MLSAs, the Muslims of New York City and our allies, that is refreshing, impactful and engaging. My intersectional identities and diverse professional backgrounds position me to be an asset to MUBANY's Board. I am a team-player, inquisitive, personable, patient, honest and courageous. Last but not least, in many ways, I am New York City, having been born and raised in The Bronx and still residing in the same neighborhood I grew up in. I will bring this unique perspective, knowledge and history as a native New Yorker to my work as a Director. Ultimately, helping ensure that MUBANY is in fact the Muslim Bar Association of New York.