ABOUT SV

OUR VISION

To be a leading advocate for Justice & Mutual Understanding.

OUR MISSION

To enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CAIR at a glance

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, with regional offices nationwide and in Canada. The national headquarters is located on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.

Sacramento Valley (CAIR-SACVAL) Staff

Basim Elkarra | Executive Director

Basim leads CAIR’s efforts in the Sacramento Valley area to serve as a voice to its diverse and vibrant Muslim community. Elkarra has been instrumental in building coalitions with Ethnic, Interfaith communities, and law enforcement.

Basim’s hard work and dedication to defending civil rights and building bridges between interfaith communities and law enforcement has brought him an array of public recognition. He was honored by former Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante for his “Outstanding Community Service.” The Sacramento Bee named Elkarra “Devout and Dynamic” in an in-depth profile of the young Executive Director. He has received awards from the Organization of Chinese Americans, the Harry Truman Democratic Club, California State Controller John Chiang, and received California State Legislature Resolution #52064 for his work in California.

During the last five years at CAIR, Elkarra worked with law enforcement, schools, and health care providers to ensure they receive diversity training about Islam and the Muslim community. Elkarra appears regularly in the media as a commentator on issues of civil rights, the Muslim community, and foreign affairs. Elkarra currently serves on the Mayor Kevin Johnson’s Transition Team, American Civil Liberties Union-Sacramento Chapter Board, Sacramento Police Advisory Committee, Sacramento Public Library Multicultural Council, Sacramento State University Community Council, Natomas Unified School District Multicultural Advisory Committee, and the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association’s (APAPA) Outreach Committee. Elkarra also served on the Sacramento Police Chief Selection committee and the City and County of San Francisco Human Rights Commission, Youth and Education Committee.

Earlier this year Elkarra was elected as a delegate to the California Democratic Party (CDP) Convention. At the convention Elkarra was elected to CDP’s Executive Board and Chair of CDP’s Arab American Caucus. Elkarra, a San Francisco native and a leader in the Muslim American community, holds a B.A. in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. In his spare time Basim loves to read and fish!

Saeeda Islam | Programs Coordinator

Saeeda is the Programs Coordinator of the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SV). She is a History and Political Science Major at the California State University, Sacramento. Her passion for humanitarian work and politics always keeps her busy. Presently she is a part of a non-profit law firm that advocates for workers’ rights. In her department she primarily focuses on dairy and field workers rights who are treated unfairly. She also works with Latino activists in outreach programs. A project she is currently working on is focusing on the rise of Muslims in Latin America, as well as assisting them with resources. In December, she will be traveling to the Swat Valley in Pakistan to assist in the humanitarian crisis.

Mohamed Ali | Executive Fellow

Mohamed Ali is the new Executive Fellow at CAIR-SV. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz, Mohamed received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science before moving back to Sacramento to work on the California Young Democrats' 2010 Young Voter Revolution Campaign as a Field Organizer/Assistant Campaign Manager. Following that highly-successful campaign, Mohamed went on to work as a Public Relations consultant for the Salam Academy, a full-time Islamic school in Sacramento, before joining the CAIR-SV Staff in late May, 2011. Mohamed is currently preparing for the LSAT and is planning on attending Law School in Fall of 2012.

Rachel Roberts | Civil Rights Coordinator

Rachel Roberts graduated from the UCLA School of Law in 2011 with a specialization in Public Interest Law and Policy. She served as a law clerk for a year in CAIR's LA office, where she developed a keen and dedicated interest in working on civil rights issues affecting the American Muslim community. During law school she participated in UCLA's Immigration Law Clinic where she represented an applicant for asylum. She also served as the Co-editor in Chief of the UCLA Journal of Islamic and Near Eastern Law and oversaw production of the journal's symposium issue on the criminalization of Islamic philanthropy. Rachel has been deeply involved with activism for Palestinian rights since 2003. She has served as a media coordinator for the International Solidarity Movement and has worked with the Youth Leadership Institute of Jewish Voice for Peace, Young, Jewish and Proud. She holds an MA in Biblical Studies and Ancient Semitic Language from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and a BA from Oberlin College.

CAIR-SACVAL Law Clerks & Internsback to top

Currently no Law Clerks or Interns

CAIR-SACVAL Executive Committeeback to top

Wazhma Mojaddidi | President

Shabbir Khan | Treasurer

Wasim Ali | Secretary

Imran H. Khan, Esq. | Executive Committee Member

Portrait silhouette of Imam Haazim Rashed

Imam Haazim Rashed | Executive Committee Member

Fawzia Keval | Executive Committee Member

Fluent in seven languages, Fawzia Keval began her career as a French/English translator, working for the United Nations in Nairobi, Kenya. She began her teaching career as a high school teacher of French. After settling in California, she was drawn to the challenges of teaching students from low income families as well children of immigrants. Soon after becoming a public school principal, Fawzia became a “go-to person” in her region when it came to reaching out to the community and providing support services for student success.

Fawzia holds the BA in French and Sociology, the MA in Educational Administration, and is at present pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Fawzia served as a leader with Muslim Students Association while at University of Nairobi. She has continued her community outreach work in Sacramento serving as chair of the education committee for SALAM Center, providing diversity training in schools, and serving as guest speaker at statewide conferences on Muslim culture and other educational issues.

Fawzia is passionate about social justice and equity in education. She is active in promoting education for girls in developing countries as well as among minority groups in the Greater Sacramento area.

T. Sami Siddiqui | Executive Committee Member

Portrait silhouette of Haitham Abul-Haija

Haitham Abul-Haija | Executive Committee Member

Najme Minhaj, Phd. | Advisory Board

Hamza El-Nakhal, PhD. | Advisory Board

CAIR-California Boardback to top

Masoud Nassimi | Chair

Masoud Nassimi attended Purdue University where he received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Civil Engineering. He has been working for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) since July 1988. Mr. Nassimi also has been a part-time Algebra instructor at Los Angeles Valley College since 1991. He is the author of a college textbook and co-author of "How to perform Hajj (Step by Step)" with Dr. Ahmed Sakr. Mr. Nassimi is the Chairman of the Board of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-California overseeing four of its chapters - Bay Area, Sacramento, Greater Los Angeles Area and San Diego. He is also the founder of Afghan American Muslim Outreach (AAMO). He is married with three children.

Portrait silhouette of Wazhma Mojaddidi, Esq.

Wazhma Mojaddidi, Esq. | Vice President

Safaa Ibrahim | Treasurer

Safaa Ibrahim holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business from Strayer University. Her professional experience includes internet and software project management, operations, marketing, and she has contributed to the establishment of two small business start-ups. In the past five years, Ms. Ibrahim has shifted her career path by dedicating herself to nonprofit endeavors by volunteering full-time to the San Francisco Bay Area community. She has been active with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (CAIR-SFBA), the Muslim Community Association (MCA), and GiveLight Foundation. Ms. Ibrahim was appointed Executive Director of CAIR-SFBA in July 2005 and currently serves on the executive committee for the chapter.

Fawad Yacoob | Secretary

Fawad M.S. Yacoob is an educator by profession and teaches middle school history in Orange County, California. As a multicultural speaker, Mr. Yacoob has addressed a wide variety of audiences at universities and colleagues, churches and synagogues as well as high schools and middle schools. As a freelance writer and photographer, his articles and pictures have appeared in national, regional and local American-Muslim, Arab-American and ethnic newspapers.

Hussam Ayloush | Member

Hussam Ayloush is the Executive Director and has been since 1998. He frequently lectures on Islam, media relations, civil rights, hate crimes and international affairs pertaining to American Muslims. He has consistently appeared in local, national, and international media advocating and articulating the mainstream Muslim position on various issues.

Dr. Waheeda Samady | Member

Dr. Waheeda Samady graduated from the University of California-San Diego Medical School, and is now a member of the UCSD Department of Pediatrics, where she recently completed her internship. Dr. Samady has won the San Diego County Medical Society Excellence in Service Award, UCSD School of Medicine; the UCSD Joseph Stokes, III Independent Study Project Award; and the Gold Humanism Honor Society award, UCSD.

Portrait silhouette of Dr. Hamza El Nakhal

Dr. Hamza El Nakhal | Member

Dr. Hamza El-Nakhal is a retired professor. He was born in Cairo, Egypt. His B.S. (1964) and M.S. (1965) degrees were in Food Science and Technology from University Of Ein Shams In Cairo. His Ph. D. degree is in Microbiology from UCD 1976. He worked in the US, Saudi Arabia and Egypt at different times. He is married with two daughters, one son and one grand son. As a student in Davis, Hamza served as president of International club, Orientation club. He, also, was a member of the international student advisory committee to the Late Chancellor James Mayer and member of Club Finance Council of ASUCD. As a university professor, beside teaching and research, he served as head of Dept. and chaired many committees including Budget, Laboratories, Scientific research, curriculum, admission and registration and many others. Hamza has many published one book in Microbiology, many scientific papers and educational papers. After retirement, Hamza served in many non-profit organizations including Human, Civil Rights, Charity, Interfaith and Community service. Currently Serving as: member of Community Advisory Board to Davis Police Dept., member of the Board of Directors of International House and member of the Board of Directors of Davis Community Meals.

Sameena Usman | Member

Noha Salem | Member

Portrait silhouette of Dr. Ashraf Ibrahim

Dr. Ashraf Ibrahim | Member

Dr. Ibrahim is a Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and is based in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. He received his B. Sc. from Kuwait University, Kuwait with honors. He then attended Post graduate school at Loughborough University of Technology, UK where he obtained a Ph.D. degree in Microbial Physiology. Dr. Ibrahim completed his Post doctoral training in Infectious Diseases at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Ibrahim’s research focuses on studying mechanisms of fungal and bacterial infections to translate this knowledge into novel therapeutic interventions. Dr. Ibrahim has pioneered the use of iron chelation therapy for treating the lethal infection, mucormycosis. Dr. Ibrahim has also been a leading figure, among others, in developing a vaccine that targets the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the fungus Candida, which are the second and third most common causes of bloodstream infections. He co-founded NovaDigm Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company, to translate the vaccine from the bench to the bedside. Dr. Ibrahim also co-founded Spectral Platforms, a biotechnology company focusing on developing rapid diagnostic techniques and determining of fast drug susceptibility tests for nosocomial and community acquired infections. Dr. Ibrahim is an NIH funded investigators who coauthored more than 100 peer-reviewed research papers, book chapters and review articles and serves as an Ad Hoc reviewer of numerous peer-reviewed Journals as well as a temporary reviewer of the NIH study sections.

Asem Abusir | Member

Asem Abusir is an Independent IT consultant and a member of technology savvy executive leadership team. Asem was CEO/Founder of Texum Technology until recently acquired by another company. He Started his career 1987 with Quotron Systems (Citibank Subsidiary) managing a network that provides ticker line to brokers nationwide before the Internet. Asem has Bachelors of Science in Technical Management with Electrical Engineering education from California State University, Long Beach. Recently earned the MBA degree in Project Management. He was on the JSF Unix Network team with Northrop Grumman when they were awarded the project. He held many positions with HP and IBM providing Network services and security. Asem is married with five children living in Southern California for the last thirty years.

Ziad Asghar | Member

Ziad Asghar serves on the Executive Committee of CAIR-SD. He is also on the board of Iqraa Academy of San Diego, a non-profit academic institution focused on Arabic and Quranic learning. Ziad works on wireless product & technology strategy in the semiconductor industry. He holds a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Purdue University and a Masters of Business Administration degree from University of California, San Diego.

Rashid Ahmad | Advisor

Rashid Ahmad is an alumnus of UC Davis, a civil-geotechnical engineer, and Chief of Facilities Enlargement at the California Department of Water Resources. He also serves on Sacramento County District Attorney's Multi Cultural Council and Shifa Community Clinic Community Board.

Proven Results. Our Annual Reportback to top

2010/2011 Annual Report

Download the 2010/2011 Annual Report in .PDF format

Our annual report is an opportunity to share our grassroots advocacy work with the broader community. As with prior years, this year was full of exciting and proud moments for CAIR and the California Muslim community.

PAST ANNUAL REPORTS: 2009/2010 | 2007/2008 | 2006/2007