For CAIR-SFBA, “speaking truth in the face of injustice” isn’t a slogan; it’s a practice. At our 31st Anniversary Gala, we’re honoring three partners who practice it every day—in the classrom, on the airwaves, and in the courtroom.
Lifetime Achievement Award
When I think about Dr. Hatem Bazian, I think about the roots of our movement. For decades, his scholarship and teaching have shaped how our community understands Islamophobia—not as a feeling, but as a system we can name, study, confront, and dismantle. As a co-founder of Zaytuna College, and a key figure in the growth of Islamophobia Studies as a field, he has mentored generations to lead with clarity and conscience. We’re proud to honor him with our Lifetime Achievement Award for a lifetime of service to truth, dignity, and justice.
Voice of Truth Award
Cat Brooks, host of KPFA’s Law & Disorder, uses the mic to interrogate power, amplify impacted voices, and connect the headlines to the lives behind them. Off-air, her organizing—from co-founding the Anti Police-Terror Project to driving statewide reforms on use of force and accountability—turns truth into change. We’re recognizing Cat with the Voice of Truth Award because she doesn’t just speak truth; she makes room for others to speak it, too.
Defender of Truth Award
Ramzi Kassem, founding director of the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR) clinic at CUNY School of Law, has built a community-rooted legal team whose clients—including Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk—have benefited from relentless advocacy that has freed people, checked abusive policies, and set precedents, including victories at the U.S. Supreme Court. We’re honoring Ramzi with the Defender of Truth Award because he pushes the law toward justice, case by case, person by person.
These honorees are partners in the deepest sense. They teach, organize, and litigate—and they do something just as vital: they stand with us. When our students need a mentor, when our movements need a voice, or when our clients need a champion, their work provides a model for our own. We celebrate their leadership and the community support that makes it possible.
Whether you’re seated with us or standing with us in spirit on October 11, join me in honoring this year’s awardees—and in carrying their example into the work ahead.
