2026 Muslim Women's Leadership Conference

Keynote Speaker: Malika Bilal

Malika Bilal is an award-winning international news journalist, speaker and podcast host who splits her time between Los Angeles, CA and Washington, DC. For nearly two decades, she has anchored breaking news, moderated global conversations, and produced stories that amplify underrepresented voices across television, digital, and print.One of her most recent labors of love is the PBS documentary series “American Muslims: A History Revealed," in which Malika serves as the presenter for two films as part of a sweeping documentary exploration into the early history of Muslims in the US.She also hosts The Take, a daily news video podcast, where her intimate interviews with newsmakers around the world have been streamed millions of times, and have twice earned her the Gracie Award for Best Podcast News Host, in addition to honors from the Online Journalism Awards, Signal and Lovie Awards. Before that, she spent eight years co-hosting The Stream, the Emmy-nominated TV news talk show broadcast to more than 310 million households in over 140 countries.

A Chicago native, Malika studied at the American University in Cairo and graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She previously worked for Voice of America, and has written for the Chicago Tribune, NPR and ESPN. These days, she combines all of those experiences when she appears regularly on panels and at conferences to discuss media, representation, and the power of storytelling to bridge divides - a practice she tests nightly at bedtime with her three kids under three.Malika’s reporting has taken her across the US and the Middle East. She has interviewed guests spanning the political and entertainment spectrum: from the late President Jimmy Carter and the Dalai Lama, to Yara Shahidi and Trevor Noah. Her favorite interviews, though, are with the people you haven’t heard of yet.

Emcee: Najma Nuuro

Najma Nuuro is a nonprofit leader and project manager in finance who believes that real change happens when systems are built with the people they serve in mind. Beyond her professional work, Najma is a dedicated disability and autism advocate, a role shaped by her lived experience as a proud mother of three. Her advocacy is grounded in a deep belief that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and supported with dignity.

Najma is also a natural storyteller and connector. She brings clarity, heart, and purpose to the spaces she enters, helping others see the human story behind the systems and inspiring action that leads to meaningful change.

Opening Remarks: Nausheena Hussain

Nausheena Hussain is a serial nonprofit entrepreneur, network weaver, coach, mentor, and speaker who provides capacity-building services to Muslim women-led nonprofits and promotes Muslim generosity through her firm, Nissa Consulting. She previously founded and served as executive director of Reviving Sisterhood. She is a Doctoral Candidate at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where her research focuses on Muslim women's resilient leadership and the nonprofits they lead.

Nausheena is the author of Prosperity with Purpose: A Musim Woman's Guide to Abundance and Generosity, addressing financial literacy and philanthropy specifically for Muslim women. When she's not building her financial empire and making the world a better place, Nausheena can be found reading books, planning her next travel adventure, or attempting water activities despite not knowing how to swim. She holds an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies and Certificate in FundRaising Management (CFRM) from Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and an M.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, two children, and a regal house cat who side-eyes her financial decisions.

Workshop Speakers:

Shahd Abouhekel

Shahd Abouhekel is a Palestinian American activist and advocate who earned her degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. During her time at the university, as president of Students for Justice in Palestine, she played a key role in raising over $10,000 in humanitarian aid for Gaza, while also organizing awareness campaigns and engaging with university leadership through her advocacy.

Shahd is deeply committed to advancing global human rights, with a particular focus on advocating against occupation and genocide in all oppressed countries. Over the past three years, her work has centered on raising awareness about the genocide in Palestine and amplifying marginalized voices.

In addition to her advocacy, Shahd is a writer who uses poetry as a means of expression and reflection. Her work often explores themes of personal growth, cultural identity, and social justice, offering both a creative outlet and a space for critical thought.

Mona Mahfouz

Mona Mahfouz is a Sudanese American organizer with Decolonize Sudan. Mona works out of a deep commitment to anti-imperialism, community care, and collective liberation. Born in Omdurman, Sudan and currently based in Rochester, Minnesota, Mona brings a grounded and principled approach to her organizing that is informed by a strong Islamic justice ethic.

Dr. Ismahan Abdullahi

Dr. Ismahan Abdullahi is a visionary strategist, political organizer, and transformational trainer with extensive expertise in leadership development, civic engagement, political advocacy, and faith-based organizing.

She currently serves as the Executive Director of Faith Power Alliance. She was the first Muslim appointed to the San Diego County Water Authority where she serves as the chair for the Administrative & Finance committee.

As a transformational leader, she trains leaders nationally and internationally on leadership and organizational change, political advocacy and self-development. Dr. Abdullahi inspires communities with her passion for human rights, youth leadership, and strengthening one’s connection to Allah, Most High. Through her unwavering commitment to faith and justice, she continues to build a legacy of empowerment, transforming lives and connecting souls to their Creator.

Yusra Mohamud

Yusra Mohamud is the Founder & CEO of Yuspire, a brand strategy and business development/management firm dedicated to building generational wealth for small businesses. With over a decade of experience in economic development, she combines strategic advising with sharp policy advocacy and lobbying expertise. She currently serves as Campaign Manager for Betting On US, a purpose-driven non-profit organizing leaders, institutions, and communities to drive lasting economic and civic transformation across America. She also hosts the Eat and Talk MN Podcast. Yusra brings a rare combination of deep cultural roots and a gift for storytelling that transforms corridors into living narratives of resilience, identity, and belonging. Yusra's work is rooted in the belief that economic power belongs in the hands of the communities who have been building it all along.

Yasmin Yassin

Yasmin Yassin is a Minneapolis-based filmmaker, photographer, and researcher whose work explores subcultures, womanhood, and the layered experiences of her community. Her visual style floats between tradition, modernity, and digital worlds. Her first short, Dhaanto, about an East African dance troupe, was supported by the SPNN Fresh Vantage grant and screened at festivals in Minneapolis–St. Paul, New York, and Toronto, Canada. Her second short, Woman Land, is a coming-of-age film and had its world premiere at the Academy Award and BAFTA qualifying, Tampere Film Festival and was selected as part of the Voices of Culture section of the American Black Film Festival. The film also won the Special Jury Award for fiction at the 45th Minneapolis-St.Paul International Film Festival. Her next short film, Call Me Back, is supported by the Jerome Foundation. She was a Jerome mentee at the MN Book Arts Center and a Second Shift Studio Resident. Her photography collaborations include Apple, Nike, National Geographic, the New Yorker, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

Raya Quttaineh

Raya Quttaineh is a reporter and anchor at KARE 11 in the Twin Cities. She and her family arrived in the United States more than two decades ago. She was 5 at the time, and her parents immediately enrolled her in the nearby public school, where she learned how to read and write in a language that still felt foreign. Before long, Raya found herself constantly immersed in books and stories, and reading quickly became her favorite pastime. That’s when she began to discover the magic of storytelling.

Born in Jordan to Palestinian parents, Raya grew up listening to stories of the Palestine her grandparents and father were born in and called home. Her roots help shape her understanding of identity, resilience and the importance of preserving our lived experiences. Through her work as a journalist, Raya strives to share historically marginalized voices and is honored to meet and connect with people from all walks of life.

Binta Kanteh

Binta Kanteh is a Gambian American storyteller whose work appears in Sahan Journal, The Center for Broadcast Journalism, the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder and MPR. Binta’s writing explores the intersections of culture, religion, and immigration — capturing both the resilience and complexity of the people and communities she writes about. Through her journalism, Binta expands public understanding by centering inclusive and dignified narratives.

Alongside her writing, Binta’s professional background is also rooted in public policy. She began her public service at the Minnesota House of Representatives and now serves as a Policy Director in Hennepin County government, where she focuses on Health and Human Services and advancing policies that reckon with past harms while building toward a more atoned future.

Binta’s life’s work is largely inspired by her parent’s immigration journey to the United States. Outside of work, Binta is currently pursuing a Master’s in Global Journalism, with a focus on Investigative and Human Rights Journalism, at SOAS, University of London.

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

InterContinental Minneapolis - St. Paul Airport, 5005 Glumack Drive, Minneapolis, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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