2019 Update from Muhi

Peace and blessings to you. Each year I do my best to reach out to my LinkedIn contacts and provide general life updates. 2019 has been a year of growth, reflection, and new beginnings. The San Francisco Bay Area is beautiful as always, I've been motorcycle joy-riding and hiking as often as I can. 

Career

Earlier this year I joined the faculty at Indiana University and teach their satellite programs across the country for the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and The Fund Raising School. I received my Certificate in Fund Raising Management from IU in 2017 and am honored to be taking this next step in my professional development.

I left the American Red Cross after working there for 4.5 years. I learned so much from being on the number one fundraising team in the country and am still giving blood and volunteering as I can. Their lifesaving mission will always be near and dear to me.

This transition has allowed me to focus my time and energy on the American Muslim Fund which I started back in 2016. I'm thrilled to have a generous and dedicated Board of Directors and the opportunity to work with so many amazing philanthropists across the country. I'm linking our Social Impact Update. If you ever want to talk about nonprofits - this is what I geek out about, feel free to reach out. We have some exciting announcements to make in 2020. Can you pitch in for AMF's year-end campaign?

Goals

I've been contemplating starting a podcast but need to do some more brainstorming. Think of How I Built This with Guy Raz, where he interviews fortune 500 CEOs and tech start up Founders but for nonprofits. Another goal is to achieve the Advanced Certified Fund Raising Executive accreditation in 2020 (I became a CFRE in 2016) and participate in a nonprofit executive program at Georgetown University. I am looking forward to the Rockwood Fellowship for Philanthropic Leaders in February 2020. Lastly, I want to read more books in 2020. Any suggestions? Where there's a will, there's a way!

Health

The invisibility of my teens and twenties are a distant memory. Genetics are one piece of the pie, and the pie itself is often delicious and tempting to eat...the self discipline has been tough. Diabetes and Glaucoma run in my family. I've been monitoring my A1C blood sugar level quarterly since I turned 30 (2015) along with visual field tests. I probably should resume putting my eye drops in and go to the gym! All of this to say, be sure your health is a priority. I'm recommitting to mine! Daily walks and meal plans have been helpful.

Family/Travel

Earlier this year I had a chance to visit Cuba with Natalie and her grandparents. It was really neat to see different parts of the country from a beach resort in Varadero to tobacco farms and scenic landscapes in Vi?ales and the busy streets of Havana. We visited during the first week of Ramadan and it was nice to see how the Muslim community in Cuba observes and celebrates Ramadan.

We're hoping to visit Turkey in March and Spain in September 2020. I'm hoping we can escape to Alaska on a cruise, Hawaii, or Mexico City in the upcoming years as well. Any tips? 

Natalie started a new job this month with the City of Fremont and was accepted into the University of Southern California's Price School of Public Policy. She's mulling over the cost-benefit and trying to figure out some long term goals. We spent Thanksgiving in Michigan with family. Originally we said we'd move away for 3-5 years. It's been 6.5 years since we moved to California. I'm glad to have escaped 7 winters. Ninja (cat) & Atlas (dog) are living their best lives as interspecies brothers.

2019 has been good, by the Grace of God. Looking forward to what 2020 has in store. Feel free to stay in touch:

Instagram. Twitter. Facebook.

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