Quickly Exit Site

Click on this button when your abuser enters the room. This page will be changed to Google.

About Us

Pillars of Peace was founded by members of the Islamic Center at NYU community in order to address a gap in appropriate residential services for Muslim survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. While our focus is on the Muslim community, all are welcome.

We aim to create a trauma-informed organization that is based on an empowerment model of services which focus on cultivating an atmosphere of support and encouragement. Our mission and goals are rooted in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and we will continue to advocate for these basic rights on behalf of survivors of gender-based violence.
As an initial step, we are developing a series of in-person seminars, online webinars, and private counseling sessions. All of our initiatives aim to encourage more care, knowledge, and resources for survivors of domestic violence in addition to fostering long-term, sustainable support systems.

Pillars Of Peace

Guiding Principles - Five Pillars

Faith

Solidarity and Inclusivity

Community Engagement and Empowerment

Dignity and Equality

Social Justice

Our Mission

Pillars of Peace’s mission is dedicated to creating communities of care. We provide culturally and linguistically conscious services to survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, with expertise serving the diverse Muslim community, using a holistic, trauma-informed approach. Through our empowerment and support model, we aim to reduce and eliminate harm within the vulnerable populations we serve.

Our Vision

Our vision is to provide safe spaces and a variety of services to all survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and to advocate for the vulnerable populations we serve. We aim to enhance our social fabric by addressing gaps in services built upon Islamic tradition and values and on our shared common practices. Using a restorative justice lens, our goal is to eliminate harm, provide support and advocate for survivors’ choices helping them obtain the justice they seek and live the life best fit for themselves and their families. 
 
Built on principles of empowerment, wellness and transparency, our mission and goals are rooted in community trust and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. We will continue to advocate for these rights on behalf of victims and survivors of domestic and gender-based violence everywhere.
 
Our first project was Noora House – a 15 bed shelter for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence that is in keeping with our traditions. We provide culturally and linguistically conscious, residential and non-residential services to survivors of domestic and gender-based violence.  The Noora House is a culturally and linguistically conscious space with doors open to all and expertise serving the Muslim community. We currently offer services in Arabic, Bangla, French, Hindi, Spanish and Urdu.

Our Board

The Board Members of Pillars of Peace volunteer their time and expertise to our mission and vision.

Pillars Of Peace

Nabah Ikram

Board Member

Nabah Ikram is a gender and social justice activist with over a decade of experience in the gender violence field. She received her Bachelors in Law in Pakistan and pursued her Masters in Law at Cornell University where she focused on issues of International Human Rights. In recognition of her service and dedication to end gender-based violence, she was named a 2019 Advocate of New York City.

Pillars Of Peace

Karim Ahmed

Board Secretary

Karim Ahmed is a founding principal of Reform Architecture, an architecture practice based in the South Bronx focused on creating an ethical design practice. He graduated from The Cooper Union with a Bachelor of Architecture in 2013. He is a registered architect in the State of New York is currently an adjunct professor at The New School's Parson's School of Design, where he is also a Research Fellow at the Urban Systems Lab.

Pillars Of Peace

Faiyaz Jaffer

Board Member

Faiyaz Jaffer is the Research Scholar and the Associate Chaplain at the Islamic Center at New York University. He attained an MA degree in Islamic Studies (UK), with a concentration on early Islamic history, after his undergraduate degree from SUNY Stony Brook University in Political Science and Religious Studies. In pursuing the classical course of Islamic education, Faiyaz studied in the Seminary of Karbala, Iraq, one of the most prominent centers for Islamic learning. Faiyaz is currently pursuing his doctoral degree in Higher Education at NYU Steinhardt's School of Education.

Pillars Of Peace

Imam Khalid Latif

Board Chairman

Imam Khalid Latif is the University Chaplain for New York University and Executive Director of the Islamic Center at NYU. Under his leadership, the Islamic Center at NYU became the first ever established Muslim student center at an institution of higher education in the United States. Through his work Imam Latif has demonstrated not only an exceptional dedication to gaining and disseminating religious knowledge and values, but has begun to carve out a much-needed space for young American Muslims to celebrate their unique identity and have their voices heard in the larger public sphere.

Pillars Of Peace

Saima Akhter

Advisory Board Member

Saima Akhter is a data analyst at Meta where she combines her data skills with her passion for community building. Previously, she has worked for Shutterstock, Intuit, and United Airlines in data analytics across a variety of areas including cybersecurity, marketing, and operations. Saima is passionate about community building and community service. She is the Director of Community Partnerships on the global exec board of Muppies and she co-leads the NYC chapter of Muslim Women in Tech and continues to be an active volunteer with several community organizations.  Before her recent move to NYC,  in San Diego she was serving on the board of her mosque MCC and the board of Interfaith Community Services. She loves traveling, exploring the city, and bringing people together.

Pillars Of Peace

Aamir Wyne

Advisory Board Member

Aamir Wyne is a collector, maker, and consultant living in Brooklyn, NY. Previously an asset management lawyer, he now does pro-bono consulting work for non-profits, focusing on organizations dedicated to empowering American Muslim communities. Aamir collects textile works from around the world, as well as contemporary art. In his creative practice, he weaves textiles by hand. Aamir has a B.A. from Williams College and a J.D. and M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Pillars Of Peace

Tubasim Ahmed

Advisory Board Member

Tubasim Ahmed is an educator based in Princeton, New Jersey. She has been active in education for twenty-seven years, focusing primarily on her passion for teaching children with learning differences. For the past eleven years, she has been at the Lewis School of Princeton, a pioneer in neuroscience-based education. Using the power of expressive writing as a tool for healing and self-regulation, Tubasim has designed a writing program to help children heal from trauma. Raised in the United Kingdom, Tubasim has a multicultural background with a B.S. degree from the University of the Punjab and a B.S. in Education from NYU with highest honors. She has dual certification in Childhood Education and Special Education and is the recipient of the NYU Founder’s Day Award.