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