Angelica Lindsey-Ali - The Village Auntie

Honoring Our Ancestors From East To West Africa To The Americas

Angelica Lindsey-Ali aka The Village Auntie™ is a certified sexual health educator, researcher, storyteller, author, and recognized authority in intimacy cultivation and emotional well-being.  She teaches from both an African and Islamic perspective. With over 20 years of experience in public and behavioral, Lindsey-Ali draws upon her clinical, cultural and religious training to educate women about spirituality and intimacy from an Islamic lens. She is the founder of The Village Auntie Institute, a global learning community with women representing 86 different countries. 

Sagirah Shahid

Muslim Women At The Forefront Of Liberation Struggles

Sagirah is a pushcart prize nominated Black Muslim poet and performance artist from Minneapolis, MN. She was a 2020 TedX Minneapolis speaker and she is an alumnae of the African American Leadership Forum's Josie R. Johnson Leadership Academy. Sagirah's  poetry and prose are published widely and she has received a handful of awards and fellowships for her writing including from the Loft Literary Center, the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Strive Publishing, Twin Cities Media Alliance, Muslim Advocates and the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design. Sagirah's children's activity book 'Get Involved With a Book Club' was published by Capstone press in 2022. In 2024 Sagirah was a finalist for the Sexton poetry prize and she is currently a poetry editor with Overtly Lit, an international online literary journal. In addition to her artistic career, Sagirah has a professional background in grant-making and nonprofit fundraising.

Johara Suleiman

Digging Into Ancestral Emotional And Mental Healing Practices

Johara is a psychotherapist and PhD candidate at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her dissertation research examines child welfare system policy and practice as a site of racialization, and, using an oral history methodology, investigates its impacts on Muslim, African, immigrant mothers. While working on her dissertation, Johara continues to work with clients through her private practice, and teaches MSW students as an adjunct professor.  

After receiving her MSW from Salem State University in 2016, Johara worked as an intensive in-home family therapist until 2020 when she opened her private practice. During her time as an in-home family therapist, she worked primarily toward family preservation and healing, and noticed her work often resisting macro-level dangers and barriers to wellness. The lessons she learned, relationships she built, and work she did alongside those families are what motivated her to pursue her PhD. She hopes that, through her research, she can provide wider-scale support to the families and individuals she's met and learned from as a clinician.

Muna Scekomar

The Power of Your Story: Valuing Your Voice Through an Islamic Lens

Muna Scekomar is the founder of Beautiful Light Studios, an akhirah-driven podcast production company amplifying the voices of Muslim women. With a decade of experience in media, Muna is a passionate storyteller and mentor dedicated to empowering others to embrace their personal narratives.

Through projects like The Digital Sisterhood Podcast, Muna demonstrates the profound impact of leaning into identity and vulnerability. Her work centers on helping individuals value their voices through an Islamic lens, fostering connection, leadership, and self-acceptance.

Binta Bah

Wellness Advocate and Certified Hijama Therapist

Binta Bah, with over two years of experience as a certified Hijama (cupping therapy) therapist, started her journey inspired by her mother’s back pain and her own migraines. She empowers others through this Prophetic practice. In August 2024, Binta opened a wellness clinic in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, focusing on holistic health for Muslim women. She also provides house visits for elderly clients and travels to other cities on request. Her dedication earned her the 2024 Rise Incubator award seed money. At the Rise Sisterhood Conference, Binta will offer massages and share insights into Hijama, promoting holistic and faith-centered wellness.

Yusra Mohamud

EMCEE 

Yusra Mohamud is a Community Engagement Leader and a key Business Advisor with a strong background in finance and small businesses. With over 7 years of experience in middle market and commercial banking, she is also a passionate advocate for financial literacy in schools across the state. Yusra's entrepreneurial spirit is deeply influenced by her cultural and Islamic roots, guiding her to lead with diversity and values in her consulting practices. Through her company, Yuspire, based in Minnesota, she offers a range of services to support small businesses in the Twin Cities, focusing on celebrating diversity and ensuring growth for all backgrounds. Yusra also provides guidance to Muslim business owners on establishing their businesses in Minnesota. In addition to her business endeavors, she hosts a Youtube Podcast called "Eat and Talk MN", dedicated to sharing stories, promoting underrepresented voices, and building an inclusive community where everyone is respected and valued.

Anquam Mahamoud

Opening Remarks

Anquam Mahamoud, our newly elected State Representative for MN House District 62B! From the East Phillips Neighborhood to the State Legislature, Anquam's journey is a testament to her resilience and dedication. Having moved here at age 8 nearly three decades ago, she grew up in poverty in the East Phillips neighborhood with her single mother and 3 siblings. Seeing the everyday sacrifices made by her mother on her family’s behalf inspired Anquam to a life of service. 

Rep Elect Mahamoud brings significant healthcare policy expertise to her role at the State House, having worked her way from caseworker to State Planning Director for Individual Market Policy, Eligibility and Enrollment for MNsure during the ACA rollout. As she begins her work as the only Somali woman at the MN House, she will be fighting for Health, Education, Affordable Housing, Clean Air and Water, and a bright future for all Minnesotans. 

Zainab Johnson

Entertainment: Stand-Up Comedian

Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Zainab’s comedy is based on her unique point-of-view, which was shaped growing up in Harlem as one of thirteen siblings in a black Muslim family.  After getting a degree in Education and Math and taking a job as a teacher, she quickly learned that she had a different calling. Zainab is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series titled UPLOAD from Greg Daniels, she is one of the hosts for Netflix's show 100 HUMANS, and starred as Dr. Hanniel in the brilliantly written web series AVANT-GUARDIANS. She made her first late night stand up appearance on NBC's LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS, and had breakout appearances on HBO’s ALL DEF COMEDY,  NBC’s LAST COMIC STANDING, and has performed at the JFL Comedy Festival in Montreal first as a "New Face of Comedy", then as one of "Variety's Top 10 Comics to Watch", and most recently on the longest running JFL show "Just For The Culture". She is a paid regular at The Comedy Store, The Improv, and Laugh Factory  in Los Angeles as well as the Comedy Cellar in New York City. Her first hour long special, Hijabs Off, is now available to stream on Amazon.

Al Taw'am (The Twins)

Entertainment: Dancers

Al Taw'am is a multimodal dance ensemble composed of twin sisters, Umi IMAN and Khadijah Siferllah. They are practitioners of various dances of the African diaspora and are deeply rooted in Black and Indigenous movement practices, including Hip-Hop, Traditional West African, Modern Dance, and Jingle Dress. Through their art, they honor who they are, where they come from, and the lasting impact they aim to leave. Al Taw'am made history as the first hijabi dancers to work with NBC, competing as season one contestants on World of Dance, directed by Jennifer Lopez. Their dedication to community and activism has been showcased at esteemed platforms like The Facing Race Conference and The Nobel Peace Prize Forum. Additionally, Al Taw'am has shared their expertise as speakers and guest teachers at institutions such as Spelman College, Yale University, and Harvard University. As Emmy-nominated artists and recipients of the Chuck Davis Choreography Award, their work continues to inspire and pave the way for future generations .Originally from Minneapolis, MN, Al Taw'am has expanded their individual careers to Atlanta, GA, and New York City, where they continue their work as educators, choreographers, and cultural leaders.