Diffused Congruence: The American Muslim Experience

Episode 150: Protests, Encampments, and the BDS Movement with Zahra Billoo


Listen Later

For the show's 150th episode Parvez & Omar are joined by the second guest ever to appear on the podcast, Zahra Billoo , Civil rights Attorney and Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA). Zahra brings her years of tireless Civil Rights work and activism to bear as she discusses the recent protests and encampments taking place across college campuses placing them within the broader Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement and discussing their overall goals and objectives. The conversation also tackles the criticisms that such protests and encampments have garnered from voices outside of and within the Muslim community, as well as certain initiatives and organizations that some argue seek to normalize relations with the State of Israel and Zionism.

About Zahra Billoo

Zahra Billoo serves as the Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA) office, the oldest CAIR chapter office. Since joining in 2009, Zahra has led the organization through a period of six-fold growth. Today, she manages one of the largest CAIR offices in the country with a team of civil rights and social justice advocates dedicated to the empowerment of American Muslims through legal services, legislative advocacy, and community organizing.

Under Zahra’s leadership, CAIR-SFBA has filed lawsuits against the United States Department of Justice, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Southwest Airlines, representing American Muslims facing discriminatory treatment. CAIR-SFBA has also significantly expanded its capabilities to provide know-your-rights sessions on a nearly weekly basis to mosques and community members in the San Francisco Bay Area, while also providing direct legal representation to Bay Area residents facing numerous civil rights violations, including FBI interviews, employment discrimination, airport harassment, school bullying, and hate crimes.

Zahra’s advocacy has included media appearances in local and national media, including MSNBC, NPR, the San Francisco Chronicle, and even FOX News. Among her awards, she received the 2017 Human Rights Award from the Society of American Law Teachers and the 2018 Community Builder Award from People Acting in Community Together (PACT). She was also listed by the San Jose Mercury News as a “Woman to Watch” in March 2017 for Women’s History Month, as well as by the Chronicle of Philanthropy in their January 2018 cover story on millennials who lead.

She is currently a fellow with Levi Strauss Foundation Pioneers in Justice, a senior fellow with the American Leadership Forum’s Silicon Valley Chapter and an alumna of Rockwood’s Fellowship for a New California, LeaderSpring’s Executive Directors Fellowship, and USC’s American Muslim Civil Leadership Institute. Zahra earned her undergraduate degrees from the California State University, Long Beach, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Hastings. She is licensed to practice law in California.

 

 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Diffused Congruence: The American Muslim ExperienceBy Parvez Ahmed & Omar Ansari

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

88 ratings


More shows like Diffused Congruence: The American Muslim Experience

View all
Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective by ESPN, NBA, Brian Windhorst

Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective

3,844 Listeners

The Art of Manliness by The Art of Manliness

The Art of Manliness

14,289 Listeners

Qalam Institute Podcast by Qalam Institute

Qalam Institute Podcast

853 Listeners

Nouman Ali Khan by Muslim Central

Nouman Ali Khan

899 Listeners

Yasir Qadhi by Muslim Central

Yasir Qadhi

990 Listeners

The Brilliant Idiots by Charlamange Tha God and Andrew Schulz

The Brilliant Idiots

11,488 Listeners

Omar Suleiman by Muslim Central

Omar Suleiman

2,012 Listeners

Hamza Yusuf by Muslim Central

Hamza Yusuf

296 Listeners

Yaqeen Podcast by Yaqeen Institute

Yaqeen Podcast

387 Listeners

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee by Dr Rangan Chatterjee: GP & Author

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

4,093 Listeners

The Take by Al Jazeera

The Take

509 Listeners

The Thinking Muslim by Muhammad Jalal

The Thinking Muslim

176 Listeners

Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (sws) - Yasir Qadhi by Supporting Yasir Qadhi

Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (sws) - Yasir Qadhi

559 Listeners

We’re Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends by Zeteo

We’re Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends

464 Listeners

Nouman Ali Khan: Bayyinah Podcast by Nouman Ali Khan

Nouman Ali Khan: Bayyinah Podcast

8 Listeners