The Power of Networks

Recently, I had the chance to speak with Maha Elgenaidi (Class XVII) Founder and Executive Director of Islamic Networks Group in regards to her organization’s work, ALF experience, the benefits of having a network of like-minded, supportive individuals, and the positive impact you can achieve with that network.
Introduce yourself. Tell us about what you do and how you came into this role.
My name is Maha Elgenaidi and I am the Founder and Executive Director of the Islamic Networks Group, also known as ING. I was part of class XVII. My organization is now in its 26th year. We started in 1993 at the tail end of the first Persian Gulf War, when both the Arab and Muslim American communities were experiencing a rise in hate crimes. A group of us came together and decided to reach out to our neighbors, schools, and houses of worship to help them learn more about us and get to know who we really are as opposed to what they may have seen or heard through the media at the time.
Before starting ING, I worked in the for-profit sector for 7 or 8 years after college.  When I first started the organization, I had no idea that the demand for learning about Muslims and their faith was so great. There was immediate interest in inviting local Muslim Americans to come out and speak and teach about Islam, about the diversity of Muslims, and about Islam’s relationship with people of other faiths. That demand is still very strong and has grown tremendously since the last presidential election.
 
How did you first hear about American Leadership Forum and what inspired you to join?
When I was nominated for an ALF fellowship I had not heard about ALF. Upon researching the organization and speaking with its Executive Director at the time, Ann Skeet, I was so impressed with what I saw that I immediately accepted the offer to join. Professional development opportunities like the ones offered through ALF are a luxury to someone like me who works in the non-profit world for an organization that is always looking for funding year after year. I am deeply grateful for the scholarship that ALF provided me that allowed me to participate. Being a part of this program had a tremendous impact not only on me personally but also on the growth of my organization.
 
Tell us about your ALF experience. What stood out to you the most and what kind of impact did being part of ALF have for you?
The most important experience that I had in ALF was meeting people that I don’t think I would have met without having been part of the ALF community. Managers of non-profits don’t always get the opportunity to meet corporate executives, attorneys, and senior managers as I was able to do in my ALF class. I also met people that worked for labor unions, city government, and houses of worship, people from different sectors and backgrounds. I had a class that was phenomenal both in the quality and significance of the lessons I learned there and in the caliber of the people participating. Some of my classmates ended up becoming my friends; we follow each other on social media, we’ve collaborated on various projects, and have held joint gatherings from time to time. In fact, one of them joined our board of directors, serving for about 10 years, and was partially responsible for the growth that we experienced, as a result of his contributions not only to our finances but also to our management capabilities.
If you really want to achieve lasting impact and positive change in the community, find yourself a network of like-minded, supportive leaders. I couldn’t have accomplished what I have in my organization without working alongside members of other communities in schools, houses of worship, Rotary and Lions Clubs, corporations—people from very varied walks of life. Being a part of ALF has truly made a difference and allowed me and my organization to achieve long-term impact in the work that we are invested in: teaching Americans about Muslims in the context of religious pluralism and racial justice.                                                            
 
Interview by Peter Hsieh, Marketing and Communications Director