Black Muslim and Christian Leaders Unite in Montgomery to Chart a Shared Future

By Tiffany Green-Abdullah

Montgomery, Ala. — In the cradle of the modern Civil Rights Movement, where the streets still echo with the footfalls of marchers who demanded justice, a new generation of Black leaders gathered this past week. 

Black activists of various faiths, including Muslim and Christian community leaders from across the country, convened in Montgomery for a multi-day planning session to address the enduring challenges facing Black communities nationwide.

The convening took place at the Legacy Sites established by Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative — sacred spaces built to confront America’s history of racial terror and to inspire a more just future. 

The Legacy Sites depict with valor the false narrative depicting Black Americans as violent criminals. Black Americans built this country and have been working for generations to find their loved ones sold away during enslavement and create a construct for family based in love and togetherness. 

In between intensive sessions of strategy and planning, participants walked together through the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, often called the “lynching memorial,” where more than 800 steel monuments bear the names of victims of racial terror killings. 

They paused in the Legacy Museum to confront the throughline of slavery, segregation, mass incarceration, and systemic inequality. They stood among the powerful sculptures of resilience and mourning in the memorial gardens.

For many, the immersion in Montgomery’s landscape of memory was not a break from work, but a deepening of it. I reflected deeply that “we cannot plan for liberation without confronting the weight of our past.” 

These sites remind us that our pain and our resilience are intertwined — and that our strategies must hold both. 

The gathering was significant for its intentional inclusion of Black Muslims alongside Black church leaders and Black Community Organizers, bridging traditions often siloed in national discourse but deeply connected in community struggle. 

Together, the delegation examined pressing issues ranging from base building around affordable housing, security, and the urgent need for learning to grow food, youth development, and mental wellness. 

The atmosphere was one of collaboration, respect, and a shared recognition that healing and meaning-making must be as central as policy. The Muslim delegates brought a calming effect by praying together and showing solidarity and unity through observing their prayers.  

They shared prophetic wisdom that provided language for concepts around community collaboration and a shared future. 

Aseelah Rashid, Executive Director of the International Museum of Muslim Cultures, shared the concept of Fitrah to the group: the innate, God-given nature of human beings, that is pure and innocent. 

Our delegation was just a sampling of the leadership within the Black Muslim community that, inshallah, we will converge with the broader American Muslim community to organize around the issues of today that require immediate attention and action. 

The convening took on even deeper meaning when, just a day after returning home, one of the Muslim leaders, Umar Hakim-Dey, returned to Allah. 

May Allah grant him the highest station in Paradise, accept his service as worship, and give comfort to his family, friends, and all who loved him. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un – to God we belong, and to Him we return.

In a convening of leaders in August at IMAN Chicago, I had the privilege of working with Umar as my introductions partner, where we were to share the title of a book describing where we were on that day in our life journey. 

His title was “The Story of Now,” a story of looking back and growing up in Compton. Allah is the best of planners, and I feel so blessed to have met Umar then and in Montgomery. He walked with dignity and had such a sense of peace within him. 

In Loving Memory of Brother Umar Hakim-Dey:

We are profoundly saddened by the sudden passing of Umar Hakim-Dey, a visionary leader, compassionate community organizer, and dear friend. His legacy of service, faith, and bridge-building will continue to inspire us all. 

Raised in Compton, Calif., Umar’s life journey reflected resilience, faith, and a steadfast dedication to service. After embracing Islam in 1998, he became a guiding light in Los Angeles and beyond, working at the intersection of faith, social enterprise, and civic engagement. 

His leadership touched interfaith networks, grassroots coalitions, and national organizations – always marked by humility, kindness, and a deep belief in justice and human dignity.

Umar often reflected on the Qur’anic verse from Surah ar-Ra’d (13:11): “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in their hearts.” 

He described this verse as a turning point in his life, shaping his conviction that true empowerment begins in the heart and becomes the foundation for lasting change. 

During our convening in Montgomery, he reminded us that “a true friend is someone who mentions your name in a room where no one knows you.” It was a reflection of the way he lived – always speaking life into others, always lifting others up.

She has been a proud member of the Muslim community since 2009 and actively serves with the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam, contributing to the Ashura Committee and previously with the Mohammed Schools of Atlanta Strategic Planning Committee and as the 7^th and 8th-grade Parent Liaison.

As the Interim Director of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) Atlanta, Tiffany champions transformative initiatives that merge community empowerment, health and wellness, and cultural engagement. 

A certified Islamically Integrated Life Coach, she is committed to fostering resilience, faith, and empowerment across communities.  In addition, she is the founder of Successory, an innovative platform designed to help individuals drive their success by integrating life coaching, AI, and Islamic knowledge.

With a professional background that includes founding and leading Georgia State University’s Learning Community Development department, Tiffany has been instrumental in securing funding and launching impactful programs focused on personal and professional growth. 

Her life’s work reflects a dedication to nurturing well-rounded success and building lasting legacies through both her faith and professional endeavors.