We are honored to announce that the recipient of the 2016 Oklahoma Muslim of the Year Award will go to Mrs. Aliye Shimi of Tulsa, OK. Nominated by her fellow Oklahomans, Aliye has made her community proud through the co-founding of the Peace Project, where her countless hours of service help build bridges of understanding and spread peace.
Purchase your tickets today to join us as we celebrate Aliye Shimi as the Oklahoma Muslim of the Year for 2016.
http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ec7rlk66e456e51a&llr=xbhes8mab
Aliye Shimi is the daughter of Turkish immigrants who traveled to the United States from Germany in 1975. She is the first of her family’s generation to be raised in America and the second of four siblings who were raised in a traditional Turkish Muslim home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After graduating from high school, she married and continued her education and graduating from Oklahoma State University. She and her husband have been blessed with five wonderful children.
Shimi is a devout Muslim woman who is immersed in her beautiful multicultural heritage. She has been active in the interfaith community for over nineteen years, working side by side with organizations like the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice, Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, Surayya Anne Foundation, Tulsa Interfaith Alliance, Compassionate Tulsa, Oklahoma Conference of Churches, and many more. Shimi currently serves as the Director of Outreach and Public Relations for the Islamic Society of Tulsa.
In the last year, Aliye Shimi has introduced Islamic values and basic knowledge to more schools, religious congregations, and clubs than anyone. She has led numerous talks and events about family, faith, and the connection within Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities. No Muslim before her in the Tulsa area has worked more with law enforcement, training them and acting as community liaison and problem solver. Wherever she goes, she makes lifelong friends. Shimi has helped coordinate grassroots volunteer opportunities at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, at Nightlight Tulsa providing for the homeless, at all Tulsa-area fire and police stations, and more.
With photographer Sheeba Atiqi, Shimi helped found the #IStandForPeace campaign that has photographed over 300 peacefully-minded people of diverse backgrounds in its first 4 months. This campaign entails having people from all walks of life stand and pose with a sign that states their name, their occupation, or another defining characteristic, along with the hashtag #IStandForPeace.
Through all her dedicated work and community service, Aliye Shimi is changing the narrative of Muslims in Oklahoma.