CNN spent a year interviewing more than 100 American Muslims, asking who they believed were the most influential Muslims in their fields. Though no one can speak for the nearly 3.5 million Muslims in America, Reza Aslan and Wajahat Ali were among the most influential to be named, alongside an Olympic hero, a nationally televised comedian, the leader of the Women’s March, and the first Muslim in congress.
“Seeing my Mom and Dad every day, immigrants who came to this country, wearing a sari, making chai in the kitchen, but then watching the Warriors game, I’m like yeah, that’s America.” Wajahat Ali is a journalist, a writer, a lawyer, an award-winning playwright, and was consultant for the U.S. State Department. His keynotes are funny, insightful, brave, and audiences leave warmed by his clear-eyed take on what it means to be a Muslim in America today.
“To me being an American Muslim is simply being a part of the cultural and religious fabric, the mosaic that has made this such an extraordinary country,” says Reza Aslan, bestselling author, religious scholar, professor and consultant on HBO’s The Leftovers. His keynotes are deeply personal, funny, informative and challenge audiences to see the world differently.
