Thursday, November 20, 2014

WHY I AM LEAVING MPV

After serving three years as Director of LGBT Outreach with Muslims for Progressive Values, I submitted my resignation to MPV this past September, informing the organization that my tenure would end in November.

Throughout these three years, I have been very grateful for having had the opportunity to be the first MPV’s Director of LGBT Outreach. In that position, I was able to accomplish several major projects, which included researching and writing the 13 videos for Muslim gay youth, their families and friends, which is on MPV’s website under LGBTQ Resources. Additionally, working with Al-Jazeera last year, in December, a major documentary was broadcast throughout the known Muslim and non-Muslim world, which further expanded outreach to the LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ Muslim communities worldwide. This exposure literally helped MPV double its membership within a couple of weeks after the broadcast.

However, as with all great things, the time is come for me to leave MPV. New opportunities to teach and write have presented themselves, including a chance to build an online Islamic training program. I have also been presented with more opportunities to participate in conferences, working with more organizations in fostering better environment for LGBTQ Muslims, as well as having more opportunities to tend to larger communal needs. Now that I have completed my tenure with MPV, I can now dedicate my fuller attention to these efforts.

I wish to thank the MPV board, its president, and the innumerable people who worked with me during that time, for it has been a great pleasure in working with you in responding to the needs of the LGBTQ Muslim community, availing so many the opportunity to make significant changes in how they saw themselves, as believers in the Islamic faith, and to bring some clarity and happiness in reconciling their faith and sexual orientation.

Beginning in December, you will be able to reach me at my new website, daayiee.net, where I will host my articles, blog, and videos, as well as offer other services in the near future.

Imam Daayiee Abdullah
Executive Director
MECCA INSTITUTE

Washington, DC