Aziza Hasan
Executive Director, NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change
“Investing in the capacity of people to speak their truth and their story is essential to establishing a functional democracy. It is critical in building transformational leadership that is rooted, strong, and confident enough to appreciate that others have differing perspectives that also deserve to be heard. Over the years, I have learned that we create borders and barriers inside our own heads about people we disagree with, thus contributing to our own inability to work things through. Time and time again, I have seen that neglecting to see the other’s pain further exacerbates the hardening of the heart and further entrenches conflict. It’s why I stop to listen, to learn, and to create space for others to do the same.”
Biography
Aziza Hasan, named an influencer by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, is the executive director of NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change. Believing that democracy requires an ability to work through the difficult moments for the greater good and benefit of all, the organization is dedicated to building relationships between Muslims and Jews so that they can transform their communities through lasting partnership. The more we are able to include people we disagree with, the stronger the outcome of our work will be.
Hasan has extensive experience in program management and coalition-building. An experienced mediator and conflict transformation practitioner, she has co-facilitated with multiple groups. Hasan’s work has been featured by Ozy, Yahoo News, MSN, Public Radio’s Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett, the United States Institute of Peace, Arabic radio and television, and the L.A. Times. Her two years of AmeriCorps service gave her hands-on experience in community organizing and group problem-solving. She earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2006 under President George W. Bush and served on President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships from 2015 to 2016. The Executive Service Corps recognized her with the Megan G. Cooper Leadership Award in 2017. Hasan currently serves on Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Interfaith Advisory Council and the city of Los Angeles Civil and Human Rights Commission.