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ISB Atlanta anniversary gala spotlights interfaith work and community ties
ISB Atlanta marked 25 years with a gala bringing civic, business and faith leaders together in Atlanta. The event honored the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and highlighted the organization’s work across schools, businesses and religious communities.
ISB Atlanta celebrated its 25th anniversary Oct. 10 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, gathering civic, business and faith leaders to recognize the organization’s work promoting understanding across religious and cultural communities.
The evening included the presentation of ISB Atlanta’s Distinguished Leadership Award to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Kenny Blank, the foundation’s vice president of community relations and son of founder Arthur Blank, accepted the award with foundation President Fay Twersky.
Founded in 2001 as the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta, ISB Atlanta works to build understanding of Muslim communities through education, engagement, leadership and service. Its programs have connected people in K-12 schools, universities, health care institutions, businesses, law enforcement agencies and faith communities.
Atlanta City Council member Matt Westmoreland presented a proclamation signed by all 15 council members recognizing the anniversary and the organization’s contributions. He praised its efforts to strengthen interfaith and intercultural relationships and thanked founder and Executive Director Soumaya Khalifa for her leadership and mentorship.
Former Atlanta Mayor and U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young connected the group’s work to Atlanta’s historic identity as “the city too busy to hate,” a phrase associated with the city’s civil rights-era efforts to promote racial progress. Young, who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr., said Atlanta should also be a city “not too busy to care.”
“Peace is not a dream. Peace is a reality in this room. It’s a reality in our neighborhoods,” Young said, urging people to carry the evening’s spirit into daily life.
During a conversation moderated by Jeremy Cole, Blank spoke about how family values are conveyed through action and priorities. Twersky described how the foundation arranged employee training on antisemitism, followed by a session led by Khalifa on Islamophobia. She presented the sessions as an example of how personal relationships can create opportunities for learning.
The gala’s message underscored the ongoing work of building understanding among Atlanta’s diverse communities. As ISB Atlanta looks toward its next 25 years, Khalifa said the milestone reflected both the progress made and the work still ahead.