Related Web Site • Muslim Refusenik » • Southern Voice: In the ‘refusenik’ of time » Meeting Information • Where: Midtown Sheraton Colony Square Hotel. Directions » • Date: April 15 • Time: Doors open at 5:45 Special Program begins at 6:30 • Cost: Members: $10, Guests: $20, Students: Free. • Advance Tickets: Members may purchase tickets in advance by clicking here.

April speaker

Irshad Manji
Canadian Muslim journalist, author and QueerTV personality

On Thursday, April 15, AEN's speaker will be Irshad Manji, a Canadian journalist who is also a lesbian and a Muslim.

At age 14, Ms. Manji was expelled from her madrasa, a religious school, for asking questions about Islam and the Koran. After studying the Koran on her own for twenty years, she has accepted the possibility that her sexual orientation might be a sin. However, Ms. Manji asserts that only her Creator can make that judgment. For those who struggle with the Christian Bible's verses on homosexuality, the Koran can be just as complicated. For instance, the Koran says that everything God made is "excellent" and that nothing God has made is "in vain." Ms. Manji asks, "If the creator did not wish to create me, a lesbian, then why didn't he create somebody else in my place? And given how explicit the Koran is that God has deliberately designed the world's breathtaking multiplicity, I wonder how my critics can justify their utter condemnation of homosexuality."

This is a taste of the provocative perspective of Irshad Manji. She is an acclaimed journalist, author, TV personality and media entrepreneur based in Toronto. Ms. magazine has named her a "Feminist for the 21st Century" and The New York Times has dubbed her "Osama bin Laden's worst nightmare."

Currently, Ms. Manji is president of VERB, a TV channel being developed to engage young people on issues of global diversity. She also hosts Big Ideas, TVOntario's weekly show aimed at college students.

From 1998-2001, Ms. Manji made media history as host and senior producer of CityTV's QueerTelevision, the world's first program on commercial airwaves to explore the lives of gays and lesbians. Besides conceiving the show, Ms. Manji helped negotiate its syndication through planetout.com. QueerTV has become one of the few programs anywhere to be streamed entirely on the Internet, circumventing state-sanctioned censorship and reaching a global audience quickly.

Ms. Manji came to TV via print. Her first published piece, a letter expressing sorrow for her racist attitude toward her immigrant mother, started a wide-ranging dialogue between parents and children. Then, at age 23, Ms. Manji became National Affairs Editorialist with the Ottawa Citizen -- the youngest editorial board member at any major North American newspaper.

Her many endeavors let Ms. Manji communicate with audiences as diverse as the International Women's Forum Leadership Conference and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference on Technology, Learning and Culture. An active volunteer, Ms. Manji is special advisor to Future Possibilities Canada, which coaches youth to set goals and pursue their passions.

Irshad Manji promises to be one of AEN's most dynamic, interesting, and enlightening speakers. She will be available prior to the meeting to sign copies of her book, The Trouble with Islam: A Muslim's Call for Reform in her Faith.

Ms. Manji's appearance is made possible by the Anti-Defamation League and Emory University Hillel.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m. and the special program begins promptly at 6:30 p.m.

If you want to grow your business … Volunteer!

And AEN has many opportunities for you to do just that…volunteer while growing your business.

Over the years as I have developed my business and worked in the development of other businesses, I have considered volunteering one of the most effective and least expensive methods for customer and client growth.

Three things important to a business' development are exposure, visibility and credibility. Over time, a big budget can buy the first two. The quality of the service or product, good referrals and longevity can buy the last. However, volunteering can buy all three in less time and with less of a monetary investment. Yes, volunteering does take personal time and for a business-owner time is so important. But, the rewards are worth the time and effort.

Here's why: A solid customer/client base is built upon the relationship you develop with your customer/client. When you volunteer, you are interacting one-on-one with people who could be your next customer or client. You are getting your name, your business' name promoted and getting recognition for the time you give to the organization. People have the opportunity to not only get to know you but who you are as a businessperson. Volunteering provides a great opportunity for business exposure, visibility and credibility.

So be smart in growing your business while helping AEN in its on-going efforts to provide stellar programs and services to our members and Atlanta's LGBT community.

Call AEN Executive Director Glen Paul Freedman at 404.724.9008 for more information on how you can get involved and grow your business through volunteering or you can do so on the Web at http://aen.org/volunteer.shtml.

Pre-pay and save!

AEN is pleased offer a new membership plan that includes your meeting entrance charge. This plan, once $175, is now only $125. That's a $60 savings.

Click here to renew your membership »

AEN helped sponsor the first ever LGBT Leadership Roundtable, entitled "Working Smarter Together," that brought leaders from all LGBT organizations in Atlanta together.

The event was held March 5 at Kennesaw State University where the purpose of the conference was to initiate the sharing of ideas across all organizations as well as establish an ongoing avenue for continued brainstorming.

Attendees of the conference were Kennesaw State University Dean Teresa Joyce, Georgia Equality Executive Director Allen Thornell, OurSong President Steven Lyzenga, AGLCC Vice President Mickey Parsons, ACLU of Georgia President Cherry Spenser-Stark, YouthPride Executive Director Edward Gray, ALCI Executive Director Linda Ellis, Atlanta Pride Executive Director Donna Narducci, Family Pride of the South Executive Director Lisa Prince and AEN's Bonnie Barton, Don George and Carla Corley.

"The LGBT Leadership Roundtable's mission is to work smarter by coming together collectively to expand and enhance the capacities of organizations serving the LGBT community," says LGBT Roundtable organizer and AEN Director Carla Corley.

"By working together, we can share operating ideas as well as help raise awareness of the vast number of organizations serving our community." Several strategic items such as a centralized self-updating community calendar as well as collecting community demographics were established.

The next meeting will be held May 18 at 6 p.m. Those organizations interested in attending should contact Carla at carlacorley@aen.org.

We thank our sponsor, John Lee at Leeworth Mortgage, as well as all the leaders mentioned above for attending this inaugural event.