*Khatīb:* Imam Adeyinka Mendes is the founder of the Bilal Spiritual Center for Peace and the Arts and co-founder of the African-American Healing, Ancestry, and Development (AHAD) Collective and other initiatives for establishing a holistic, peaceful, and joyous practice of Islam dedicated to sacred service and justice for all. He is an international speaker, spiritual activist, educator, author, translator of sacred literature, and teacher of Arabic and the Islamic Sciences. He has recently published, "The Spirits of Black Folk: Sages Through the Ages", a translation of Imam as-Suyuti's renowned text, "The Excellence of Black People" (Raf'u Sha'ni'l-Hubshan). He lives with his spouse, Rukayat Yakub, a Montessori educator and award-winning children's author, and their lovely children in Houston.

*About DMA:* The Downtown Muslim Association of Seattle is a long-standing Muslim institution serving the downtown community for over 4 decades. DMA provides Jummah and a space for prayer between 9-5 in the Multipurpose Room at Plymouth Church on 6th & Seneca. The goal has always been to provide a place for prayer in the downtown Seattle area and enhance a better understanding between Muslims and Non-Musilms.
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