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Who We Are

Girls Rising Strong has been successfully piloted with over 60 girls in the local Atlanta community. Positive feedback from parents, participants, and facilitators highlights its effectiveness in fostering personal growth while promoting virtuous character development for future academic success. By investing in this curriculum, your organization will equip young girls with the tools they need to navigate life’s challenges, build resilience, and become impactful leaders in their communities.

Vision

Our vision is to become a trusted and reputable program that serves as a cornerstone for adolescent development. We aim to create a supportive and nurturing environment where young people can cultivate self-awareness, build emotional resilience, and develop the skills to make positive, informed decisions. By empowering adolescents with these foundational qualities, we strive to guide them toward becoming confident individuals who are equipped to face challenges, embrace opportunities, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Mission

Our mission is to empower young girls by providing them with the essential tools, guidance, and skills needed to navigate the complexities of life with confidence, resilience, and strength. We aim to foster their personal growth, emotional well-being, and leadership capabilities, ensuring they transition into capable, self-assured, and mature young adults ready to make a positive impact on their communities and beyond

Curriculum Team

Sana Imad

Sana Imad is a parent of 3 girls, 12, 11, and 5, the youngest of whom is a child who is level 2 on the spectrum with speech and cognitive deficits. Although she has a background in neuroscience, it was purely through divine intervention that Sana realized she had to learn to parent her second child with a completely different set of personality traits than what she has been used to. After years of personal research and development, Sana began to notice a lack of content addressing character development in young adolescents. Girls Rising Strong was created to fill that void.

Ivana Zajkovska

Ivana has a background in Education and Positive Youth Development and is the Founder and CEO of Youth360° - The Center for Youth Thriving. Driven by a deep passion for empowering young minds and fostering positive change at all levels of society, she has dedicated her career to helping youth thrive in today's rapidly evolving world. Ivana has been instrumental in organizing and enhancing the pre-existing content. Her efforts helped create a more cohesive and engaging learning experience for participants. Additionally, Ivana played a key role in developing the facilitator handbook and training, ensuring that the program is consistent, impactful, and aligned with best practices in education and positive youth development.

Sameera Omar

Sameera is an Atlanta native who studied Psychology at Georgia Tech. Her experience working with a variety of tech start-ups fueled her passion for community building and organizational development. She is also a graduate of Bayyinah Institute and is currently enrolled at Qalam. Over the last 12 years she has amassed a significant amount of experience in working with youth both personally and professionally. Sameera was instrumental in the creation of content for the pilot program of Girls Rising Strong and her work on that continues to provide the foundational basis for the first full year of content. She loves hiking, traveling, burritos, tennis, and curling up to a solid book.

Aminah Muhammad

Aminah is a native of greater Atlanta who grew up in the culturally rich suburbs of Gwinnett County. She is currently a second year in the Middle Grades Education program at UGA. She has been teaching Sunday school programs for the last two years and is passionate about not just teaching youth but mentoring and coaching them as well. Aminah has played a key role in assisting with structural as well as creative support to the development of content.

Dr Marilyn Preston

A seasoned expert in curriculum design, program evaluation, and research methodologies, with over a decade of experience driving social change through education and health equity. Holding a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies, she specializes in policy analysis, program development, and advocacy, all rooted in a strong commitment to social justice and anti-racist education. As the founder of Read the World Consulting, Marilyn provides tailored consulting services in curriculum design, program evaluation, DEI training, and leadership development. Her expertise in participatory evaluation and inclusive pedagogy ensures impactful, equity-driven solutions for organizations seeking sustainable change. Passionate about fostering civic engagement and systemic transformation, Marilyn is dedicated to helping clients achieve their goals with precision and empathy.

Auxillary Team

Lubna Merchant

Operations and Logistics

Allison Forrer

Facilitator Training Manual

Kennedy Rome

Toolkit Designer

Dr Yousuf Raza

Consultant Advisor

Sh Vajid Pathan

Consultant Advisor

Olivia Smith

Content Editor

Sabeen Rana, LCSW

Consultant Advisor

Carmen Bessant LMFT

Consultant Advisor

Nayyera Khan

Social Media

Facilitators

Muniba Anwar

My name is Muniba Anwar and I am currently majoring in Public Health at Georgia State University. After graduation, I plan to pursue both a Juris Doctorate and a Master’s in Health Administration. My goal is to practice health law and advocate for individuals who have been harmed by the very systems meant to protect them. I am passionate about becoming an attorney who uses the law to create accountability and help build more just and supportive systems.

I’m excited to be stepping into my role as a Program Facilitator because it connects deeply to the work I care about, especially around leadership, mentorship, and growth. I’ve previously served as an Intake Intern at Georgia Justice Project, supporting individuals involved in the criminal legal system and connecting them with legal resources. I also volunteer at the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation where I assist people at the courthouse experiencing housing instability or domestic violence. These experiences taught me how to communicate with care, build trust in difficult moments, and stay grounded in service.

Through my work I have learned that adaptability and empathy are just as important as any technical skill. I have developed the ability to meet people where they are listen deeply and lead with presence and patience. I hope to bring these qualities into my role as a facilitator this year, and support youth as they explore their identity and leadership potential.

I believe real leadership starts from within. I look forward to helping students build confidence emotional awareness and a strong sense of purpose that will carry them far beyond our sessions.

Mehad Sarhan

is a dedicated college student currently pursuing a degree in Biology. With a strong background in youth programming, Mehad has worked in various community settings including masjid summer camps, Islamic studies classes, and Quranic study programs. Her experience reflects a deep commitment to nurturing spiritual growth and strong character in young Muslims.

CPR certified and always prepared, Mehad brings a calm, compassionate, and patient presence to every environment. She is known for her honesty, loyalty, and kindness — values she strives to model and instill in others.

In her free time, Mehad enjoys reading, exercising, cooking, and exploring new experiences. She is passionate about building meaningful relationships and creating a safe, uplifting space where young girls can grow in confidence, character, and faith.

Mehad looks forward to supporting your daughters on this journey and working together to help them thrive.

Daiyzah Glenn

About Me My name is Daiyzah Glenn, and I am deeply passionate about youth empowerment and cultivating real leaders who are equipped to stand in truth and lead with intention. I graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 2021 with a degree in Psychology, originally pursuing a path in juvenile justice reform. However, my journey shifted as I found a greater calling in homeless outreach and youth development—spaces where transformation begins and leadership is truly shaped.

As a Youth Program Director, I’ve had the privilege of teaching and facilitating workshops on powerful and often difficult topics such as human trafficking, teen dating violence, and child safety. These sessions weren’t just educational—they were transformational. They gave young people the tools, language, and confidence to confront life’s realities while learning how to lead themselves and others with awareness and strength.

My passion for this work is rooted in my belief that leadership starts early and is built through experience, mentorship, and truth-telling. That belief has carried into my work with organizations like Kate’s Club, That’s My Child, and Seed Life Foundation, where I’ve mentored young girls through life’s challenges, helping them uncover their voice and discover their potential. Through Elevate Adolescence, I continue this mission with even greater purpose—empowering youth to rise above, embrace who they are, and become the kind of leaders the world truly needs: honest, resilient, and rooted in purpose.

Maya Nazeha Shweiky

Maya Nazeha Shweiky is a Syrian-American Muslim woman born and raised in Saint Helena, California. With a BA in Philosophy, teaching credential through the California Teaching Commission, and M.Ed, she focused her research on how environments impact learning in inner-city schools. Maya taught public high school in Oakland for five years and held the title as English Department Chair. She was a participant of the Hollyhock research fellowship at Stanford Graduate School of Education. In 2014, she began building the youth initiative at Ta’leef Collective, a non-profit which strives to bring content and companionship to Muslim youth through the balancing of sacred knowledge and social agility. She left the Oakland school district in 2018 to join Ta’leef full-time. After starting a family and moving to Atlanta in 2020, Maya has focused her work on instructional and graphic design, working as a contract designer and consultant for the North Georgia Hospital System. She’s also held leadership positions for the last few years at Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool and currently serves as VP of the Board of Directors. Maya brings creativity, cultural awareness, and a deep commitment to education in all her endeavors.

Jaanaki

Bio: Jaanaki Radhakrishnan is a student researcher, community organizer, and Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow at Emory University, where she studies Anthropology and Religion
with a minor in Neuroscience. From Detroit, her work is grounded in a commitment to
racial and environmental justice, youth empowerment, and community-rooted care.
Jaanaki brings years of experience across research, education, and organizing spaces,
having most recently worked as a researcher & curriculum evaluator for Teach for
America’s R&D engine. Her focus remains on building structural change through holistically
educating young people as empowered, justice-oriented participants in the construction of their future.

Noor Iqbal

NOOR F. K. IQBAL is a co-founder of Atlanta Forest School. She grew up experiencing monsoons in Pakistan and snow in the Himalayas, raising chickens and goats in rural Alberta, and paddling the rivers of western Canada. Noor is an artisan handweaver (Olds College, AB), and holds degrees in History and German Literature (University of Alberta) and Outdoor and Experiential Education – Primary/Junior (Queen’s University). She has experience as a homeschooler, elementary teacher, doula, and afterschool educator for refugee students. Her passions include holistic education, living close to the land, and helping children be in touch with themselves as part of the living world. Noor is trained as a Forest School Practitioner (Child & Nature Alliance of Canada) and trained in Wilderness First Aid. Along with her husband and two young children, she currently tends a garden and home in Atlanta, G

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