Atlanta’s future depends on people from different backgrounds finding ways to understand one another, a message at the center of ISB Atlanta’s 25th anniversary gala.
The Oct. 10 event at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis brought together civic, business and faith leaders to celebrate the organization’s quarter-century of work fostering understanding across religious and cultural communities. The evening also honored the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation with ISB Atlanta’s Distinguished Leadership Award.
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.
Atlanta City Council member Matt Westmoreland presented a proclamation signed by all 15 council members recognizing the organization’s anniversary and its contributions to the city.
“Congratulations on 25 years of strengthening the interfaith and intercultural community by building bridges of understanding through education, engagement, leadership, and service,” Westmoreland said.
He also thanked ISB Atlanta founder and Executive Director Soumaya Khalifa for her years of leadership and mentorship.
Former Atlanta Mayor and U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young connected the organization’s work to the city’s long-standing reputation as “the city too busy to hate,” a phrase associated with Atlanta’s efforts to promote racial progress and present itself as a welcoming city during the civil rights era.
Young, who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights movement, reflected on how that ideal could continue to guide Atlanta.
“When I come into this room, I realize we’re also a city that’s not too busy to care,” Young said.
He also emphasized the importance of making peace a lived reality, saying, “Peace is not a dream. Peace is a reality in this room. It’s a reality in our neighborhoods.”
The remarks echoed the evening’s focus on bringing people together across differences. Maria Saporta, a longtime Atlanta journalist and SaportaReport’s executive editor, serves as an honorary co-chair alongside Babar Mansoor of Southern Company and Jason Carter of the Carter Center. Their participation reflected the interfaith and civic relationships central to the evening.
The gala also recognized the work of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Kenny Blank, Arthur Blank’s son, accepted the award alongside Fay Twersky, the foundation’s president, during a conversation moderated by Jeremy Cole.
“My parents never sat me down and said these are our family values,” Blank said. “It’s really about the action, the way we live our lives in small ways and big ways, the things we choose to prioritize, how we treat one another.”
Twersky described her friendship with Khalifa and how the foundation arranged training for its employees on antisemitism, followed by a session led by Khalifa on Islamophobia. She said the sessions offered a practical example of how relationships can create opportunities for learning and understanding.
For Khalifa, the anniversary marked both the progress ISB Atlanta has made and the work that remains. The organization’s programs have connected people across k-12 schools, universities, health care institutions, businesses, law enforcement agencies and faith communities.
As ISB Atlanta looks toward its next 25 years, Young’s remarks offered a reminder that Atlanta’s reputation as a city ‘too busy to hate’ carries an ongoing responsibility: to make understanding, respect and peace part of everyday community life.
