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Jawad Khaki knew the world would change after 9/11, so hes done all he can to make sure that the change is positive.
As a practicing Muslim, Khaki, corporate vice president of the Windows Networking and Communication Technologies Group, took an active role in building understanding in the wake of the terrorist attacks. What began as participation in community dialogues led to speaking engagements at schools, community halls, churches, synagogues, and mosques. From there, he was invited to attend a monthly discussion with the Children of Abraham, a multifaith dialogue held under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Churchs Archdiocese of Seattle.
I was not going to let other people define who I am, Khaki said. I did what was job No. 1reaching out to my neighbors, talking to my colleagues, and getting to know my community and letting the community get to know me and my fellow Muslims.
Khaki turned his participation into a leadership role, spearheading a multifaith coalition involving Muslims, Jews, Protestants, and Catholics called Together We Build a World Community. Khakis Ithna-Asheri Muslim Association of the Northwest, of which he is president, joined with churches and synagogues to build four homes for needy residents in a Snoqualmie Ridge neighborhood through Habitat for Humanity.
We did this on the one-year anniversary of Sept. 11, Khaki said. As people of different faiths, we wanted to show that there was another way to change the world. We wanted to show that our collective human dignity is in ensuring dignity for all.
For his efforts, Khakis is being awarded the annual Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award from the Interfaith Alliance Foundation, a group based in Washington, D.C., that recognizes people who encourage religious liberty by demonstrating the constructive role of faith in the United States.
Jawad won this award for his work towards peace, justice, and interfaith dialogue, said David Serkin-Poole, cantor of the Bellevue synagogue Temple Bnai Torah and the person who nominated Khaki for the award. He has opened minds, educated people, and become a vital part of the interfaith efforts throughout greater Seattle. His work has built bridges at a time when so many people spend their energy tearing them down.
Khaki will receive the award May 22 in New York along with award winners Larry King, host of the CNN talk show Larry King Live, and Rep. Amo Houghton, R-New York.
This award reinforces my faith in this great country and the amazing, compassionate citizens who are dedicated to creating a better tomorrow, said Khaki, who came to the United States from the United Kingdom in 1985 with his family, nine suitcases, and $500. It is uplifting for me to realize that the opportunity to impact the world is available to each one of us.
Khaki gives much of the credit for the award to his wife, Kaniz, daughters Ateqah, 19, and Asiya, 16, and son Ali, 18.
This work has required a lot of time on weekends and evenings, Khaki said. But Ive been blessed with a wonderful, supportive family. I would not have made it without their tender loving care.
He also credits his experiences at Microsoft for helping him win this award.
As Microsoft employees, we have the potential to change the world, Khaki said. Diversity is cherished here because the dimensions of our contributions are global. We can inspire the rest of the world through better cross-group/cross-cultural work.
One experience in particular happened shortly after 9/11. Khaki was in North Carolinaalong with Christopher Corbett, business strategy and planning manager with the Windows Networking and Communication Technologies Group; Pekka Niikkonen, group manager with Network Services; and Kerry Ogata, presales engineer with Original Equipment Manufacturer Systems Engineersto meet with representatives from IBM. After they learned about the terrorist attacks and the resulting airline-travel problems, they decided to rent a car to return to Redmond. The four employees drove nonstop for three days so they could rejoin their families, friends, and community.
We learned a lot about each other from that experience, which I believe enriched us as human beings, Khaki said. I was able to take the energy that was ignited from that trip and turn it into something meaningful. It is through our deeds and relationships that we define who we are.
To learn how you can get involved, visit http://www.togetherwebuild.org.
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