
Faisal
Deputy Director
Faisal (he/him) is a queer-identified Muslim activist, speaker, and writer, of Pakistani descent. Faisal has organized and worked in social justice movements since age 19 when he founded Al-Fatiha, an international organization dedicated to supporting and empowering LGBT Muslims. He led the organization as its volunteer director from 1997 – 2003.
Faisal considers himself a global citizen, having grown up in Germany, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and a small town in Connecticut. He has lived and worked in Boston, Washington, DC, Atlanta (and now New York City), supporting organizations working on HIV/AIDS education & prevention within Asian & Pacific Islander communities, LGBT rights, reproductive justice, public health disparities in communities of color, and international human rights.
Faisal embodies the intersections of many identities (as an immigrant, a Muslim, a person of color, and a queer man), and he has shared his personal story of resilience and the stories of other LGBT Muslims at more than 150 colleges and universities. Faisal’s passion lies in bringing people together to share their stories and struggles and to work collectively towards building a just and equitable world.
As Deputy Director, Faisal leads RG’s team, which manages our Finances, Administration, Operations, and Human Resources. In his free time, he enjoys traveling to see his chosen family around the world, dancing to top 40 music, watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster, and trying out new cuisines.