Mission

ILLUME is an award-winning, independent media organization that captures and articulates the Muslim-American experience. Using various media, our team of reporters and editors uncover important and timely issues through enterprise reporting, investigative journalism and critical analysis, while upholding the highest level of journalism ethics and standards.

What We Do

ILLUME is at the forefront of Muslim-American media and journalism by distributing media online, on mobile, on broadcast and through print platforms. ILLUME accomplishes its mission by:


Creating original, daily news content.

Incorporating investigative journalism, expert analysis and in-depth coverage of critical issues.

Telling stories mainstream media does not have the ability to.

Sharing the Muslim-American perspective on everyday life.

Accessing experts who can comment on the news, life and culture of Muslim-Americans. Advancing citizen journalism to expand the breadth of coverage.

Providing opportunities for journalists, writers and other media professionals by offering a place to get their works published.

Organizing events on various topics of importance to the Muslim-American community.

Holding a prestigious annual awards ceremony honoring voices of those who are contributing to the Muslim-American experience.

Management Team

Javed Ali
Founder, Publisher & CEO
Javed is the founder and publisher of the world-class, award-winning media organization, ILLUME. Under his leadership, ILLUME has won several accolades. In addition, Javed has successfully steered ILLUME through many technological innovations and enhancements, including video, mobile features, and multi-platform content-distribution. He is a seasoned technology expert and entrepreneur, who previously founded Digital Pad in 2003, a technology consulting company. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Network and Communications Management.

Anser Hassan
Executive Producer
Anser has worked both on-air and behind the scenes at several news stations across the country, including ABC, CBS, and CNN. His career began at CTV30, an award-winning cable station in the San Francisco Bay Area. There he was a reporter and news anchor, plus hosted two of his own shows. He also reported for the New York Times broadcast division at WQAD-TV. He has also reported at KRON4-TV/Channel 4 in San Francisco. Currently, he is an assignment editor at CBS5/Channel 5 in San Francisco. He was recognized as an up and coming reporter from the national branch of the Asian American Journalist Association, being featured on the "Men of AAJA DVD." He was also the recipient of the national New York Times Reporter Trainee award and selected into the prestigious New York Times L.E.A.P. program, a company wide leadership program. Anser is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of San Francisco State University, with degrees in TV/Radio News and International Relations, with a Middle East regional concentration and an emphasis on Islamic political movements and Islamic feminism.

Muhammad Sajid
Editor-at-Large
Muhammad Sajid is an award-winning newspaper, television and web reporter.

Ali Khan
Marketing & Business Development Director
Ali is an experienced marketing professional involved in marketing management, organizational development, and strategic planning in corporate, entrepreneurial and non-profit settings. He is currently Marketing Manager at Renaissance 2.0 Media, an Internet startup. Ali has successfully implemented marketing and business development strategies that led to over 600,000 registered users within one year since his company launched its site. Prior to that, Ali worked in marketing in the health care industry and was an independent marketing consultant and an engineering geologist. Ali received an MBA from Case Western Reserve University with concentrations in marketing and entrepreneurship and an e-business certificate. He also has a BA degree in geological sciences and minor in anthropology from Case Western Reserve University, where he was awarded with Dean's High Honors, and a MS degree in geology from Kent State University.

Irfan Rydhan
Public Relations Director
Irfan is a "Multi-Media" Activist who lives in the Bay Area. His background includes non-profit management, film/video production and graphic art/design. He is the co-founder of Jam-Productions: An International Video/Film Company. Jam-Productions created several Muslim themed projects, most notable was the 45 min. documentary: "The Aftermath: American-Muslims After Sept. 11 th" which aired locally in San Jose and Oakland television channels as well as was featured in the ISNA Film Festival in Chicago in 2003. He is one of the founding members of the SBIA Media Committee, which conducts training programs and classes on how to effectively interact with the media in it's coverage of issues relating to Islam and Muslims. Irfan is an Architectural designer by profession and has a BA degree in Architecture from U.C. Berkeley.

Advisory Team

Souheila Al-Jadda
Producer - Link TV
Souheila is a Peabody award-winning television producer and journalist whose work has been published in the USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, and The Daily Star in Lebanon among others. Souheila is a member of the Board of Contributors for USA Today, and has appeared as a guest analyst on CNN, MSNBC, CBS News and Link TV.

Saliqa Khan
Digital Lead - Hearst Media
Saliqa is a Digital Journalist covering breaking regional and national news for the Western U.S. and D.C. Bureau. She oversees several television news websites for Hearst-TV, its affiliates and partners. Her primary sites include: KCRA.com, KSBW.com, KITV.com and KOAT.com

Farzad Wafapoor
Executive Producer - 14th Road Productions
Farzad is an Emmy award-winning director with more than 10 years of production and teaching experience. He has directed and edited more than a dozen independent videos & documentaries, and produced more than 400 interactive media applications for publishers and businesses. His scholarly works have been published internationally while his films have been screened locally and overseas. Marquis Who's Who in America of 2010 selected Farzad Wafapoor as one of 95,000 of America's "most noteworthy people". Farzad earned his Master's degree in Mass Media from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mona Eltahawy
Syndicated Columnist and International Public Speaker
Mona is an award-winning syndicated columnist and an international public speaker on Arab and Muslim issues. She has been a guest analyst on ABC Nightline and Good Morning America, PBS Frontline, BBC TV and Radio, The Doha Debates, CNN, Al-Arabiya, Al-Hurra, MSNBC, VOA, Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor and various NPR shows.

Russell Contreras
Multimedia Reporter – Associated Press
Russell is a multimedia reporter with the Associated Press where he writes about immigration. minority affairs and more. He previously worked as a reporter at The Boston Globe and Albuquerque Journal, and edited for Todos.com.

Wajahat Ali
Writer, Playwright and Attorney
Wajahat was honored as an “An Influential Muslim American Artist” by the State Department and recognized as a “Muslim Leader of Tomorrow” for his journalism work. His play ,“The Domestic Crusaders,” is the one of the first major plays about the Muslim-American experience. He is a frequent contributor to the Washington Post, The Guardian, the Huffington Post, Counterpunch and Chowk. He is an Associate Editor of Altmuslim.com and a contributing editor to ILLUME