Today we’d like to introduce you to Saadia Ahmed.
Hi Saadia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story centers around a deep-rooted belief that community service is a responsibility, not an option. I studied International Studies and was a Posey Leadership Institute scholar at Austin College, and it was there that my commitment to serving the community truly intensified. That academic foundation gave me a framework for understanding the world, but it was the work on the ground that shaped who I am.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of channeling that passion into building spaces for women and youth. I co-founded the women’s empowerment group Strong Muslimah and the Young Muslimah mentorship program for middle and high school girls because there was a real gap in spaces where Muslim girls could grow into confident, civically engaged leaders. I also got involved in advocacy, working across local, state, and national political campaigns, which opened my eyes to the power of organized communities. When my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, I became very passionate about finding resources and advocating with children with chronic conditions, disability, or special needs.
I found myself taking on board roles across a range of causes — the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Faith in Texas
(social justice work with a faith lens), Institute for Social and Policy Understanding, American Muslim Professionals of Dallas among others, each one deepening my expertise and my network.
What I love about where I am today is that it all comes together in my role as a Community Chaplain and in the 200 Muslim Women Who Care giving circle. The Dallas Chapter of 200 Muslim Women Who Care launched in the second quarter of 2024, and it felt like a natural culmination of everything I’d been building toward, a space where diverse Muslim women unite around collective giving to uplift our neighbors right here in DFW. Graduating with a Master’s in Divinity in Chaplaincy also continues to deepen my spiritual grounding and my approach to service.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We are deeply grateful for the incredible foundation that 200 Muslim Women Who Care in Tampa had already established. The templates, best practices, and toolkit they had refined over years of existence were invaluable gifts to us. That said, we quickly learned that we needed to thoughtfully adapt those resources to reflect the unique spirit, needs, and character of our Dallas membership. Building any organization from the ground up requires dedication, patience, and a willingness to learn.
What truly humbled and energized us early on was the overwhelming response from our community. We were extraordinarily blessed to welcome 100 members within just the first three days of launching, a testament to the hunger that existed in Dallas for exactly this kind of mission-driven sisterhood. While it took a little more time to reach our full 200-member milestone, we didn’t wait to get to work. In the spirit of our mission, we moved forward with purpose and awarded one of our quarterly grants, because the needs of our community couldn’t wait.. and neither could we.
In the short time we have been in existence, we were able to host the Stewards of Children-Partners in Prevention child sexual abuse prevention program for parents, educators, mentors, and anyone in the community that cared for the wellbeing of children. We have also hosted a number of service days in partnership with local charities that our Board vetted and our Members selected for our collective grants. Last year, we hosted our first annual Bingo Bash, the best ladies party with a purpose in DFW. All proceeds went to charity. We are currently planning our 2nd Annual Bingo Bash on September 27, 2026 at a stunning venue in the Las Colinas area. It will be an event DFW ladies will not want to miss!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At the core, I am a community builder, social entrepreneur, connector, and a chaplain. My work spans several intersecting areas: leadership coaching, spiritual care, youth development, women’s empowerment, special needs advocacy, civic engagement, and nonprofit development, and I’ve spent my career finding ways to weave those threads together in service of something larger than myself.
I’m perhaps best known for creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and activated. Strong Muslimah women’s empowerment group, and the Young Muslimah mentorship program for middle and high school girls are intentional spaces for Muslim women and girls to grow into confident, civically engaged leaders. That work has always been close to my heart. 200 Muslim Women Who Care takes this work to the next level by empowering women to be philanthropists that support vital community resources and build a sisterhood of service.
Recently, along with fellow chaplains, I have co-founded Aamaan Care to provide spiritual care for community members who are facing challenges in their life and Aamaan Certification which help organizations structure themselves in a way to prioritize inclusion, respect and dignity for all stakeholders. Being a multilingual chaplain has allowed me to serve our community across cultural and linguistic lines in ways that are meaningful and authentic.
What I’m most proud of, though, is the trust people place in me. Being recognized with awards such as Philanthropist of the Year by American Muslim, Community Leader of the Year, the inaugural ‘Unsung Hero’, and recently as the inaugural recipient of the Bayan Graduate School Fatima Al-Firhi Excellence in Leadership and Service Award, reflect the relationships, trust, and the impactful work God has allowed me to be a part of.
200 Muslim Women Who Care allows me and our Board to bring together faith, advocacy, empowerment, and philanthropy under one roof with a genuine belief that when we unite together, incredible things happen.
It is truly an honor and blessing to be able to serve the community.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I think the thing that surprises people most is that I’m actually an introvert.
When people see me facilitating a room full of nonprofit leaders, conducting advocacy trainings, coaching, or building organizations from the ground up, they assume I thrive on the energy of crowds. I do love people deeply and in a genuine way. What most people don’t see is that after those moments, I need quiet. I need stillness. I recharge in solitude, in reflection, in prayer. I have to practice self compassion to avoid burnout.
In many ways, I think my introversion is actually one of my greatest strengths as a leader. It makes me a better listener than a talker. It means I observe carefully before I act. It means the relationships I build are intentional and deep, not surface level, and it means I’m drawn to doing work that has real, lasting meaning because I’m not in this for the spotlight. I’m in it for the impact.
I think there’s a misconception that community builders and advocates have to be the loudest voices in the room. My hope is that my journey challenges that idea a little and maybe encourages other introverts out there who feel called to serve but wonder if there’s a place for them. There absolutely is. We need all kinds of people with different skills to collectively work to make our communities stronger.
Pricing:
- $425 annual membership fees
- Fees can be paid quarterly.
- Meetings are hosted and paid for by Advisory Board. Meetings are the best ladies night out with a purpose.
- $100 a quarter goes 100% to charities through grants
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.200mwwc.org/dallas
- Instagram: @200MWWCDallas
- Facebook: @200MWWCDallas
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@200muslimwomenwhocare2
