Bring your family to FASH at the newly renovated Dillo Patio!
Friday After-Class Social Hour
this Friday, November 2nd, from 4-8 p.m.

•Check out the new covered patio and big screen TVs!
•Awesome FREE Dillo shirts
•FREE wings and poppers for the first 250 guests
•FREE chips & salsa all evening
•Live music

(All offers good while supplies last.)

Thursday, November 1st
7-9 p.m.
Fuqua School of Business, Faculty Lounge
Sponsored by DukeOUT, DUU, Duke Islamic Studies Center, Duke Allies, and AQUADuke
Contact: Mayuresh Tapale (mst7@duke.edu)

This presentation aims to dispel myths about Islam, a religion that is commonly misunderstood in today’s world. By exploring the complex diversity within the Muslim world and by illustrating the many challenges facing queer Muslims, this presentation will bring new light into the lives of an often invisible and silent community: Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning. The history of the queer Muslim movement will be presented and a discussion on Islam’s view towards sexual and gender minorities will also be explored in this interactive presentation.

Faisal Alam is a queer Muslim activist of Pakistani descent. He is the founder & former volunteer director of Al-Fatiha, a US-based organization dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning (LGBTIQ). Al-Fatiha’s mission is to support, empower and advocate on behalf of LGBTIQ Muslims and to promote progressive Islamic notions of peace and social justice. Under Faisal’s leadership, Al-Fatiha has grown to include eight chapters in the United States with another seven affiliate sister-organizations in Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa. Since its inception in 1998, Al-Fatiha has been featured in newspapers and magazines around the world.

Faisal has received numerous recognitions for his work on behalf of LGBTIQ Muslims. In 2001 the Advocate selected him as an “Innovator” and in 2002 the Utne Reader selected him as a “Young Visionary Under 30″. In 2005, the Equality Forum recognized Faisal as one of “40 Heroes” who have made a defining contribution to LGBT civil rights over the last 40 years. Faisal has presented at colleges and universities across the country, including Duke University, American University, Oberlin College, University of New Hampshire, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Michigan, and University of Oklahoma. Most of Faisal’s professional work has been in HIV/AIDS education/prevention and LGBT organizing. His former employers have included the National Minority AIDS Council and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Faisal is also active in human rights, asylum rights and immigration rights work. He recently relocated from Washington DC to Atlanta, GA, where he continues his social justice and human rights organizing.

OSAF invites all first-year students to apply for the Spring 2008 Leadership Roundtable. This is an excellent opportunity for those who wish to engage in compelling conversations and expand upon their understanding of leadership. For more information and an application form, check out the Leadership Roundtable website. Applications are due by midnight on Friday, November 9, 2007.

If you haven’t already, be sure to make “OSAF at Duke” your Facebook friend! We’re always posting new photos of recent OSAF-sponsored events, and you’re more than welcome to tag yourself and your friends.

John Amaechi is flying into town today! He will be speaking in Page Auditorium tomorrow (Wednesday, 10/17/07) at 7:30 p.m. He will also be signing his new book Man in the Middle.

Welcome to the OSAF blog. We hope that this will serve as a forum for students and staff to share their experiences with activities and events on campus!