Speak to Lead · تكلّم لتقود

Young Muslims who can stand up, speak clearly, and lead.

A public-speaking and leadership cohort grounded in Islamic values. Each season, a group of teens and twenty-somethings studies the sīrah and the Qur'an, writes, rehearses, and takes the stage — in front of the community, on camera, with feedback that is honest and kind.

Leena Naji — Adam, peace be upon him

Watch a graduate: Leena Naji on Adam, peace be upon him

Speak to Lead · MAS Queens

Three pillars

A mentor and teenagers studying around a table in a masjid library
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Islamic education & values

Leadership taught from the wisdom and ethics of Islam — so the leader who emerges is compassionate, just and effective, not merely loud.

A teenage girl in hijab speaking confidently at a podium
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Public speaking mastery

Confident, persuasive communication through workshops, real-world practice and feedback-driven learning. Every speaker gets the floor.

Young volunteers packing food boxes at a community drive
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Leadership training

Visionary leaders who can navigate challenges, motivate teams and drive social impact — with personal coaching and mentorship along the way.

How a cohort runs

One season. One talk each. On camera.

  • Who — young Muslims, teens and twenties, plus the volunteers and future teachers who serve alongside them
  • Rhythm — weekly sessions across a season, with catch-up days so nobody falls out of the race
  • Format — up to eighteen minutes per speaker: a prepared talk, delivered live, recorded for the Speak to Lead channel
  • Topics — the sīrah beat by beat, from the first revelation to Ḥudaybiyyah; and the seasons of the year — Shaʿbān, Ramadan, Eid
  • Where — Masjid Dar Al-Dawah in Astoria, the Hudson Valley Islamic Community Center in Mohegan Lake, and wherever a community invites the program

Study

The cohort reads the week's sīrah passage together, with Nabil, and each speaker chooses the angle they'll take.

Write & rehearse

A structure, a draft, a rehearsal in front of the group — and feedback that names what worked and what to fix.

Take the stage

The talk is delivered to the community and recorded. Graduates get their video, their certificate, and a place in the next season's mentoring circle.

Next cohort

Apply, or bring a cohort to your community.

Applications open before each season. Tell us who you are and what you'd like to speak about; if you're a masjid or youth group, tell us about your community and we'll plan a season with you.

For speakers

Ages 13–25. No experience needed — only the willingness to stand up and be coached.

For communities

A room, a Sunday evening, and eight to fifteen young people. We bring the curriculum, the coaching and the camera.

A teenage girl in hijab speaking confidently at a podium

Application

We reply to every application before the season opens.