WHO
WE ARE MEET THE TEAM!

A Cherokee Saudi Yemeni Arab native living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was born and raised in Saudi Arabia.

 

His passion for innovation, design, technology, and humanity has led him down a path of humility and success.

 

He went to school to be a heart surgeon, but his heart was stuck on IMPACTING communities around the world. He was always reflecting on creating an impact to end hunger and feed humanity with fresh food.

 

He was a gifted child with vision from birth and was always busy with deep thoughts on creating balance and justice for all.

​

At age 5, he experienced one of those visions from an unexpected infomercial. It was an infomercial raising money to feed starving children in Africa. This was the turning moment for him and the path he was meant to pursue. 

​

He is a global UN youth activist, Tech- entrepreneur, mentor, community mobilizer & campaign strategist. He was driving advocacy & policy on sustainability, youth, human rights & Justice. 

​

He uses interpersonal skills and experiences around collective action to engage citizens at all levels, from grassroots to government, to promote progress in youth, education, climate change, food insecurity, innovation, tech, peace, and justice for all.

​

Yousef's outreach encompasses change makers from rural, semi-urban, and urban areas. He has experience facilitating intergenerational and interdisciplinary dialogues, creating multi-coalitions, and managing public affairs and partnerships, and he has served on numerous advisory panels. 

​

In 2012, Yousef went to Jakarta, Indonesia. Where he started a tech company called (Jaygoe) and implemented a geo-mapping system with a team of 12 from Jakarta. The system was designed to help connect the 17,000 islands under one community. This attracted the government, and soon, he was under the deputy governor and president as a personal advisor.

 

This opportunity opened the door to connect with local partnerships, leading to 1,350+ farmers living in Indonesia and around the world and was the start of Bazar!

 

A system designed back to his original childhood vision to feed the world and end hunger led to projects in 185 countries to create IMPACT and economic opportunities for all.

​

Yousef will attend Harvard soon to further the mission and increase his knowledge and foundation!

 

 

Aliye Shimi is a native Tulsa Muslim and a daughter of Turkish immigrant parents. She is number two out of four siblings. Aliye is a loving wife, mother to two beautiful daughters and three handsome sons, and a devoted "Nana" to Mia & Celine. 

​

She has played an integral role in the inception of several Muslim-led programs, such as the Muslim Political Action Committee, Council on American Islamic Relations, Surayya Anne Foundation, Peace Project, and Muslims4Mercy.

​

Aliye has worked with the interfaith community for more than twenty years. She serves on a number of boards, commissions, and task forces throughout the city, the state, nationally, and internationally, including the Community Service Council, Tulsa World's Board of Advisors, International Institute For Human Security Advisors, and Oklahoma Coalition Against Human Trafficking. 

​

In 2017, Aliye was invited to attend the United Nations Initiatives of Change conference in Switzerland, where the Human Security Council certified her in conflict resolution. 

 

In her role as Executive Director of Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, an 86-year-old interfaith organization, among other responsibilities, she provides cultural training, which promotes religious and cultural understandings to a wide variety of organizations, from law enforcement to hospice to educational institutions. 

​

She is regularly invited to speak as a panelist at local, national, and international symposiums. 

​

Aliye's passion for building bridges with diverse communities fosters dialogue that nurtures mutual respect, trust, and cooperation. 

​

She routinely serves the community while representing Muslims by feeding those in need, providing disaster relief, caring for educators and first responders, and collecting much-needed supplies for underserved community members. 

​

Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry has a long history of advocating for the most vulnerable population and giving a voice to those who have been forgotten in our community by developing direct services for those with compelling needs.

 

Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless, Youth Services of Tulsa, Meals on Wheels, LIFE Senior Services, and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program were all created by TMM to meet such needs and are amazing stand-alone organizations currently. 

​

Under the beautiful leadership of TMM's board of directors and the direction of Aliye, as Executive Director, Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry has set forth to meet yet another need of creating a Quality Residential Treatment Facility for sexually trafficked juveniles in Tulsa and the BAZAR.  

​

Some of Aliye's notable accolades include CAIR Oklahoma's first-ever Muslim of the Year, Madam President by the League of Women Voters, Rev. Russ Bennett's Spiritual inclusive leader award by Oklahomans for Equality, Tuskahoma Brown Miller Citizenship Award from the Oklahoma Education Association, the FBI Deputy Director's Community Leadership Award, Tulsa's Top 10 leaders for 2021 by Tulsa world, and 2022 Heart of Henry Award by the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless.

​