STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August, 1, 2023

CONTACT:
James Woo, Advancing Justice-Atlanta, jwoo@advancingjustice-atlanta.org

Atlanta, GA — The Board of Directors of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is thrilled to announce the appointment of Murtaza Khwaja as the new Executive Director, succeeding Phi Nguyen, who will be leaving the organization in August 2023 to join Demos as their Director of Democracy.

Murtaza comes to Advancing Justice-Atlanta from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-Georgia, where he served in several roles over his seven-year tenure, including most recently as Executive Director. At CAIR-Georgia, he represented clients facing anti-Muslim discrimination; educated Georgia Muslims about their legal rights; and engaged in grassroots advocacy and litigation to combat Islamophobia and protect the civil liberties of Georgia Muslim communities. Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, Murtaza has been a proud resident of Atlanta since 1994, where his early life experiences instilled in him a profound dedication to civil rights causes. 

"I am very excited to welcome Murtaza Khwaja as our next Executive Director. Murtaza is a passionate and dedicated leader who has a long track record of fighting for the civil and human rights of our immigrant communities in Georgia. I look forward to working with Murtaza as he continues to carry forward our vision of transforming Georgia into a place where all communities of color can thrive," said Advancing Justice-Atlanta Board Chair, Sonjui Kumar.

Murtaza Khwaja expressed his enthusiasm for this new opportunity, stating, "With profound enthusiasm, I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter to serve as the new Executive Director of the Advancing Justice-Atlanta team. As a proud member of the Atlanta Asian American community and a longtime collaborator with Advancing Justice-Atlanta, I am deeply committed to advancing our mission as agents of transformative change to drive lasting impact for all communities of color in Georgia. I look forward to working alongside the Advancing Justice-Atlanta board, staff, our coalition partners, and the broader Atlanta Asian American community to build upon the inspiring legacy of Advancing Justice Atlanta’s past work for an even more hopeful future—a future where collective liberation and racial equity becomes a resounding reality."

Under Phi Nguyen's leadership as Executive Director since 2021, Advancing Justice-Atlanta achieved significant milestones in the pursuit of social justice and racial equity. As the inaugural Litigation Director and later as Executive Director, Phi played an instrumental role in guiding the organization through challenging times, and her contributions will remain an integral part of Advancing Justice-Atlanta's history.

"We are so grateful for Phi’s many years of leadership at Advancing Justice-Atlanta, first as our inaugural Litigation Director, and then as Executive Director since 2021. We cannot overstate the importance of the care with which she shepherded the organization through the challenging pandemic years. She will always be an important part of our fabric and history, and we wish her well in her new position," said Sonjui Kumar.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all.