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Amin Aaser
Executive Director, Noor Kids
Professional Background
Amin Aaser is a prominent figure in the field of education and advocacy for Muslim children, currently serving as the Founder and Executive Director of Noor Kids. An innovative leader, Amin has intricately woven his passion for children's education with his extensive business acumen to create a platform that engages young minds in a culturally relevant and enriching way.\n\nWith a wealth of experience in various sectors, Amin's career has included remarkable roles in both the corporate world and academia. His background spans across major companies like General Mills and 3M, where he made significant contributions in areas such as strategic business development, corporate finance, innovation technology, and marketing. His journey began at General Mills, where he held multiple positions, including Corporate Development, where he focused on M&A and corporate venture capital. Later roles included strategic positions that honed his analytical and leadership skills, culminating in his current venture with Noor Kids.
In addition to his remarkable corporate experiences, Amin has also ventured into academia, having served as a Storytelling for Leadership Instructor at the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business. In this capacity, he helped train future leaders in the art of storytelling, a critical skill for effective communication and leadership in any field.
Education and Achievements
Amin's educational background is as impressive as his professional trajectory. He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, where he developed an in-depth understanding of business management principles and modern strategies. \nFurthermore, Amin participated in the Summer Venture in Management Program at Harvard Business School, where he enhanced his leadership skills and business knowledge through interactive learning experiences. His undergraduate studies include a Bachelor of Science in Business (BSB) from the University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management and from Thammasat University in Thailand, broadening his global perspective on business practices and cross-cultural communication.
Community Engagement
As an advocate for Muslim children's education, Amin's commitment to community empowerment is reflected in his work with Noor Kids. Noor Kids is dedicated to empowering Muslim youth through high-quality educational content that instills confidence and cultural pride. Under Amin's leadership, Noor Kids has grown significantly, providing engaging learning materials that combine storytelling and educational values tailored to Muslim families around the world.
Amin's passion for advocacy doesn’t stop at the children he serves; it extends to the broader community through various initiatives and partnerships with organizations that align with his vision of accessible, culturally relevant education.
Personal Interests
Outside of his impressive professional life, Amin is known for his love of TED Talks, where he draws inspiration from groundbreaking ideas and innovative thinkers. A coffee enthusiast, he often shares his favorite brews with friends and colleagues, fostering connections over discussions about education, culture, and the future of storytelling. Above all, Amin credits his mother for instilling in him the values of perseverance, kindness, and the importance of education, underscoring the personal motivations behind his professional endeavors.\n In summary, Amin Aaser is not just an advocate and leader but a visionary who is dedicated to transforming the lives of Muslim children through education and engaging storytelling. His contributions to the field of children’s education as well as his corporate experience place him at the forefront of innovative approaches to learning and community development.
Highlights
This is not normal. This is not business as usual... over the last week:
- Seven humanitarian aid workers from World Central Kitchen were killed by Israeli forces with precision guided missiles. According to WCK founder, Jose Andres, "they were systematically targeted."
The last time that a government killed humanitarian aid workers was when Russia accidentally killed humanitarian convoys in Syria during its civil war.
- The Israeli parliament passed a law to ban foreign news networks, namely Al Jazeera, the most popular news channel in the Middle East. It is also the only news channel which is presently operating in Gaza.
Banning foreign news networks is the type of policy that the United States would normally condemn if done by Russia, Hungary, or any other authoritarian state.
- The Israeli government attacked a foreign embassy belonging to Iran. Attacking a foreign embassy is against international law.
The last time an embassy was attacked was in the 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
- The Israeli government has leveled the Al Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in the entire region.
As context, there are no other examples in modern history of a hospital being completely leveled by a force. The closest examples are in Syria, and even then, the autocratic rulers did not destroy the entire hospital.
In the midst of all of this, President Biden and his administration -- instead of seeking to rein in the most hardline and conservative government in Israeli history -- is providing $18 billion in additional military aid to Israel.
Serious question -- if this is not a watershed moment, what is?
🙏🏼 Don’t just pray for your kids, pray for your generations to come. Let me explain.
In 2014, I realized a bitter reality when my mom, Shaheen, passed away at 52 years old — death is real.
And when it happens, our book of deeds are closed.
So, to honor my mom, I left my career to work on Noor Kids. In doing so, if there is any good we do, she too will benefit from it, god willing.
There is something ⚡️ powerful in this.
Unlike a career, house, or car — the best legacy we can leave on Earth is our children…
Every smile they share and every person they help will count towards our deeds.
🚨 BUT it isn’t just our kids — our legacy is in all of our descendants.
In fact, Prophet Abraham (as) prays, “Oh Allah, allow me to establish prayer and also my descendants (14:40).”
What a 🚀 visionary!
He didn’t just pray for kids, he prayed for the generations of kids that come after him!
Let’s be real though...
Our kids are growing up in a world riddled with challenges. It feels like the moral fabric of our society is being torn apart, and our kids are on the front lines.
If this is the world for our kids, then what will be the world for our grandchildren?
Or our great grandchildren?
So, when you pray during these Ramadan nights — don’t stop after praying for your kids. Pray for those descendants that are yet to come, God willing.
(If you got all the way to end, please recite a Surah Fateha or a prayer for the benefit of my late mother ❤️)
#ramadan #ramadanmubarak #ramadankareem #ramadan2024
