On Oct. 1 at the “40 Under Forty” Georgia Muslims Gala, the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta honored 24 Georgia Muslims under the age of 40 for their work in a variety of fields.

Twenty-four Georgians were honored for their work and how that work – and their lives – may help make an impact on the community at large. Nominations were accepted in four categories: community empowerment; entrepreneurship, consulting, & innovation; law & criminal justice, and healthcare.

The honorees were chosen by a panel of judges selected from leaders in the wider community, and based on the uniqueness of the person’s role, the impact of their position/accomplishment on society at large, academic achievement, and their honors and recognitions.

The honorees in the category of Community Empowerment include Munir Meghjani, currently a resident of Atlanta but raised in Fayette County, where his parents, Mirza and Yasmeen Ismail, reside.

Meghjani was, until recently, a volunteer debate coach at his alma mater, Fayette County High School. He is the co-founder and executive director of Helping Organizations and People Everywhere (HOPE), which re-engages young adults, and has mobilized more than 7,000 people in service while connecting them with multiple non-profits locally and internationally. He also co-founded Activist Recruiting Organizing & Mentoring in Atlanta, whose mission is to creatively mobilize solution-based activist and connect advocates from across the many communities of Georgia.