CLRP co-sponsors Muslim-Americans and the 2024 Presidential Election
On September 30, 2024, Duke Law’s Center on Law, Race & Policy (“CLRP”) co-sponsored Muslim-Americans and the 2024 Presidential Election, featuring Wa’el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage. As a part of the Duke University Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East, the event was in co-sponsorship with the POLIS: Center for Politics.
Wa’el Alzayat is the Chief Executive Officer of Emgage, a national civic engagement organization for Muslim Americans. Alzayat is a seasoned diplomat who previously served with distinction at the U.S. Department of State for a decade. Among his various roles, he served as senior policy advisor to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, where he advised her on issues related to the Middle East. He also served in senior roles on the Syria and Iraq files with Ambassadors Robert Ford and James Jeffrey, respectively.
Mr. Alzayat was posted in Iraq twice, including as special assistant to the Ambassador. In addition to his nonprofit and public service experience, Mr. Alzayat has extensive business and management experience in the private sector, including business development, operations, and marketing.
Mr. Alzayat is currently a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute and has taught a graduate course on U.S. policy toward Iraq and Syria at Georgetown University. He is a regular public speaker on issues related to U.S. politics, human rights, religious freedom, and international relations. During the talk, Alzayat discussed Muslim-American political engagement and how the Muslim-American community is not as single or as binary as either major political party would like it to be and delved into the intricacies of the Muslim-American vote.
