For 8th-10th Graders and Parents: Join us for a seminar to educate and empower Muslim youth on California-mandated health topics within a safe, respectful, and Islamically guided environment.
The seminar aims to fill a growing gap in values-based health education, addressing key issues such as mental wellness, sexual health, relationships, and personal safety—while preparing students to navigate public school health classes with clarity and confidence.
Saturday, Sep. 20 | 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | MCC Conference Room | 8th-10th Graders & Parents | In-person only | $25/student | Register at mcceastbay.org/health-seminar | This event will not be recorded or livestreamed.
We will have breakfast from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Come early! This talk is open to those attending public or private schools.
Boys & Girls will have separate parallel sessions led by local doctors and teachers. Parallel sessions for parents on navigating the high school journey.
Co-sponsored by MCC East Bay & Averroes High School.
This seminar educates and empowers Muslim youth on California-mandated health topics in a safe, respectful, Islamically-guided setting to help navigate public school health classes confidently.
The topics we will cover inshaAllah are: heath, sexual education, relationships, and safety and wellness.
MCC has a standing policy that financial need should never hold a person back from attaining spiritual or educational knowledge within the four walls of the Muslim Community Center. For a financial waiver for this event, please email scholarship@mcceastbay.org.
Key takeaways you will gain from this session:
- Youth will gain knowledge of key health topics through a faith-based framework.
- They will be better prepared for the state health curriculum with values-aligned clarity.
- They will feel supported by trusted adults in their physical, mental, and spiritual development.
- The seminar will foster confidence, identity, and decision-making grounded in Islamic teachings.
What is being taught in public schools?
- Sexual Health Education for California’s Youth (For High School & Community Settings) by Office of Adoscent Health (OAH) Evidence-Based Cirriculum
- Sexual Health Education for America’s Youth for High School & Community Settings by Positive Prevention PLUS
- CA Healthy Kids Resources Center
About the Speakers
Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi is the co-founder of MH4M (http://mentalhealth4muslims.com), established in 2010. For nearly 20 years, she has been actively involved in the Bay Area and Southern California Muslim community, working and volunteering for many notable organizations. Learn more about her at http://hosaimojaddidi.com
– More Ustadha Hosai: http://mcceastbay.org/hosai
Qur’an Hodge is a Bay Area native. He began his Islamic education in 2019, studying Arabic at the Al Maqasid Seminary in Pennsylvania. Sidi Quran continued to Dar Al Mustafa, a Yemeni Islamic university in Tarim, Hadhramaut. At this Islamic seminary founded by Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Sidi Qur’an studied Ibtidaiyya, Hadith, Aqida, Seerah, Nahw, Quran Hifzdh, Kitaba, and Tafseer in classical Arabic. Sidi Quran has completed certificates in Taleef Collective’s Refining the Core and Zaytuna College’s Permaculture Program. He is passionate about creatively working on community issues, particularly the challenges Muslim youth face. He lives with his wife and child in Castro Valley.
Dr. Sana Ali is a Family Medicine physician practicing in Dublin and San Ramon since 2019. She grew up in the East Bay. Went to UC Davis and then Western U for medical school and residency at a UC Davis-affiliated community hospital in Modesto. She practices pediatrics, family medicine, women’s health. Parents panel speakers:
Br. Karim Bayanzay is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco, in the Department of Hospital Medicine, with a research focus on improving cancer care delivery in Afghanistan. Co-founder of Neurospinal Innovations, a medical device company focused on improving pain using wave therapy. I am also President of Averroes High School. I also founded “the study spot” tutoring and mentoring center for teens.
Dr. Gul Zahid is a board-certified pediatrician based in the Bay Area. She has trained and practiced in a variety of clinical settings, including academic centers and community clinics, with a focus on preventive medicine. She has a special interest in mental health, having completed additional training in the identification and management of mood and behavioral disorders in children and teens. Dr. Zahid is passionate about empowering families with knowledge and tools to support their children’s growth, both physically and emotionally.
Coach Faheem Rivers has over 25 years of experience working with youth. He is currently the principal at Averroes High School. He holds a degree in psychology, served as a Dean of Discipline, and is a passionate basketball coach. He has used sports to build resilience, teamwork, and discipline among young people.
Questions? events@mcceastbay.org
- ● Youth will gain knowledge of key health topics through a faith-based framework.
- ● They will be better prepared for state health curriculum with values-aligned clarity.
- ● They will feel supported by trusted adults in their physical, mental, and spiritual development.
- ● The seminar will foster confidence, identity, and decision-making grounded in Islamic teachings.
Why This Seminar Matters:
This seminar is designed to fill a gap in the community and offer our youth a faith-based foundation in understanding critical health topics that are often presented through a secular lens in public schools. Many of today’s societal challenges—ranging from emotional distress and substance abuse to broken relationships and identity confusion—are deeply rooted in issues related to sexual
health, gender relations, and the absence of values-based education.
By integrating California’s mandated health curriculum with Islamic teachings, this seminar aims to:
- ● Educate students on essential health topics in a way that honors their faith, identity, and values
- ● Mentor them through the complex issues of adolescence, equipping them with the tools to navigate peer pressure, social media, and conflicting societal norms
- ● Support their emotional, physical, and spiritual development with guidance from trusted professionals and scholars
- ● Prepare them for adulthood by instilling confidence, clarity, and a deep sense of responsibility grounded in Islamic principles
Ultimately, this seminar serves as a healthier, values-driven alternative to the often distorted version of health education they encounter in secular classrooms. It empowers our youth to make informed, faith-aligned decisions that protect their well-being and uphold their Islamic identity as they grow into responsible, God-conscious adults.
Event Schedule
- 10:30 – 10:50(20 min) Sr. Hosai
- 10:50– 11:20 (30 min) Breakout Girls – Sr. Sana & Boys only session – Ustadha Hosai
- 11:20 – 12:00p.m (40 min) Girls rejoin
- Boys session- Br. Karim
- Girls session – Sr. Hosai
- 12:00 – 12:15 (15 min) Stretch break and settle in
- 12:15- 1:15 (1 hr) Ustadh Quran
- 1:15- 1:30 (15 min) Q&A with Ustadh Quran with closing dua
Title: High school Health Class
Date: August 30th ( Tentative )
Note: While the seminar is designed as a pre-requsite for 9th grade public school class, we believe that all high schoolers can benefit from its content as it’ll provide a safe space for our youth to ask questions and gain clarity.
Seminar Objective:
To educate and empower Muslim youth on California-mandated health topics taught in 9th grade within a safe, respectful, and Islamically-guided environment. This seminar is designed to fill a gap in the community and offer our youth a faith-based foundation in understanding critical health topics that are often presented through a secular lens in public schools. We will address key issues such as mental wellness, sexual health, relationships, and personal safety.
This seminar prepares youth to navigate public school health class with clarity and confidence while empowering them to make informed, faith-aligned decisions as they grow into responsible, God-conscious adults.
NOTE: Separate seminar for boys and girls.
