Tahra Goraya Receives
Nonprofit Executive Director of the Year Award
L to R: Sabiha Khan, Tahra Goraya
and Hussain Ayloush |
Pasadena, CA: State
Senator Jack Scott, Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer
and Assembly member Carol Liu presented Tahra Goraya with
the Nonprofit Executive Director of the Year Award as part
of their sixth annual Women In Business Award Luncheon on
October 19 at the Pasadena Hilton. Goraya also serves as
the president of the Southern California Chapter of Council
on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA).
Ms. Goraya, a Pakistani-American Muslim and Day One executive
director for nearly five years, was one of twenty-five distinguished
women in private enterprise, science and technology, arts
and entertainment to receive the distinction for her contributions
to the community.
Ms. Goraya oversees the operation of the 17-year-old Pasadena-based
organization, whose mission is to provide an organizational
structure by which Pasadena, Altadena and San Gabriel Valley
will reduce the problems associated with alcohol, tobacco
and other drugs among youth and families. Under her leadership,
Day One’s collaboration has become regionally and
nationally recognized for its depth, breadth and comprehensive
approaches for improving the quality of life for its constituents.
Program areas include: education and awareness, alternative
activities, capacity building trainings for parents and
communities, and environmental and public policy advocacy.
Within the last several months, Goraya has been successful
in securing funding from local foundations, Los Angeles
County Health Services, and the Federal Government’s
Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration.
In addition to her involvement with Day One, Goraya is active
in a number of social justice issues, civil rights advocacy,
and women’s health issues. She established the Minority
Health Fair, Young Women’s Conference, Young Men’s
Conference and African American HIV Conference in Bakersfield,
where she previously resided. In Pasadena, she established
the annual Youth Fest, a community-wide month-long celebration
promoting positive and healthy activities every year before
the beginning of the new school year.
“Day One is extremely proud of Goraya’s recent
and significant successes improving the health, well-being
and lives of the youth in our community by putting into
action her innovative programs and ideas,” stated
Day One Board Chair and Attorney Randy Renick.
“The CAIR-California team congratulates Tahra on her
well-deserved award for her work to improve the lives of
youth in our community,” said Fouad Khatib, Chairman
of CAIR-California.
Viewed as an expert in collaborative advocacy, Goraya has
provided consultative and technical assistance services
for state and local governments; faith and community-based
organizations; school systems; corporations and other public
and private sector entities.
Additionally, Recently, she was selected as a Women’s
Policy Institute Fellow by California Women’s Foundation.
Day One is a seventeen year-old community-based nonprofit
organization whose mission is to provide an organizational
structure by which Pasadena and Altadena will reduce the
problems associated with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug
use. Day One convenes, develops, coordinates, and provides
prevention services.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
