In 1995 Azim Khamisa’s son Tariq was shot and killed while delivering pizza in San Diego by a 14 year old gang member. As Azim moved through the grief and anger, he came to a decision: to dedicate his life to working with young people to end the cycle of violence. He realized there were really two victims: his son and the teenager who shot him, who will be be prison for many years to come. Azim contacted the boy’s grandfather, who had been his guardian, and they have now been working together for 16 years to reach many students. He also visited Tony, the boy who killed his son, in prison and forgave him.
The Tariq Khamisa Foundation (www.tkf.org) was formed to share important messages with young people: violence in the real world (not the world of video games) causes pain and has consequences, they can make choices for nonviolence and forgiveness, peace and love are possible, and their lives make a difference. The Safe School Model they have developed is currently in the San Diego School District, and I truly hope it will spread to other school districts nationwide and worldwide. The program empowers young people to stay away from gangs, alcohol, and drugs, and choose positive options for themselves. The program has been in middle schools where young pe0ple are most vulnerable to gang recruitment. One school principle says the results at his school have been amazing, with a dramatic reduction in gang violence and an increase in grades.
Azim says that his spiritual foundation as a Sufi allowed him to deal with his son’s death. He is hopeful for the future and sees people worldwide becoming more spiritual. He believes peace is possible because he is at peace.
Full story of this Spiritual Hero of the Year is in Science of Mind Magazine.
Available online yearly for $9.95, www.scienceofmind.com
