Salima Suswell, Founder & CEO
Salima Suswell is a highly accomplished entrepreneur, political strategist, organizer, and community leader. She has established and continues to expertly guide multiple companies and organizations, all with the underlying goal of enhancing and empowering underserved communities.
Salima is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Evolve Solutions LLC, an award-winning management consulting firm serving at the intersection of politics and public policy. Evolve has been addressing racial and socio-economic disparities within urban communities through powerful grassroots initiatives since 2010.
In addition, Salima is Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Halal Resource Group, Inc. (HRG), providing Halal Food Services, the Halal Distributor Network, consultation in Halal Certification, and Cultural Competency Consulting and Sensitivity Training Strategies for engaging Muslim Americans, since 2019.
She also founded the Philadelphia Ramadan & Eid Fund in 2018. This nonprofit organization offers educational opportunities, student advocacy, community programming, and shared experiences for children, youth, and families during the Muslim holidays, while celebrating the region’s rich diversity.
In 2023, Salima founded the Black Muslim Leadership Council (BLMC), where she serves as Chief Executive Officer. This national nonprofit organization with a 501(c)(4) arm is dedicated to policy advocacy for urban communities, nonpartisan voter registration and turnout, civic education, and leadership development.
In the State of Pennsylvania, Salima made history in 2017 as the first Muslim woman appointed to the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women by Governor Tom Wolf. She was reappointed to this prestigious Commission in 2023 by Governor Josh Shapiro.
In the City of Philadelphia, Salima was appointed by Mayor Jim Kenney in 2020 to the Mayor’s Commission for Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs. In 2024, she was appointed by Mayor Cherelle Parker to the Mayor’s Commission for Muslim Engagement.
Salima has been recognized with numerous awards and distinguished honors by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Pennsylvania State Senate, Philadelphia City Council, Women-UP Organization, Muslim Youth Association, The Philadelphia Public Record, and The Philadelphia Tribune, among others. She was honored by The Philadelphia Inquirer as a Diversity and Inclusion Pioneer in 2019 and named a Faith Leader to Watch in 2022 by the Center for American Progress. In 2023, Salima was presented with the Keeper of the Flame Award by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), where she serves on the Leadership Council for the organization’s Philadelphia Chapter. In 2024, she received the Impact Award from City & State Pennsylvania magazine, and the Leader in Community Service Award from The Muslim Journal.
Salima studied Business Administration at Drexel University’s Lebow College of Business, and Organizational Development and Leadership at Saint Joseph’s University’s Haub School of Business.
Laila Duncan, Senior Consultant
Laila Duncan serves as Senior Consultant at Evolve Solutions. In this role, she leads all community and political outreach efforts on behalf of Evolve, spanning community events, engagement with elected officials and organizational leader and program development throughout the state of Pennsylvania and across national political networks. Her responsibilities include building and maintaining strong relationships with diverse groups of people, as well as promoting the Evolve Solutions brand among key audiences.
Laila possesses more than a decade of experience in government relations and community engagement, spearheading numerous initiatives that successfully bridge the gap between public policy and community needs. Her passion for community engagement has led her to organize and facilitate countless outreach events, workshops, and town hall meetings aimed at fostering dialogue and collaboration among residents, businesses, and local government entities. As a political organizer, she has worked closely with elected officials to advocate for racial equity, social justice, and policy in urban communities.
Laila’s detail-oriented, logistical approach, combined with her deep understanding of strategic messaging and branding, haves earned her a strong reputation for excellence in project management. With her diverse skill set and unwavering commitment to driving positive change, Laila continues to make impactful contributions within the communities she serves.
Kimya Williams, Associate
Kimya Williams serves as Associate at Evolve Solutions, supporting the Evolve leadership team across the firm’s extensive work in government affairs, public policy, and community engagement. Kimya has extensive experience in a broad array of fields, including healthcare administration, finance, and law, as well as more than a decade in corporate training. In addition to her role at Evolve, she has been a managing member of a project management firm since 2000, and is the Founder and Program Director of a nonprofit organization supporting underserved youth and the elderly in Philadelphia She is a well-known organizer with particular expertise in senior law advocacy and, community leadership training, and hosts several annual city-wide collaborative business networking events.
Kimya studied Business Administration and Legal Studies at Penn State University.
Sahir Muhammad, Fellow
Sahir Muhammad is a graduate student, organizer, and policy-focused emerging leader whose work sits at the intersection of political thought, civic engagement, and public policy. Currently pursuing graduate studies in political science and public policy at Howard University, his academic work centers on political identity, governance, and the historical and contemporary political expressions of Black and faith communities in the United States.
Over the past year, Sahir has played a central role in advancing the work of the Black Muslim Leadership Council (BMLC), contributing to strategy, communications, and grassroots organizing efforts. His work has supported initiatives focused on civic engagement, leadership development, policy literacy, and community-based political empowerment, bridging academic research with real-world organizing and coalition building.
Through BMLC, Sahir has helped coordinate programming, draft policy-oriented communications, support congressional engagement, and contribute to youth and leadership development efforts aimed at cultivating the next generation of Black Muslim civic leaders.