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NEIGHBORS
Glendale resident earns White House visit
Business owner, author to take part in Ramadan Eid celebration
Posted
Special to Independent Newsmedia
A Glendale resident, business owner and author has been invited to a Ramadan Eid celebration dinner on Monday, May 1, at the White House.
The annual White House tradition, started in 1996 by Hillary Clinton, is attended by prominent members of the Muslim-American community, including politicians, community leaders and students.
Tara Ijai founded Love Glasses Revolution, which is a social movement that promotes positivity, kindness, and love through heart-shaped glasses with a message to remind people to filter out negativity and amplify love.
"I am deeply honored to be invited to the White House and to have the opportunity to share a message of love and positivity with such an esteemed group of individuals," the Glendale resident shared in a statement. “How we choose to show up is so different, but our goals are exactly the same, to make our part of the world a better place.”
Ijai’s Love Glasses have been worn by celebrities, athletes and everyday people, spreading messages of love and kindness across social media and in person. In 2022 she was presented with the Zen Nights MLK Peaceful Humanitarian Award.
Ijai will be traveling with long-time best friend, community leader and Arizona resident Deedra Abboud, a Scottsdale resident, who was also nominated and invited to the White House Dinner.
Abboud ran for U.S. Senate in 2018 and is an Arizona attorney, author, entrepreneur and social justice commentator. She provides community leadership and advocacy, and has received awards for her work including the Tempe Human Relations Commission's Martin Luther King Jr Diversity Award and the Phoenix Human Relations Commission's Living the Dream award.
