We are honored to introduce you to the newest Board Member of the American Friends of the Parents Circle – Families Forum: Ani Zonneveld.

Ani is a Malaysian‑American singer‑songwriter, activist, and writer based in Los Angeles. The daughter of a Malaysian ambassador, she was raised across Germany, Egypt, and India before moving to the U.S. in 1981 to study economics and political science. As a musician, she released albums and produced tracks—earning a Grammy certification for collaborating on Keb’ Mo’s 2005 “Keep It Simple” album. In 2007, she founded Muslims for Progressive Values, championing human rights for all, and serving as its president. Zonneveld’s memoir The Unlikely Social Justice Warrior: Making My Life Count as a Muslim Feminist is published by Lived Places Publishing, in it she confronts invisible lines drawn by religion, gender and race.
On why she chose to join our Board:
"Peace can only come through empathy. Empathy of 'the other' is a tall order, an internal jihad, one of the most difficult struggles, especially when we are blanketed with hate. And it is for this reason I’ve decided to do my part towards peace. I’m joining the board of the American Friends of the Parents Circle to lend my support to Palestinians and Israelis who, despite having lost loved ones at the hands of 'the other', still find the love in their hearts to lock empathetic arms around each other. If my beloved ones were killed by 'the other', I don’t know if I could be this forgiving, but the least I can do is to make space for and lift up those who can."
Welcome, Ani!