Dr. Dilara Sayeed serves as the President of the Muslim Civic Coalition.
Dilara’s lived experiences have fueled her ambition for equity and access for all our residents, especially in underrepresented communities. She is proud of her first graduation from Head Start preschool for low-income children, which laid the foundation for her most recent graduation with a doctoral degree from Harvard University. During her career, Dilara has served as an award-winning teacher/administrator, a nonprofit civic leader, and a social impact entrepreneur.
At the Muslim Civic Coalition, Dilara's team works with partners and allies of all races, faiths, and backgrounds towards Civic Justice - ensuring each of us can build a life and thrive as American residents.
Dilara ran for elected office in a historic race in 2018 to highlight social and fiscal inequities in our state and nation. In 2021, Dilara was appointed by Governor Pritzker to the IL Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes (CDHC). She has served on the Transition teams and Advisory Boards for Chicago Mayors Brandon Johnson and Lori Lightfoot, and on the Advisory Council for Illinois Comptroller Mendoza. Dilara is a Trustee of the Field Museum and a Board Member of IADO and Coalition-Activate. In 2024, Dilara received an honorary doctorate from Chicago Theological Seminary for her faith-grounded civic leadership.
Dilara and her husband enjoy riding on bike paths and kayaking on waterways exploring our cities, nation, and world.
