KUFICON 2026 AGENDA
KUFICON 2026 AGENDA
See what’s happening at KufiCon.
See what’s happening at KufiCon.
See what’s happening at KufiCon.
A full day of talks, panels, workshops, pitching, gaming, and creative experiences — all in one room.
A full day of talks, panels, workshops, pitching, gaming, and creative experiences — all in one room.
KEYNOTE
KEYNOTE
9:30 AM – 9:50 AM
The Stories We Put into the World
The Stories We Put into the World
Every story starts somewhere. Ours starts with intention. Qalam opens KufiCon with a reflection on the gifts Allah has entrusted to us, how we put them to work, and the impact of the stories we share. An invitation to begin the day with purpose, curiosity, and something worth passing on.
Every story starts somewhere. Ours starts with intention. Qalam opens KufiCon with a reflection on the gifts Allah has entrusted to us, how we put them to work, and the impact of the stories we share. An invitation to begin the day with purpose, curiosity, and something worth passing on.
Keynote — Khadeejah Bari
Keynote — Khadeejah Bari
Hosted throughout the day by Saadia Ahmed (MC)
SPORTS
SPORTS
10:00 AM – 10:40 AM
Living Your Deen In Sports
Living Your Deen In Sports
The court, the field, the ring: places of discipline and sacrifice. Leading voices in sports media sit down to unpack what it takes to hold onto your deen while competing at the highest level.
The court, the field, the ring: places of discipline and sacrifice. Leading voices in sports media sit down to unpack what it takes to hold onto your deen while competing at the highest level.
The court, the field, the ring: places of discipline and sacrifice. Leading voices in sports media sit down to unpack what it takes to hold onto your deen while competing at the highest level.
Panel — Nimrah Riaz & Jay Chaudhry
Panel — Nimrah Riaz & Jay Chaudhry
STORYTELLING
STORYTELLING
10:50 AM – 11:10 AM
10:50 AM – 11:10 AM
OUT OF THE BOX
Storytelling Risks & Why You Should Take Them
OUT OF THE BOX
Storytelling Risks & Why You Should Take Them
OUT OF THE BOX
Storytelling Risks & Why You Should Take Them
Muslim stories are ready to move past “representation” as the whole pitch. A dive into transmedia storytelling and why it’s time to innovate, find our own voices, and discover the next Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, or Marvel superhero epic hiding in our own communities.
Muslim stories are ready to move past “representation” as the whole pitch. A dive into transmedia storytelling and why it’s time to innovate, find our own voices, and discover the next Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, or Marvel superhero epic hiding in our own communities.
Muslim stories are ready to move past “representation” as the whole pitch. A dive into transmedia storytelling and why it’s time to innovate, find our own voices, and discover the next Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, or Marvel superhero epic hiding in our own communities.
MASTERCLASS — SOHAIB AWAN
MASTERCLASS — SOHAIB AWAN
TELEVISION
TELEVISION
11:10 AM – 11:30 AM
11:10 AM – 11:30 AM
SECRETS FROM THE TV WRITER’S ROOM
Scripts, Staffing, and Finding Your Voice
SECRETS FROM THE TV WRITER’S ROOM
Scripts, Staffing, and Finding Your Voice
From MOON KNIGHT to MS. MARVEL to STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH, Sabir Pirzada has spent a decade inside the writers’ rooms of Hollywood’s hottest shows. This session breaks down what gets you in the door and what keeps you there: how a sample script gets read, what the path to staffing looks like, and how to find your own voice.
From MOON KNIGHT to MS. MARVEL to STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH, Sabir Pirzada has spent a decade inside the writers’ rooms of Hollywood’s hottest shows. This session breaks down what gets you in the door and what keeps you there: how a sample script gets read, what the path to staffing looks like, and how to find your own voice.
From MOON KNIGHT to MS. MARVEL to STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH, Sabir Pirzada has spent a decade inside the writers’ rooms of Hollywood’s hottest shows. This session breaks down what gets you in the door and what keeps you there: how a sample script gets read, what the path to staffing looks like, and how to find your own voice.
MASTERCLASS — SABIR PIRZADA
MASTERCLASS — SABIR PIRZADA
SPIRITUALITY
SPIRITUALITY
11:40 AM – 12:20 PM
Exploring Faith Between the Lines
Exploring Faith Between the Lines
Some truths come straight from the heart. Others take three drafts and a little duaa. Wadud Hassan, Naeem Baig and Sara Bawany explore how faith shapes the stories we tell, what creating can help us understand about ourselves, and what storytelling can reveal to us about faith.
Some truths come straight from the heart. Others take three drafts and a little duaa. Wadud Hassan, Naeem Baig and Sara Bawany explore how faith shapes the stories we tell, what creating can help us understand about ourselves, and what storytelling can reveal to us about faith.
Some truths come straight from the heart. Others take three drafts and a little duaa. Wadud Hassan, Naeem Baig and Sara Bawany explore how faith shapes the stories we tell, what creating can help us understand about ourselves, and what storytelling can reveal to us about faith.
Panel — Wadud Hassan, Naeem Baig & Sara Bawany
Panel — Wadud Hassan, Naeem Baig & Sara Bawany
MEDIA
MEDIA
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Our Spotlight, Our Way: On Muslim Stories & Stories by Muslims
Our Spotlight, Our Way: On Muslim Stories & Stories by Muslims
We’ve all seen something in the media and thought, “we need better representation.” Alex Kronemer and Sue Obeidi unpack how film and entertainment shape public opinion about Muslims, who gets a say in those portrayals, and what it takes to change the industry.
We’ve all seen something in the media and thought, “we need better representation.” Alex Kronemer and Sue Obeidi unpack how film and entertainment shape public opinion about Muslims, who gets a say in those portrayals, and what it takes to change the industry.
We’ve all seen something in the media and thought, “we need better representation.” Alex Kronemer and Sue Obeidi unpack how film and entertainment shape public opinion about Muslims, who gets a say in those portrayals, and what it takes to change the industry.
Panel — Alex Kronemer & Sue Obeidi
Panel — Alex Kronemer & Sue Obeidi
Dhuhr: 1:15 PM
TECH
TECH
2:00 PM – 2:40 PM
Making Tech Work for Your Creative Work
Making Tech Work for Your Creative Work
There’s a tool for everything now, including things we weren’t struggling with. Javaid Ikram, James H. Faghmous and Badrul Hassan cut through the noise to explore how technology can support creative work and other everyday applications, what’s worth adding to your toolkit, and where your own judgment still does the heavy lifting.
There’s a tool for everything now, including things we weren’t struggling with. Javaid Ikram, James H. Faghmous and Badrul Hassan cut through the noise to explore how technology can support creative work and other everyday applications, what’s worth adding to your toolkit, and where your own judgment still does the heavy lifting.
Panel — Javaid Ikram, James H. Faghmous & Badrul Hassan
Panel — Javaid Ikram, James H. Faghmous & Badrul Hassan
ART
ART
2:50 PM – 3:30 PM
Muslim Artists Drawing Outside the Lines
Muslim Artists Drawing Outside the Lines
Before a child reads the words, they’re already reading the pictures. Aaliya Jaleel and Anoosha Syed share how they turn ideas into illustrated worlds, bring culture and personality to the page, and make a living making things, with plenty of rough sketches along the way.
Before a child reads the words, they’re already reading the pictures. Aaliya Jaleel and Anoosha Syed share how they turn ideas into illustrated worlds, bring culture and personality to the page, and make a living making things, with plenty of rough sketches along the way.
Panel — Aaliya Jaleel & Anoosha Syed
Panel — Aaliya Jaleel & Anoosha Syed
TRAVEL
TRAVEL
3:40 PM – 4:00 PM
3:40 PM – 4:00 PM
Everything I Know About Balance, I Learned at 150 MPH
From Colorado to Kabul: 20 years, two wheels, one lesson
Everything I Know About Balance, I Learned at 150 MPH
From Colorado to Kabul: 20 years, two wheels, one lesson
Sometimes finding new inspiration, or even changing the course of your life, means stepping outside the familiar and seeking out God's world. Naeem compresses twenty years of riding into one cinematic talk, sharing stunning footage and stories from the Rockies to war-torn villages and reflecting on what the road can teach us about embracing Wassatiyyah, the middle path.
Sometimes finding new inspiration, or even changing the course of your life, means stepping outside the familiar and seeking out God's world. Naeem compresses twenty years of riding into one cinematic talk, sharing stunning footage and stories from the Rockies to war-torn villages and reflecting on what the road can teach us about embracing Wassatiyyah, the middle path.
Sometimes finding new inspiration, or even changing the course of your life, means stepping outside the familiar and seeking out God's world. Naeem compresses twenty years of riding into one cinematic talk, sharing stunning footage and stories from the Rockies to war-torn villages and reflecting on what the road can teach us about embracing Wassatiyyah, the middle path.
MASTERCLASS — NAEEM RANDHAWA
MASTERCLASS — NAEEM RANDHAWA
JOURNALISM
JOURNALISM
4:00 PM – 4:20 PM
4:00 PM – 4:20 PM
Storytelling as Strategy: Turn Your Story Into Influence
Tasmiha Khan, a storyteller whose work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME and National Geographic, shows how to turn your story into strategy. Learn to find your real angle, tell it with honesty and craft, and build the trust that brings visibility and opportunity beyond a trending moment.
Tasmiha Khan, a storyteller whose work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME and National Geographic, shows how to turn your story into strategy. Learn to find your real angle, tell it with honesty and craft, and build the trust that brings visibility and opportunity beyond a trending moment.
Tasmiha Khan, a storyteller whose work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME and National Geographic, shows how to turn your story into strategy. Learn to find your real angle, tell it with honesty and craft, and build the trust that brings visibility and opportunity beyond a trending moment.
MASTERCLASS — TASMIHA KHAN
MASTERCLASS — TASMIHA KHAN
PITCHING
PITCHING
4:30 PM – 4:50 PM
Art of Pitching
Art of Pitching
You know your work is good. Now, how do you get someone else to see it? Akbar Sheikh breaks down the art of pitching: making your offer clear, putting its value into words, and giving people a reason to say yes without giving them your entire life story.
You know your work is good. Now, how do you get someone else to see it? Akbar Sheikh breaks down the art of pitching: making your offer clear, putting its value into words, and giving people a reason to say yes without giving them your entire life story.
You know your work is good. Now, how do you get someone else to see it? Akbar Sheikh breaks down the art of pitching: making your offer clear, putting its value into words, and giving people a reason to say yes without giving them your entire life story.
Masterclass — Akbar Sheikh
Masterclass — Akbar Sheikh
COMEDY
COMEDY
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Allah Made Me Funny… And You Too!
Allah Made Me Funny… And You Too!
Allah Made Me Funny… And You Too!
Some things you have to laugh about. Others take a comedian to point out first. Preacher Moss brings his sharp eye for everyday absurdities to KufiCon, drawing on faith, identity, and community life for a set that gives us plenty to laugh about, and something to think about on the way home.
Some things you have to laugh about. Others take a comedian to point out first. Preacher Moss brings his sharp eye for everyday absurdities to KufiCon, drawing on faith, identity, and community life for a set that gives us plenty to laugh about, and something to think about on the way home.
Some things you have to laugh about. Others take a comedian to point out first. Preacher Moss brings his sharp eye for everyday absurdities to KufiCon, drawing on faith, identity, and community life for a set that gives us plenty to laugh about, and something to think about on the way home.
Performance — Preacher Moss
Performance — Preacher Moss
Asr: 5:30 PM — Maghrib: 6:35 PM
NONPROFIT
NONPROFIT
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
IACC Gala Dinner
IACC Gala Dinner
Panel — Shaykh Chad Earl, Imam Yaseen Shaikh & Ust Michael Wolfender
Panel — Shaykh Chad Earl, Imam Yaseen Shaikh & Ust Michael Wolfender
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
8:10 PM – 8:30 PM
Dallas Qasida
Dallas Qasida
Performance — Dallas Qasida
Performance — Dallas Qasida
CLOSING
CLOSING
8:30 PM – 8:40 PM
Closing Keynote
Closing Keynote
Keynote — Saadia Ahmed
Keynote — Saadia Ahmed
Bring your work to KufiCon.
Bring your work to KufiCon.
Artists, writers, brands, and exhibitors — get your work in front of the KufiCon crowd.
Artists, writers, brands, and exhibitors — get your work in front of the KufiCon crowd.
Put your brand in the room.
Put your brand in the room.
Partner with KufiCon and connect your brand with 1,000+ creatives and professionals.
Partner with KufiCon and connect your brand with 1,000+ creatives and professionals.
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