Almas Haider is an architectural designer, community organizer, and storyteller. For over a decade, Almas has supported the existence and just alignment of South Asian, queer, trans, and non-binary Muslim collectives in the movement for the liberation of Black, Indigenous, and people of color. They have designed and facilitated campaigns for immigrant rights as well as the dismantling of detention/deportation machines and state surveillance.

They have worked most extensively in the non-profit sector, including at South Asian Network, South Asian Americans Leading Together, and the International Rescue Committee. Almas has also worked for The Fulbright Program in the U.S. Department of State’s Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau. And has chaired committees and boards, including the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, Satrang-LA, KhushDC, and Moonbow (formerly API Equality-LA.) Almas has also taught a course at University of Maryland, College Park’s Department of Architecture, on bathroom design and construction as a contemporary design justice issue.

This informs his understanding and relationship to the built environment, inspiring Almas to pursue a career in architecture. She seeks to support BIPOC land stewards connected to social justice movements and actively engaged in creating self-sustaining communities across the U.S. They believe in the vision of these land stewards offers an alternative mode of relating to other people, species, and the land. It can be a model for a sustainable and just existence on this planet.