Gul Khaki is a social activist, a community builder, an amazing cook, and a grandmother.
She is a retired banker with years of experience in customer service, data processing, management and technology. Since retiring, Gul has spent time travelling overseas, and in Toronto with her grandson.
Gul has been an active volunteer since the 1960s, organizing, facilitating and hosting gatherings, conferences and media events. In Canada, Gul volunteered many years with The Committee for Racial Justice; The Pacific Interfaith Citizenship Association of B.C.; and the Council of Muslim Communities of Canada.
Since retiring, Gul remains active in community building and organizing. She is a founding Member, Coordinator and Facilitator of the Vancouver Unity Mosque, an affiliate of ETJC The Unity Mosque, a gender equal, 2SLGBTIQA+ affirming Islamic sacred space. In Vancouver (& in Toronto), she provides support, personal counsel, guidance and mentoring congregants.
As chair of ‘Better At Home” Advisory Committee (2014-2018), Gul helped assess and understand the needs of seniors in order to provide effective home care.
Gul is a recipient of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women “Women who Inspire” Award 2021.
She is looking forward to spending more time with her grandson, travelling, sipping fresh coconut on a tropical beach at sunset, and one day, climbing Machu Pichu.
TESTIMONIAL
“As a strong, supportive mother of El- Farouk, a well-known Muslim Queer activist, Imam and
community leader, Gulbanu Khaki, known as Gul, is a groundbreaking role model for all Muslim women
in Canada. By publicly and pridefully owning her Muslim identity, her womanhood and her parenting
commitment, she embodies ideals of equity, community and inclusion that disrupt Orientalist
stereotypes about Muslim women and families. At the same time, through prominently upholding her
religious and affective identities she challenges toxic forms of cultural and religious patriarchy within
the Muslim community.”
— Gulbanu Khaki’s nominator, Dr. Amina Jamal
