Mohammad Razvi
Chief Executive Officer
Mohammad Razvi is the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of the Council of Peoples Organization (COPO) based in Brooklyn, New York. Razvi was a pioneer of community building and anti-hate movement after the 9/11 attacks when he transitioned from an aspiring entrepreneur to forming COPO to support South Asian and Muslim Arab (MASA) communities. Within five months after 9/11, Razvi, along with his wife and children, transformed himself into a social entrepreneur and formed the Council of Pakistan Organization (later renamed Council of Peoples Organization).
COPO started in a 1,000 sq ft storefront, quickly attracting South Asian immigrants with low incomes and limited access to city services such as immigration, healthcare, and affordable housing. Today, COPO has expanded to a 20,000 sq ft space and has become a vital bridge between the U.S. government and Muslim-Americans in New York City. COPO assists low-income immigrant families to reach their full potential as residents of New York City, empowering marginalized communities to advocate for their rights and understand their responsibilities as Americans. It helps to build community relations among Muslim and non-Muslim groups and currently holds the largest Muslim Youth Career Day with over 25 City, State, and Federal Agencies.
Razvi has helped raise over $20 million for COPO programs, assisting over 30,000 people annually. COPO provides free services such as immigration assistance, food stamps/EBT enrollment, health insurance, mental health counseling, senior case management, women’s empowerment programs, ESL and citizenship classes, Halal Meals on Wheels, a Halal Food Pantry, and recently initiated older adults home visits through Case Management DFTA and Senior Home Care services for the Muslim community in NYC.
Razvi is a recipient of numerous awards from City Council Members, Borough Presidents, Senators, and even the Director of the FBI. He co-founded the Iftar Dinners for Borough Presidents of Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, and the Mayor of NYC, and the We Are All Brooklyn (WAAB) coalition. He is on the board of several organizations, including Youth Bridge NY, CAUSE NY, New York Immigration Coalition, Midwood Development Corp, FBI Citizens Academy New York Division, Center for the Study of Brooklyn at Brooklyn College, Brooklyn Borough President’s Task Force for New Diversity, Greater Brooklyn Health Coalition, News Corporation Diversity Council, and Muslim Foundation of America.
He has utilized his knowledge and the trust of the community to build bridges between law enforcement and diverse communities from ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds. His work has been recognized by the U.S., British, and Russian governments. He has traveled in an official capacity to Israel, France, Moscow, and London, and has visited many other countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Iraq, Bahrain, Holland, and Canada. Razvi’s tireless efforts have earned him recognition at the 9/11 Tribute Center near Ground Zero in Manhattan, NY. In Brooklyn, he is referred to as the “Heart of Coney Island Ave.” He believes that the community must be educated and empowered to advocate for its own cause and tirelessly continues to advocate for those who don’t have a voice.
“It is about people helping people.”
“The ultimate achievement of a man is not the gaining of knowledge but sharing it with others for their betterment.”
COPO started in a 1,000 sq ft storefront, quickly attracting South Asian immigrants with low incomes and limited access to city services such as immigration, healthcare, and affordable housing. Today, COPO has expanded to a 20,000 sq ft space and has become a vital bridge between the U.S. government and Muslim-Americans in New York City. COPO assists low-income immigrant families to reach their full potential as residents of New York City, empowering marginalized communities to advocate for their rights and understand their responsibilities as Americans. It helps to build community relations among Muslim and non-Muslim groups and currently holds the largest Muslim Youth Career Day with over 25 City, State, and Federal Agencies.
Razvi has helped raise over $20 million for COPO programs, assisting over 30,000 people annually. COPO provides free services such as immigration assistance, food stamps/EBT enrollment, health insurance, mental health counseling, senior case management, women’s empowerment programs, ESL and citizenship classes, Halal Meals on Wheels, a Halal Food Pantry, and recently initiated older adults home visits through Case Management DFTA and Senior Home Care services for the Muslim community in NYC.
Razvi is a recipient of numerous awards from City Council Members, Borough Presidents, Senators, and even the Director of the FBI. He co-founded the Iftar Dinners for Borough Presidents of Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, and the Mayor of NYC, and the We Are All Brooklyn (WAAB) coalition. He is on the board of several organizations, including Youth Bridge NY, CAUSE NY, New York Immigration Coalition, Midwood Development Corp, FBI Citizens Academy New York Division, Center for the Study of Brooklyn at Brooklyn College, Brooklyn Borough President’s Task Force for New Diversity, Greater Brooklyn Health Coalition, News Corporation Diversity Council, and Muslim Foundation of America.
He has utilized his knowledge and the trust of the community to build bridges between law enforcement and diverse communities from ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds. His work has been recognized by the U.S., British, and Russian governments. He has traveled in an official capacity to Israel, France, Moscow, and London, and has visited many other countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Iraq, Bahrain, Holland, and Canada. Razvi’s tireless efforts have earned him recognition at the 9/11 Tribute Center near Ground Zero in Manhattan, NY. In Brooklyn, he is referred to as the “Heart of Coney Island Ave.” He believes that the community must be educated and empowered to advocate for its own cause and tirelessly continues to advocate for those who don’t have a voice.
“It is about people helping people.”
“The ultimate achievement of a man is not the gaining of knowledge but sharing it with others for their betterment.”
Contact Info:
mrazvi@copo.org