Our Team
Our board is made up of highly sought after, diverse, words-to-actions, expert community members. Our intersecting skills, expertise, and lived-experience brings a wealth of knowledge, strength, and talents needed to pioneer a grassroots organisation embedded in racial equity, well-being, and health. Together our intersecting skills and identities are used to bring joy, rest, opportunities, and events to the Pollokshields community through Bowling Green Together.
Tabassum Niamat (she/her)
Executive Director
Tabassum (Tab) is a Muslim woman of Pakistani descent hailing from Scotland, who has spent a significant part of her life residing in Pollokshields. As a community organizer and activist, she is driven by a strong sense of purpose and has amassed a wealth of experience in empowering Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities. Her particular interest lies in promoting intersectional lived experience leadership. Through her leadership, she has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life of people from diverse backgrounds, whilst advocating for social justice and cultivating sustainable and socially responsible inclusive spaces. According to Tabassum, her roots in Pollokshields run deep and she takes immense pride in the place she calls home. As she puts it, the people, spaces, and diverse communities that coexist within the community have contributed immensely to shaping her identity. In particular, the Bowling Green community holds a special place in her heart, as it embodies a world that is caring, resourceful, and inclusive- one that serves as a testament to the possibility of building a better tomorrow.
Munawar Sultan (she/her)
Director
Muna is a Pakistani woman who takes immense pride in her heritage and is deeply committed to addressing the social injustices afflicting her homeland. Having made Scotland her home, she has raised her children to become accomplished professionals in diverse fields such as medicine, law, and business. As an active member of the Pollokshields community, Muna is always willing to volunteer her time and resources towards helping others. Her fearlessly independent spirit and zest for life serve as a source of inspiration to those around her. Muna firmly believes that no one should have to suffer the pangs of loneliness, especially not when the Bowling Green and the community at large offer a wealth of resources and support.
Iffat Ahmad (she/her)
Director
Iffat is a Scottish South Asian Muslim and Glaswegian. She graduated in Applied Psychology, and her interests include intersectional feminism, art therapy, and approaching mental health and wellbeing through a decolonised and culturally affirming lense. She has over 7 years of volunteering and paid experience with many third sector and grassroots level organisations in and around the Southside, supporting vulnerable and structurally oppressed individuals and communities. She is also a henna artist of 7+ years and has had the privilege to share her artistic skills at community events, vouching for its many socio-cultural and therapeutic health benefits. Iffat has lived in Pollokshields all her life, and as a long-time resident, strongly believes in supporting and advocating for an equitable life for all marginalised groups in our community.
Zineerah Ali (she/her)
Director
Zineerah Ali is a Scottish Muslim of Pakistani heritage, who was born and raised in Glasgow and currently resides in Pollokshields. She is pursuing full-time studies in Law, with a keen interest in human rights, tenants' rights, and housing-related matters. With her wealth of experience in working with individuals from diverse age groups, including the youth and the elderly, Zineerah is well-versed in providing support on welfare issues and addressing language and technological barriers. She is particularly cognizant of the challenges that marginalised communities face and is committed to leveraging her knowledge and resources toward supporting the most vulnerable members of society.
Raj Brighton Jeyaraj (he/him)
Director
Raj is Ceylonese-Filipino Malaysian living in Scotland. He is a strategic change and growth leader with over 12 years in Non-Profit, EDI, and Social Sectors, 8 years in growth and operations, empowering communities with up to 83K members and revenues of £1-6M. Raj leads organisations through financial and cultural crises to sustainable performance by architecting technical solutions and a people-first culture. An intersectional approach to justice, equality, diversity, and inclusion has been core in his campaigning work due to his intersectional upbringing and experience. Growing up with parents from Sri Lanka and Philippines, in a Hindu-Catholic household in a Muslim commonwealth country gave him a fascinating insight into understanding oppression, privilege, colonialism and intergenerational trauma and how it manifests in individual, interpersonal, institutional, systemic, and structural ways. Raj believes It’s with this lived-experience-led passion for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion we can build an organisation that meets the needs of Glasgow's black and minority ethnic people.
Dr. Melissa Espinoza (she/her)
Director
Dr. Espinoza completed her PhD at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. She is a specialist in international comparative public policy and the impacts of racial inequalities. Her professional experience in North America centres on racial inequalities within housing and homelessness policies. Her lived-experience as a first generation Mexican-American, woman of colour, and immigrant to Scotland connects her to her work in social justice and community in Pollokshields. She has extensive research experience evaluating homelessness programmes in Greater Manchester, Newcastle, and Birmingham. She has published research on ageing populations' housing needs, fuel poverty, and other anti-poverty work. She has worked in the non-profit and private philanthropy industry for over 13 years.
In her spare time, she is heavily involved in supporting movements and organisations that help to elevate and promote Indigenous and people of colour voices, struggles, and joys. She continues to engage in movements that elevate First Nations/ Indigenous voices and knowledge in climate change negotiations.
Currently, she works as an international consultant in DEI/EDI operational processes, fundraising/ grant writing, and research.
The Bowling Green Together CIC is a Community Interest Company. Company Number SC750080.
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