Adilah Muhammad grew up in Decatur, GA and is now living in Lewiston with her husband and four sons. She moved to Maine in 2001 after graduating with a BA in French and economics from DePauw University. She worked as a manager for the Hannaford Brothers Company before working with her husband as in their real estate investment company.

As an investor, Adilah saw the impact of public policy in the communities in which she invested. Adilah earned her Masters of Public Policy and Management from the Muskie School of Public Service in 2008. Her capstone focused on The Effects of Demand Subsidies on Lewiston’s Downtown Residential Community. She went on to chair both Lewiston’s Downtown Neighborhood Task Force and  Downtown Neighborhood Action Planning Committee.  She continues to be intrigued by the many factors that lead to community vitality or decline and their ultimate effect on individual households.

Adilah is the president and founder of the Third Place, the first co-working space for BIPOC Mainers. The focus is on cultivating and connecting the growing community of professionals, entrepreneurs, and community builders who have chosen Maine as their home. In an interview with Maine Biz she discusses feeling that “no one was really understanding that BIPOC folks were not experiencing the same quality of life as their white counterparts. BIPOC folks have limited social, cultural and professional infrastructure that is essential to building and sustaining life outside of the workplace. Companies can do all they can to recruit a diverse workforce, but if workers don’t have opportunities to play and connect to community outside of the workplace, there is little chance at retaining them for the long haul.”

Adilah is also the owner of Scorecard, a strategic planning and research consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, inter-organizational collaboration and resource sharing. She has facilitated several social change efforts between faith-based and public institutions at the local, state, and national level. She is often called to speak on the topics of Islam and civic engagement, Muslim-American identity and understanding Islam and Muslims. She is intrigued by the intersections of the Arts and racial justice and equity.

Adilah is currently the Maine Community Foundation’s board vice-chairperson and leads the governance committee. She is an  advisor for Indigo Arts Alliance, serves on the Bates College Institutional Review Board, and has served as a board director for the Raise Op Housing Cooperative. As former Vice Chair and Downstage coordinator for L/A Arts, she organized youth open mic shows to primarily showcase Black youth and artists. She is often called to speak on the topics of Islam and civic engagement, Muslim-American identity and understanding Islam and Muslims.

Adilah enjoys gardening, travel, and outdoor adventures with her family. She is a masterful cook with a broad skill set that she uses to the delight of family and friends.