Atlanta (CNN) -- Kerry Swift stands in the kitchen of her Georgia home, warming food and setting out cutlery for her guests. Another humid summer day in the South nears its end. She is hosting a dinner party tonight with numerous families attending, and her guests are slowly trickling through the door. "Salaam-a-lakom," she says, greeting her guests as they enter the foyer. The women are in headscarves, and the men are in modest attire. They respond cordially and thank Kerry, also known as Kareemah Budair. Kareemah is hosting Iftar, the meal in which Muslims break their Ramadan fast. It is often celebrated in a community setting such as this.
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Kareemah Budair hosted a gathering for Iftar at her suburban Atlanta home
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The feast marks the breaking of the fast during the holy month of Ramadan
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Raised Catholic, she converted to Islam 17 years ago
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Of Ramadan, she says: "It's an opportunity to purify ourselves"
Depriving oneself of water and food, from sunrise to sunset, is the core practice of @placeholder.