No doubt, the last few months have been difficult on the American Muslim community and beyond. But with that comes a silver lining. It has sparked an energy in the community to organize in support of Muslims like never before.
To join us this Ramadhan, buy tickets to the Grassroots Iftar closest to you on our website here: www.grassrootsiftar.com
Participants will engage in 3-4 facilitated small group discussions using the World Cafe method on various pertinent issues. The World Cafe topics are the following:
1) "Lesser of two evils" party politics vs. Independent organizing
2) Combating Islamophobia
3) Gender-balanced leadership in Muslim institutions
4) Palestine and the Holocaust Industry
5) Takfirism as a form of dehumanization in Muslim communities
6) Racism in the Muslim community
7) Youth Empowerment in American Muslim institutions
8) Addiction and Mental Health Issues in the Muslim Community
In the second half of the program, participants will be given an opportunity to hear about current movements being built by grassroots activists working on various issues of interest to the Muslim community. The confirmed panelists are:
Abdul-Basit Haqq - A labor union organizer in Newark and Co-founder of NJ Alliance of Muslim Communities (NJAMC)
Widad Hassan - A graduate student in Human Rights at CUNY and an organizer of the NYC-wide Yemeni bodega strike on Feb. 2nd against the Muslim Ban
Mustafa Sheikh - A graduating high school senior who organizes interfaith programs for teens as part of the the award-winning Garden State MOSAIC program
Sherif Ibrahim - An English/Special Ed. teacher in Queens and an organizer of the successful #NoRice campaign at Rutgers University
A Q&A and group discussion with the panelists will follow. The event will wrap up with halaal Iftar and dinner catered by Rutgers Inn, and include ample opportunity for networking and building strong, organizing ties.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at grassrootsiftar@gmail.com.
"I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they'll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action."
--- Malcolm X (Shaheed el-Haaj Malik el-Shabazz)
NJ / NY:
Rutgers University Inn & Conference Center
178 Ryders Lane
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
South Florida:
Florida International University (MMC Campus)
Graham Center Faculty Ballroom
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199
(tentative)
DC/MD/VA:
Join us at the Grassroots Iftar closest to you!
#GrassrootsIftar