We mourn the death of George Floyd. We mourn Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Botham Jean, Sandra Bland and too many more. These tragic deaths have exposed the wound of deep racial division, prejudice and privilege in America, which prevent too many people from being treated with dignity and respect.
As an organization that prides itself on being Muslim women for ALL women, and an organization that seeks to champion peace, in the home, in the community, and in the world: any act of violence is a threat to peaceful homes, communities and souls. Our vision is that the current violence and injustice can be replaced by acceleration of action and progress towards meaningful equity. As a community and as an agency, through both our words and deeds, we must stand against anything or anyone that tries to diminish our collective power, and sow fear in our hearts, including racism.
We are committed more than ever, to work with allies and partners across sectors, languages, ethnicities, and races to end the inequities that foster violence, which hurts all our communities so deeply. In this effort, we encourage all members of the community, especially our non-black sisters and brothers, to challenge the racism that exists within our communities at all levels: at home, in the workplace, religious spaces, and social circles. Below are some resources to get you started on the journey of anti-racism.
To our black sisters and brothers, we see you and hear you, and commit ourselves to doing better. We will continue to reach out to our diverse communities, and deepen our understanding of how to strengthen our work for justice and safety, together.
We’ve got our work cut out for us. The good news is, we are totally up to the challenge.
Let’s do this.
#StrongerTogether2020 – because BLACK LIVES MATTER
Mona Kafeel and the Board & Staff
Some Resources to Get You Started
Educate Yourself on Racism and Anti-Racism:
• Anti-Racism Resources (Google Doc)
• Centering Black Narrative: Black Muslim Nobles Among the Early Pious Muslims by Ahmad Mubarak and Dawud Walid (Book)
• Christianity, Islam and the Negro by Edward Wilmot (Book)
• Race Forward (Online Racial Equity Training)
• Resource List from MPowerChange
Talk to Your Kids about Racism:
• Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk about Race (Resource List)
• Talking with Children about Racism, Police Brutality and Protests (Article with Resources)
Black Muslim Organizations to Support and Learn From:
• Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC)
• Muslim Wellness Foundation, Inc.
• Sapelo Square – an online resource on Black Muslims in the US
Some Ways to Get Engaged Politically:
Anguish and Action – Obama Foundation
Some Local Organizations and Efforts:
• Faith in Texas – Bailfund for North Texas Protestors
• Dallas Alliance against Racial and Political Oppression
• ACLU Texas