Muslim Youth Learns Leadership Skills during CAIR-CA Program at State Capitol

Anaheim, CA: The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) held its 11th annual Muslim Youth Leadership Program (MYLP) at the State Capitol in Sacramento on August 4. 
The annual conference brought together 41 Muslim high school students from across the state to participate in workshops on community organizing, leadership development and public speaking. These participants, who have shown exemplary leadership skills in their own communities, partook in a "mock legislature" session and served as legislators as they debated public policy issues and prepared bills to be presented on the State Capitol Assembly floor. 
 The "mock legislature" session allowed participants to gain a deeper, practical understanding of how bills are reviewed and laws are passed in the California legislature.
 Sacramento District Attorney, Anne Marie Schubert and CAIR-Florida's Chief Executive Director, Hassan Shibly were the keynote speakers this year.  
 More than 400 California students have participated in the Muslim Youth Leadership Program since the first conference in 2005. The program's graduates have moved on to become community activists - many of whom have created their own non-profit organizations, and taken on groundbreaking leadership roles.