Chicago Roundup
CAMP Chicago Chapter Raises Funds for Haiti’s Quake Victims
By Dr. Mujahid Ghazi
CAMP Chicago Chapter raises funds for Haiti’s quake victims
About 60 young Muslim professionals gathered at Leona’s Restaurant on Taylor Street to network and raise funds for the victims of Haiti. They were members of the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals Chicago Chapter.
Speaking on the occasion, Asma Hashmi welcomed the guests and introduced the CAMP office bearers. She said that CAMP is a not-for-profit organization and has been in existence since 1994. She informed that in all there are four active chapters of CAMP: Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Toronto. CAMP’s mission, she said, is to inspire and facilitate the development of Muslim professionals. She said our philosophy is Muslim professionals working together should empower each other for advancement in their professional carriers. The objectives are to provide access to a strong, dynamic and cohesive professional network. To provide opportunities for professional growth and leadership development. To educate and encourage the active sharing of ideas, on issues and/or challenges of shared concern and interest. To offer opportunities to give back to the Muslim community as well as the broader community more meaningfully by leveraging members’ professional skills and technical expertise.
Outreach Coordinator Tawfiq Farraj announced the upcoming events. He said the next event will be at Café Finjan. It will be a continuation of a series of Interfaith Art Exchange that began in 2002 from the Jewish Muslim community building initiative. He said this series established a point of contact with reference to better understanding between Jews and Muslims in the Greater Chicago Area. He said this event is taking place on February 4 th at 7 pm. He said the artists expected include Kevin Kobol and Indo Girls. Asma Hashmi announce about Power Hours and other future events.
There was a networking contest and Muneza won $ 25 by finishing it first. CAMP national treasurer Sabrina Qureshi also spoke on the occasion. Saad Mohiuddin, media coordinator and webmaster; Waqas Sarwar, treasurer; Ahmed Khan, Vice President; and Ghazal Khan, event planne,r were part of the team which organized the event.
This scribe met a number of young Muslim professionals who are actively contributing to the development of this nation and are associated with prominent US corporate and organizations. There were lawyers like Salman Azam, Erum a podiatrist, and professional couples like Khadija Kareem and Sultan Khan, or Rafay Siddique, a system analyst and his wife Sana Rahman who works in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in project management. Hafsa Ahsan, whose mother is from Pakistan and father from Bangladesh, was an example of the multinational roots of some of these young individuals. The event collected a good amount for the victims of the Haiti quake which was announced to be sent through Islamic Relief.
‘I stand for diversity,’ says Governor Pat Quinn (extreme left) as he responds to a question in the Asian Broadcasting Network talk show
I Stand for Diversity, Says Governor Pat Quinn
Governor Pat Quinn has claimed that he stands for diversity. Responding to a question in the Talk Show produced by Asian Broadcasting Network, the Governor said his philosophy is: “Everybody In and nobody left out.”
He said nobody should be discriminated against, especially when it comes to awarding contracts and providing jobs. He said this is the reason that he had appointed a Director of Diversity Enhancement in his government. The appointee is a valuable member of his staff. He said he wanted to salute his young staff and colleague Samreen Khan who is the Liaison for Muslim and Asian American community. He stated that Samreen is a well educated person and he had known her for almost a decade.
He said it is very important to reach out. He said he was with the Muslim community at Toyota Park in Bridgeview in Ramadan breaking fast with 15,000 Muslims. Responding to a question about the release of prisoners and public safety he said he is not enthusiastic about early release at all but 13 other states around the country are addressing this issue.
He said our economy is bad and the legislature does not want to spend money on public safety and corrections. They told the government to cut 100 million dollars from correction’s budget. He said the prisoners are only released 37 days before the end of their term. Responding to a question on budget cuts for the senior’s programs he said it was the General Assembly which was doing it and he is the one who vetoed it. He said he supports funding for Human Services and Children’s programs.
The talk show earlier had James Steven Burnstein as a guest and later Toni Preckwinkle, candidate for the President of Cook County as a call-in guest. During the first forty-five minutes of the Talk Show, Pakistan’s legendary hockey player Islahuddin was the guest and answered some very important questions asked by the ABN team including Aqil Sajjad and Shahran Asim from Boston and Long Island, New York. The link to listen to this talk show is http://abnchicago.org/2010/01/31/uncategorized/abn-special-presentation-islahuddin-us-local-elections-coverage/.
Ashraf Patel was co-host of the show with this scribe. The talk show airs every Sunday from Chicago’s WCGO 1590 AM and is on live stream at www.abnchicago.org.
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