First Responders Honored by the Muslim Community in Elk Grove, California
By Ras H. Siddiqui

A memorable evening was held on October 15, 2023, in Elk Grove, California during which the Muslim, South Asian and Middle Eastern community with Junaid and Saima Khan of the Human Ummah Foundation taking the lead, took the time to honor and appreciate our First Responders. The community here greatly values our firefighters and police department for the valuable service they provide, and they just did not want their services to be overlooked. The Sacramento region is amongst the most diverse areas in our country and that diversity was reflected by the attendance here this evening.

The event started off with a social hour and appetizers as attendees took advantage of the opportunity to visit the fire trucks and Elk Grove Police vehicles, including its Mobile Command Center in the nearby parking lot. On hand were associated personnel ready to answer questions from the curious public. The kids were visibly impressed. And it was in the parking lot that local Rap Performer, Zaki Syed presented his work to a small group of public attendees and uniformed first responders. His lyrics were dedicated to the fine work done by our local fire departments and police while saving and protecting us. 

The program formalities started with the Islamic invocation presented by a young lady on stage along with its English translation. This was followed by a posting of colors and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Khydeeja Alam Javid was the emcee for the evening and did a stellar job coordinating this very busy event with some assistance from Dr Mutahir Khan, Dr Salwa Hussain, Usman Khalid, Basim Elkarra, Dr Rana Mahfooz Ali Khan, and Mohammad Sharif.

The keynote speech was delivered by Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. And what a memorable speech it was, moving some to tears. She spoke of her meeting with Junaid Khan several months ago on the planning stages of this event and was happy to see it come to fruition. The latest crisis in the Middle East loomed large at this gathering and the mayor shared the sadness on the loss of life there. “Our hearts are heavy,” she said. She added that as a Sikh-American she understands that her faith adds importance to standing up for the oppressed. We all needed to stand up for peace, for humanity and for ending human suffering, she added. 

From the First Responder leadership speaking on stage here were Jim Luttrell representing the Consumnes Community Service District, Fire Chief Felipe Rodriguez and Assistant Chief of Police, Elk Grove Paul Solomon. They thanked Junaid Khan of the Human Ummah Foundation for spearheading this event and expressed their appreciation for this effort. 

Junaid Khan spoke next. He thanked the mayor, fire chief and the police department for their support and cooperation. A short fundraiser was also held for the End of Watch Fund and Cosumnes Firefighters Community Support Foundation, two organizations which help with legacy issues faced by first responders in the area. Over $10,000 was collected for them both, with Sharif Jewelers taking a leading role in the donation.  

The First Responders honored at this event were Firefighter Travis Banks, Officer Madison O’Connor, Firefighter Alexander Bates, Officer Ruben Guerrero, Firefighter Tyson Benedett, Officer Matthew Kirby, Firefighter Mark Roccucci, Officer Cody Nguyen,  and Firefighter Christopher Welch. Our collective shout-out for their services and well-deserved congratulations to all of them. 

Members of the area Muslim community were also honored on the occasion. They included Dr Mohammad Kabbesh, Dr Wajahat Khan, MD, Dr Shagufta Yasmeen (Shifa Clinic), Dr Fawzia Keval, Engineer Rashid Ahmad, and Dr Najme Minhaj. It was great to see them being recognized for their community service in the greater Sacramento area over many years.

To conclude, the people to be thanked here are really Junaid and Saima Khan of the Human Ummah Foundation for leading our community towards publicly recognizing our local fire department and police with a grand event dedicated to their services. It is always great to see a display of good old fashioned American patriotism by our Muslim, Pakistani, South Asian and Middle Eastern communities at such events. Along with local fire departments and law enforcement, our next (American-born) generation, who are no longer immigrants, surely appreciated it.