My first introduction to MPAC was in 2014 at an “
I Am Change ” civic empowerment workshop in my home state of Indiana. I was immediately hooked on their message of engagement and the way they empower American Muslims to stand up and advocate for the issues they care about.
MPAC’s Government and Policy Summit seemed like the perfect way to jump right in! The Summits gave me and 20 other young American Muslim leaders, innovators and activists the priceless opportunity to engage in dynamic conversations with the big players in government and policy. And they did the same thing a week later with the Hollywood industry in Los Angeles.
In four days, we traveled around Washington, DC to meet with senior leaders from an extensive array of congressional offices, federal agencies, media organizations, and academic institutions. We met with leaders like
Congressman John Lewis and US Secretary of Homeland Security,
Jeh Johnson , but we weren’t in those meeting rooms simply to have small talk or for a photo-op. We were there to engage them by asking serious questions about how to drive policy change.
One of the most eye-opening experiences I had during the summit was a framing workshop aimed at tailoring messages in order to help improve public perceptions. We went through a series of scenarios that challenged us to consider our identities as American Muslims and then to actually build bridges beyond a religious context to illustrate how our beliefs and principles strengthen our nation.
MPAC’s Young Leaders Summit program has opened the doors of infinite possibilities for me. Now it’s up to you to walk through the door and seize this opportunity to become an effective advocate and springboard your future with the opportunities offered. The Summit experience positively impacted the direction of my life, so I encourage anyone that is interested in public policy or perceptions of Islam and Muslims to apply!
