On the Eve of Ramadan
By Dr Salam Al-Marayati
President, MPAC
A drone photo shows thousands of people gather for iftar (fast-breaking) dinner during the Holy fasting month of Ramadan at Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey - Muhammed Enes Yildirim/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
It is well known that Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of the Qur’an and he likely drew inspiration from our Holy Book when drafting the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration established the intention to build a society through an aspirational vision of pluralism and system of values that we as Muslims hold in high esteem— Human dignity, Mercy, Justice, and Equality for All.
Indeed, MPAC’s work, rooted in these shared values, is not only on behalf of American Muslims— but on behalf of the founding principles of America itself. While America was established with the best of intentions— America’s promise for equality and justice has remained unfulfilled for so many of our nation’s marginalized communities. As such, protecting our marginalized, underrepresented communities and our democratic principles and institutions has become one of the key issues of our lifetime.
As we write the next chapter in the story of US, we face challenges and vulnerabilities as Muslims, as Americans, and as practitioners of our shared values. Now more than ever, our work to uphold these values to fulfill the promise of America, is so critical. “O you who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity; and never let hatred of anyone lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious.” – Surat Al-Mā'idah, 5:8
With Ramadan upon us, I wanted to take a moment to reflect upon the critical work that MPAC is doing to make progress— for you, your family, and American Muslims across the country. Here are some highlights:
The next chapter in the story of US: Fulfilling the promise of America
- We are working with the House and Senate Committees on Homeland Security to reform TSA policies that disproportionately impact American Muslims and rewrite existing law regarding these practices and inequities.
- We are working in concert with the lead Senate sponsor on the Combating International Islamophobia Act to establish US leadership in addressing Islamophobia worldwide.
- We are continuing our work toward just policies for Afghanistan and Afghan-American refugees through partnerships with key organizations and direct advocacy with the Department of Homeland Security, State Department, and Congress.
- We convened leadership from Senate offices, advocacy organizations, and the activist community to honor journalist Ajit Sahi for his work against the Hindutva movement to protect religious freedom at home and abroad.
Expanding community presence
- We enhanced our pipeline to public leadership by expanding on our Congressional Leadership Development Program with new fellowships in direct advocacy and the Executive Branch. This provides direct support for American Muslim youth in the next stages of their public service careers.
- Our Mustard Seed Project promotes greater understanding between Muslims and Evangelical Christians so that together we can dispel harmful stereotypes and work together to preserve the values enshrined in our Constitution. We’ve expanded the program to more cities and more communities to increase prevalence of this important dialogue.
Uplifting Muslim voices in Hollywood
- With the support of CAA Foundation’s Full Story Initiative, we unveiled a $10,000 grant for Black Muslim Filmmakers to elevate the rich stories about and by Black Muslim creatives.
- We championed the inclusion of Muslim creative voices by partnering with Film Independent to award a $10,000 grant to an American Muslim writer.
- Our Hollywood Bureau is proud to announce the 2022 Screenwriting Lab for Television, in partnership with Endless Media, LLC. As part of this virtual lab, six selected screenwriters will work with experienced producers to develop a ready-to-be-packaged pilot script.
Our staff and board are working tirelessly to enhance perceptions, and improve policies that ensure our country stays true to its founding principles. With your support, we continue our marathon across generations toward an America that is enriched by our vital contributions. None of this is possible without your contributions.
