CAIR-Ohio Speaks on Parent Advocacy Panel at Youth Conference 

(COLUMBUS, OH, 03/23/23)– On Saturday, March 18, CAIR-Ohio Executive Director Amina Barhumi participated in a “Parent Advocacy in Schools” panel hosted by the Noor Islamic Cultural Center’s (NICC) MYImpact Youth Committee.  

The MYImpact (Muslim Youth Impact) Committee is a leadership development initiative that serves the NICC youth community by organizing lectures, awareness campaigns, activities, and the annual NICC Youth Conference. All of which aims to develop God-consciousness and nurture upright Muslim youth.  

Barhumi was joined by Lila Alsibai and Sumaya Hamadmad, the founding members of the Muslim Parents and Educators for Understanding, Barhumi opened the session with an introduction to advocacy and the process CAIR-Ohio uses as a guideline when advocating for important policies and causes. 

Alsibai and Hamadmad continued the discussion by sharing the opportunities their group has provided over the years, which includes the historical effort in getting the Hilliard City School District to implement days off for the Eid al-Fitr holiday. They also provide programming around cultural competency for schools, where they address the challenges of being Muslim and how teachers can support their Muslim students.  

The panelists also highlighted the importance of small interactions of being involved in educational environments, as they help lead to the ability to make bigger changes.  

“CAIR-Ohio supports educator, student, parent-volunteer led efforts to create a culturally responsive school environment for Muslim students.” said Barhumi.  

Interested in CAIR-Ohio speaking at your event? Fill out our speaker request form

CAIR-Ohio Discusses Islamophobia with High School Politics Class 

(COLUMBUS, OH, 03/16/23)– On Thursday, March 9, CAIR-Ohio spoke to more than fifty students at Thomas Worthington High School. Staff members were invited to speak as part of a speaker series for a Political Radicalism class.

CAIR-Ohio Government Affairs Director Anisa Liban and Community Relations Assistant Shireen Shaaban shared their personal stories of their upbringings and about what it means to be a Muslim American. During the session, they had conversations with high school seniors on the experiences they have been part of at CAIR-Ohio. 

Liban shared the current political climate and challenges that Muslim face to when practicing their faith, such as Islamophobia, and how anti-Muslim discrimination comes in many shapes and forms, including its presence across the globe. Shaaban and Liban both opened about their personal journeys wearing the hijab in America and spoke to what it is like to be visibly Muslim and outwardly representing one’s faith at all times. 

After they gave an overview and background of Muslims in America and discussed the advocacy work that CAIR-Ohio does as well as the kinds of complaints received. There was a question-and-answer session where students were able to ask follow-up questions to the topics discussed and address any topics that were not touched on. 

Interested in having CAIR-Ohio speak at your school or organization? Contact CAIR-Ohio Outreach Director Victoria Hickcox: vhickcox@cair.com | 513.906.5728

Enduring Legacy: Black Muslim Excellence | Civil Rights Movement & Its Impact

To commemorate Black History Month, CAIR-Ohio is celebrating the rich legacy and contributions of Black Americans, with a particular focus on highlighting Black Muslim excellence and their mark on our nation. We wanted to highlight the achievements, successes, and inspiring stories of our community members.  

Muslim-Americans are the most diverse faith group in the nation, and Black Muslims make up the largest share with a deep and rich history. We spent this February illustrating people across many different fields, and varying walks of life. While Black History Month comes to a close, the significance and spirit of the occasion continues. For our last highlight this month, we will be focusing on the Civil Rights Movement and the impact it has made in paving the way for other groups to advocate for their rights.  

Read More “Enduring Legacy: Black Muslim Excellence | Civil Rights Movement & Its Impact”

Stop HJR1: Protect the Power of the People in Ohio with Citizen-Led Ballot Initiatives

We need your urgent action to protect citizen-led ballot initiatives in Ohio. The so-called “Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment” is back as HJR 1, and it threatens to undermine our democratic process by making it harder for citizens to pass initiatives that reflect our values. 

This amendment proposal would increase the passage threshold of new constitutional amendments to 60%, up from a simple majority (50% +1), making it more difficult for citizens to pass laws that benefit their communities. 

Background: 

  • In 2015, it was through this citizen-led ballot initiative process that proposed to reform the heavily gerrymandered redistricting process in Ohio. The proposal aimed to create a bipartisan commission to draw new state maps, and to require that the maps be accurate and fair in representing Ohio communities. 
  • Following this, in 2018, another ballot initiative was proposed and passed with strong support from Ohioans (nearly 75% in favor). The new law, known as Issue 1, created a bipartisan redistricting commission to draw new state and congressional maps.  

As Muslims, it is our responsibility to stand up for justice and ensure that everyone has the right to participate in our democracy. This is especially important given the challenges and discrimination that our community and other marginalized groups face. 

This amendment is a political power grab by corrupt politicians and special interests who want to take away our power to make decisions that affect our lives. If passed, a small number of voters could block initiatives that the majority of Ohio voters support. This could prevent initiatives such as those supporting fair district maps from being approved, effectively silencing our voices and denying us fair representation. It is important to note that fair maps are crucial to ensuring that every vote counts and that our communities are represented in government.  

Additionally, this would be disastrous for our communities, as initiatives such as those supporting affordable housing, healthcare access, police reform, and environmental protections could be blocked by a minority of voters. 

Let’s stand together to safeguard our right to vote and protect the initiatives that reflect our values and make our communities stronger. Send a letter to your legislators urging them to not support this resolution. Take action here.

Enduring Legacy: Black Muslim Excellence | Art

To commemorate Black History Month, CAIR-Ohio is celebrating the rich legacy and contributions of Black Americans, with a particular focus on highlighting Black Muslim excellence and their mark on our nation. This week, our attention turns to three individuals who are renowned for their scholarship.  

Stay engaged with the series, on CAIR-Ohio’s Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye on your weekly email newsletter from us.
 

To commemorate Black History Month, CAIR-Ohio is celebrating the rich legacy and contributions of Black Americans, with a particular focus on highlighting Black Muslim excellence and their mark on our nation. This week, we will be focusing on three individuals who are celebrated for their artistic talents. 

Stay engaged with the series, on CAIR-Ohio’s Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye on your weekly email newsletter from us.
 

View Week 1 Highlights on Activism & Leadership here. 

View Week 2 Highlights on Scholarship here.

Read More “Enduring Legacy: Black Muslim Excellence | Art”

CAIR-Ohio Hosts Workshop at Masjid Abubakar to Empower Muslim Parents

(COLUMBUS, OH, 2/23/22) On Saturday, February 18, CAIR-Ohio hosted an anti-bullying workshop at Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center, located on Columbus’ west side, to support parents and students impacted by bullying and other forms of harassment at school as well as equip them with self-advocacy tools. The event is one of many aimed to help community members experiencing bullying and anti-Muslim discrimination and to provide education around its impacts on mental health.  

Read More “CAIR-Ohio Hosts Workshop at Masjid Abubakar to Empower Muslim Parents”

Enduring Legacy: Black Muslim Excellence | Scholarship

To commemorate Black History Month, CAIR-Ohio is celebrating the rich legacy and contributions of Black Americans, with a particular focus on highlighting Black Muslim excellence and their mark on our nation. This week, our attention turns to three individuals who are renowned for their scholarship.  

Stay engaged with the series, on CAIR-Ohio’s Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye on your weekly email newsletter from us.
 

Missed Week 1? View it here.   Read More “Enduring Legacy: Black Muslim Excellence | Scholarship”