(COLUMBUS, OHIO, 11/17/22) – CAIR-Ohio speaks to more than fifty students at Thomas Worthington High School. Staff members were invited to speak as part of a speaker series for an American Politics class.
CAIR-Ohio Executive Director Amina Barhumi and Community Relations Assistant Shireen Shaaban shared their personal immigration stories and spoke about who Muslim Americans are. They shared that Muslims are the most ethnically diverse faith group, as compared to other groups in the United States according to ISPU’s American Muslim Poll.
Barhumi shared the current political climate and challenges that Muslim face to when they practice their faith, such as combatting Islamophobia, and how anti-Muslim discrimination comes in many shapes and forms, including its presence across the globe. This led to a discussion about the Combating International Islamophobia Act, legislation that would require the Department of State to establish a Special Envoy for tracking and combatting Islamophobia globally. The creation of the Special Envoy will also help lawmakers and other government officials better understand anti-Muslim hatred and violence, allowing for the development of a comprehensive strategy that will establish U.S. leadership in addressing Islamophobia worldwide.
They also educated the students about the Islamophobia Network, an over $105 million network comprised of thousands of organizations and individuals whose mission is to spread false information and Islamophobia in the U.S.
After they gave an overview and background of Muslims in America and discussed the advocacy work that CAIR-Ohio does and 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.
