What is included in community outreach?
The category encompasses a wide-range of Muslim American outreach work. It consists of volunteering efforts by Muslim Americans, such as distributing foods to the homeless, setting up free clinics for low-income families, and organizing nation-wide blood drives on the anniversary of 9/11. It also includes individually driven projects, like “dinner with your Muslim neighbor” initiatives by Muslim families and forums about Islam organized by college students, community organizers, and large Islamic organizations
Amanda Saab, a Muslim woman living in Seattle, WA, invites strangers to her home for a home-cooked dinner and a chance to answer any questions they might have about Islam and Muslims. Saab, who calls her initiative ‘Dinner with Your Neighbor’, feared that she might not have done enough to counter misinformation during the 2016 election and started inviting strangers to her home so they could meet ordinary Muslims.
The Muslim Women Network of Southern California hand out roses in multiple locations in Los Angeles, CA, to promote peace and unity. Shalizeh Aftabi, who was one of the organizers of the event said that the media rarely shows real Muslims, just those who hijacked Islam, like ISIS. She wanted people to understand that real Islam that spreads peace, feeds the hungry, and encourages kindness..
The Muslim Student Association of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay puts on a dinner and panel discussion to answer the questions that Alderman Chris Wery put to former student Heba Mohammad when he asked her if the MSA group she started at the university is a supporter of extremists and terrorists. Wery, who was invited to the dinner but did not attend, since apologized about how he asked the question, but stood by the questions.
