This past weekend I had the honor of moderating what I thought was the most important panel at the 52nd Annual Islamic Society of North American convention. Our panel was title "Finding Our Voice: Sharing our Disability Experiences to Seek Empowerment and Affect Change," and featured Inshirah Aleem, an author and woman living with bipolar disorder, Safiyyah Amina Muhammad, a mom to five and fierce autism advocate/community leader, Sara Minkara, founder of Empowerment Through Integration, an … [Read more...]
Why We Share – The Power of Our Disability/Different-Ability Narratives
September 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment
ISNA Disability Narratives – Being a Voice for Advocacy and Change
September 1, 2015 by Leave a Comment
This post is part of a short series of disability narratives shared by the speakers and moderator (me!), who will be part of a panel discussion on “Finding Our Voice: Sharing our Disability Experiences to Seek Empowerment and Affect Change” this Saturday at the Islamic Society of North America convention. We’re hoping to show how sharing our stories is a way to build community and change perceptions.By Safiyyah Amina MuhammadI feel that my story is a compelling share because, out of the f … [Read more...]
ISNA Disability Narratives: A Purpose to Why God Created You As You Are
August 31, 2015 by Leave a Comment
This post is part of a short series of disability narratives shared by the speakers and moderator (me!), who will be part of a panel discussion on "Finding Our Voice: Sharing our Disability Experiences to Seek Empowerment and Affect Change" this Saturday at the Islamic Society of North America convention. We're hoping to show how sharing our stories is a way to build community and change perceptions.By Sara MinkaraRed. Yellow. Green. Orange—all the colors of fall that many of us look fo … [Read more...]
Engaging v. Disengaging: When Working With ISNA Means the Push for Women-Friendly Mosques
August 25, 2015 by Leave a Comment
It’s a debate I’ve watched from the sidelines for several years within the American Muslim community.When organizations (or the government agencies or administrations) are making missteps, deliberately harming or are simply and woefully behind the times when it comes to positive engagement and necessary progress, is better to disengage (even boycott), or is it better to constructively criticize and work from within the system – and thereby risk being lumped with some of those missteps – to af … [Read more...]
EnabledMuslim – Tackling Disability Inclusion in the Muslim Community
August 30, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Sometimes I wonder – what does it matter to him, whether he sets foot in any type of masjid/mosque? My son is definitely unMosqued, as is my entire immediate family, to some degree. Oh, we go to events and Jummah prayers at a mosque where we live, but that connection, that sense of belonging that feeling of strong community? – Yeah, not so much.By this point in our lives, though I want for our mosques and our communities to grow more inclusive of individuals with special needs and their fam … [Read more...]
#BringOurGirlsBack – Where is the Outrage for Our Nigerian Sisters and Daughters? – UPDATE
May 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment
We had a lot to say and rail about when Mipsterz releases its “Somewhere in America” video with hip hijab-wearing ladies. We talked about slut-shaming and music being haram (or not) and everything in between. Then on International Women’s Day when Sheikh Abu Eesa Niamatullah made extremely inappropriate jokes towards women, the global Muslim community rose to fire opinions back and forth on that too.And when the Honesty Policy released its “British Muslim” video for “Happy,” we had a lot to … [Read more...]
Three Questions for American Muslims: Imam Mohamed Magid
September 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The Muslim Portal at Patheos is hosting the “Three Questions” project for the month of September in conjunction with the tenth anniversary of the terrorist acts of 9/11. We are asking American Muslims from across the nation three simple but important questions. Click here to learn more about the project.Imam Mohamed Magid of the ADAMS Center and president of the Islamic Society of North America, offers his answers to the three questions:1. What is the most pressing issue or concern for … [Read more...]
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