Why We’re Allies of the Muslim Community – Five Short Stories

Steven Cohen

I’m committed to working with and for Muslim communities because of how I was raised. Both my mother and father were extremely active in San Francisco civic life and civil rights. My father was a prominent lawyer, a leader and president of SF’s Council for Civic Unity and a board member of the International Institute, which assisted immigrants and new Americans. My mom was a very prominent activist and change agent.

I’d describe myself as culturally Jewish. Though I didn’t have formal Jewish training, my younger daughter was the first person in our family to have been mitzvahed. As she went through that journey, I thought about how my family values relate to the tenets of the faith: education, learning, justice, tolerance…

Working for justice and tolerance for all people is in my blood.

Marcia, Kate, Tim, Hank and Steven are employees at Islamic Networks Group (ING), a national non-profit with affiliates in 20 states that counter prejudice and discrimination against American Muslims by teaching about their traditions and contributions in the context of America’s history and cultural diversity, while building relations between American Muslims and other groups.