After a mosque in Tampa, FL was damaged in an arson attack, Adeel Karim set up the "Stand With New Tampa Muslims Against Hate" crowdfunding page on the Launchgood website, which raised over $60,000 in less than a week. Karim noticed that many of the donations were in multiples of 18—$18, $36, $72, etc.—and that these donors were Jewish. As Karim states on Facebook, he learned that "Jews donate in multiples of 18 as a form of what is called 'Chai.' It wishes the recipient a long ...
Combating Negative Images of Muslims with Photos
Getty Images has teamed up with MuslimGirl.com on a new photography project intending to counter negative portrayals of Muslims—in particular, Muslim women—with positive images. The photography collection, titled "Taking Back the Narrative," aims to represent Muslim women in a positive and contemporary light and fight back against common misconceptions of the Islamic community. Read more (Observer) ...
This Muslim Marine is Busting Myths about Islam
Mansoor Shams is a former U.S. Marine, who served from 2000 to 2004. Now, he's on a mission to educate people about Islam, traveling around the country with a sign that reads, "I'm a Muslim and a U.S. Marine, Ask Me Anything." According to Shams, his work is not always easy, but he believes one-on-one dialogue with other Americans about his faith is crucial to combating anti-Muslim prejudice, saying, "I sincerely believe that if I influence one person's life that I've made a difference... We all ...
Start a Conversation about Becoming a Better Interfaith Ally
In a recent post on the OnFaith blog, Imam Feisal declared his and Cordoba House's support for the Jewish community in the face of recent antisemitic attacks and threats, saying: "We stand firmly with our Jewish brothers and sisters against these acts. We mourn the cruelty of this behavior and condemn it, even as we hope for remorse in the perpetrators." Being an interfaith ally can be challenging, and we must teach one another what it means to be a strong supporter for our interfaith ...
Vogue Magazine Celebrates Muslims in Special Feature on American Women
Vogue magazine is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year with a special feature on the lives and experiences of American women. The anniversary special, titled "American Women," will profile a community of Muslim women in Maryland. According to photojournalist Lynsey Addarrio, who shot the feature, "In my opinion, it's important for mainstream media to show that Muslims are Americans—and many Americans are Muslims—and I hope stories like this can dispel misconceptions." Read ...
