Michigan Muslim’s to Meet State's Elected Officials in Lansing

posted on: May 11, 2015

Royal Oak, Mich. – The Michigan Muslim Council (MMCC) will hold its annual Michigan Muslim Capitol Day on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the State Capitol in Lansing. This annual event has been hosted by MMCC for the past several years and has allowed Muslims from across the state to meet their representatives and improve understanding about their diverse community. Keynote guests this year include former State Rep Rashida Tlaib, who is  the Campaign Manager for TAKE ON HATE, and the Honorable Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Markman. Siham Awada Jaafar, Producer at WDHT TV and Founder of Image and Perceptions Diversity Conference, will be this year’s Emcee. The invocation in the State House of Representatives will be given by  Zaynab Salman, a public high school teacher and community activist.  MMCC has been alarmed at the rising levels of misunderstandings and distrust of American Muslims, and is concerned about  the increased number of hate crimes across the country directed against people of many minority groups. This year MMCC has partnered with the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), a project of ACCESS, and will discuss the Take on Hate Campaign. Specifically, MMCC will ask for improved awareness and training for law enforcement regarding hate crimes, and request that local agencies apply for federal grants to fund these programs.

 This year’s event, co-hosted by  over thirty bi-partisan state senators and legislators,  will attract hundreds of people from all across Michigan. The event will take place at the state Capitol and will include workshops, tours for students, food, and activities for the attendees. Simultaneously, there will be meetings between community members with their state representatives and senators. Attendees will share all the work Michigan Muslims do to improve the state, including their work in local businesses, charities and innovation. Local Shia and Sunni Imams, and religious leaders, will attend the workshops to improve civic engagement for their congregations.

Amina Iqbal, MMCC Director of Operations says, “Muslim Capitol Day is now a very urgent need because of the recent violence in Texas and North Carolina. Extremists from all sides are fomenting misunderstanding of what it means to be a Muslim. This is our chance to meet our state leaders and let them see the true face of Islam, the many families, youth, and hard working individuals that are proud to call this great state their home.”

 Please register at http://michiganmuslimcapitolday2015.eventbrite.com/

 For more information, contact Amina Iqbal amina@mimuslimcouncil.com