ID#: 976 Oct 29 : Washington : NWMI: Faith in Action Panel

Registration Required!
This event is for ages 20 and above.

NWMI invites you to a presentation and panel discussion at the intersection of Islam, race, and Black Lives Matter (BLM). As we remember the legacy of Imam Hussain (as), who put faith into action to stand against the brutality, intolerance, and hypocrisy of his time, we can see clear parallels with our own modern-day struggles. So, what does that mean for us in daily life? How do we regard BLM among contemporary social justice issues?  Have we examined our own implicit biases?  Can we take a genuine stand against injustices toward our Black brothers and sisters?

Our panel of experts will tackle these questions from both academic and activist perspectives and offer practical ways in which we can take action as a community. Panelists include Donna Auston, PhD candidate at Rutgers University, Layla Abdullah-Poulos, an activist with Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC), and Tariq Touré, Muslim artist, activist, and poet. 

The panel will be moderated by Naeem Muhammad, of Native Deen and Programs Manager at Islamic Relief.

Dinner will be provided during this event.

You MUST register for this event.  Space is limited.  If you have successfully registered you will receive a confirmation email that you must bring with you to the event. 

Paid Parking:  There is street parking, a lot across the street, and plenty of underground parking behind the building.

Moderator:
 

Naeem Muhammad was born and raised Muslim in Baltimore city. Naeem graduated from the Islamic Community School and went on to study computer science at Towson University.  Naeem spent his formative years involved in youth work locally in Baltimore and nationally with the Muslim Youth of North America (M.Y.N.A.)  He is best known for being a founding member of the music group Native Deen. Naeem also has more than a decade’s worth of experience in relief work and now serves as US Programs Manager at Islamic Relief USA.

Panelists:

Donna Auston is an Anthropology doctoral candidate at Rutgers University, where she also received her BA in Linguistics and Africana Studies. Her research interests include race, ethnicity, media representation, and Islam in America. She has been researching and writing about American Muslim history for nearly two decades, particularly on the African American Muslim community. She has published book chapters on the historical legacy of African American Islam and its relationship to broader Black arts, culture, and protest. Additionally, she has forthcoming book chapters that include works on the intersections between Islamophobia and Black Lives Matter, and a study of the Nation of Islam’s religious transition in the aftermath of Elijah Muhammad’s passing in 1975.
 

Layla Abdullah-Poulos is adjunct faculty at SUNY Empire State College. She holds an MA in Liberal Studies and an advanced certificate in Women and Gender Studies.  Abdullah-Poulos is the project manager for NbA Muslims, a cultural project highlighting the heritages, experiences, and cultural productions of native-born American Muslims of African American, Indigenous, Latinx, and European descent. She also serves as a New York Trainer for the MuslimARC and a US Correspondent for AboutIslam.

Tariq Touré is an Award winning Muslim Artist & Activist born and raised in West Baltimore, Maryland.  With a Master's Degree in Social Work concentrating in Macro practice from Howard University, Toure has paired his renowned creative spirit with lifelong change agency. As a devout writer, Touré's 2016 debut compilation of poetry, "Black Seeds" is ranked in the top 100 best sellers on Amazon in African American poetry and Literature, and was the best seller during Black history month in 2016. Hip Hop artist and Lead member of The Roots Black Thought has regarded "Tariq Touré as the Amiri Baraka of this era."