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Now More Than Ever,
Our Children Need Our Protection
A few weeks ago, on the Wednesday after the US Presidential election, a 19-year-old student at San Jose State University was walking to her car when someone from behind grabbed her hijab and tugged it backward. Esra Altun describes struggling to breathe as her attacker pulled her scarf.
While this took place at a university, the Southern Poverty Law Center recorded nearly one hundred incidents of bullying in K-12 schools in the six days following the results of the election. A number of these were against Muslim youth.
ING can help!
The INGYouth program, which gives young Muslims the confidence, resources, and education to counter bullying, prejudice, and stereotypes against Muslims, is now more important than ever.
Certified INGYouth Speakers Enabled to
Speak Up for Themselves and Others
ING has recently certified more youth speakers, which means that nearly 15 speakers (ages 12 to 17) in ten schools in Pleasanton, Dublin, Danville, Livermore, San Ramon, and Mountain House are now able and willing to challenge stereotypes and prejudice about Islam and Muslims among their classmates. Their certification status demonstrates their initial preparedness with the INGYouth resources that include frequently asked questions and presentations about Islam and Muslims.
The same speakers have also gone through our bullying workshop, equipping them to address harassment and bullying against themselves or their classmates.
This group is the first of many new speakers we’re about to certify over the next few months in the Contra Costa County area who will develop professional skills in public speaking, critical thinking, and increasing Islamic literacy as they do this work.
It won’t hurt their college applications either.
Join Us At Our Upcoming INGYouth Workshops
Working with the San Francisco Islamic Society Sunday School, ING will hold a youth workshop and speakers training on Sunday, December 4th, at Mercy High School in San Francisco. The workshops give Muslim youth the opportunity to learn and practice bullying prevention, Muslim youth community building, and public speaking skills. Some students in these programs are already scheduled to give upcoming presentations in Catholic schools and will greatly benefit from the ING resources.Look for news on upcoming workshops in Fremont, CA, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia.
Resources for Muslim Youth and Parents
Given the surge of hate crimes and discriminatory acts against Muslims and other minority groups over the last week (in which 400 were recorded by the Southern Poverty Law Center since the election), it is now more important than ever for Muslims to know and understand their rights in all areas, and especially in schools for parents and students.ING has compiled a presentation of student and parent rights in schools that can be found on our site. Furthermore, ING has resources on bullying prevention for parents and youth. We suggest printing these out and hanging them on your refrigerator or bulletin board at home.
Will you join us in bridging the divides among Americans?
Every gift counts, whether it’s $1,000 or $10 a month; your contributions made online go directly to our programs.
