As the United States continues to suffer race-based violence instigated by white supremacists and other domestic terrorists, ING Executive Director Maha Elgenaidi has written a reflection on what must be done — by Americans of European origin and their allies:

“After decades of leading a national nonprofit that counters bigotry through education, I am now firmly convinced that we need new partners to overcome racism, Islamophobia, and exclusivist thinking in our nation. So far, we have been treating the disease of ignorance through education and inter-cultural engagement. This is right, and we need to do more of it, but it’s not enough. We must also address the dangerous disease of indifference.”

You can read the whole opinion at Maha’s blog and other articles at the ING staff blog.

At the request of the Jesuit School of Theology, ING Content Manager Ameena Jandali will guide a discussion on the figure of Mary/Maryam, the mother of Jesus, in Islamic texts and traditions.

Join us at the Mountain View Performing Arts Center for “Fear of a Faith: Sharia, Surveillance, Terrorism, and the Muslim Ban,” the third and final event of the “Understanding Islam” series moderated by Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian. Ameena Jandali, ING Content Manager, and Jihad Turk, ‎President of Bayan Claremont Islamic Graduate School, will discuss the policies, politics, and current events that affect U.S. understandings of Islam and Muslims.

While people in our community come from a variety of backgrounds, ideologies, and religions, one thing many of us hold in common is a shared appreciation of food, coffee, and tea. Join ING for this Know Your Neighbor-inspired gathering at Congregation Shir Hadash for the opportunity to get to better know others in our community over afternoon tea, snacks, and good conversation. This event is for Muslim and Jewish women only and an RSVP is required.

We’re often floored by the complexity and historical relevance of the questions asked to ING’s Interfaith Speakers Bureau (IFSB) panels. At a Catholic high school this week, our panelists struggled at first to answer the above question on how religions adapt to changing times. After discussing it in some depth, they agreed that it’s an issue every faith tradition grapples with — occasionally, those grapplings lead to divisions and new denominations. The members of the IFSB can speak on a variety of topics including custom panels. You can request them here.

As part of the Menlo Park Library’s exhibition “Wherever There’s a Fight: A History of Civil Liberties in California,” ING Executive Director Maha Elgenaidi delivered a special presentation on Islamophobia and its impact on American Muslims. The audience was very engaged with the topic, and clearly concerned with how they can actively resist the demonization of Islam and Muslims in their daily lives. You can learn more about Islamophobia and how to push back against it with our public presentation.

ING Executive Director Maha Elgenaidi joined Anita Husen of Stanford University for a discussion on what it means to be a Muslim woman today and how Islam intersects with gender. The conversation was the second in a three-part series on “Understanding Islam” moderated by Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian. The final event on Monday, April 30th will feature ING Content Manager Ameena Jandali (details above). Reserve your space soon!

Two dozen young American Muslims filled up the ING office last weekend for a Teen Empowerment and Youth Speakers training. Attendees reviewed best practices for speaking about their faith, including how to answer difficult questions about Islam, and discussed their experiences with religiously-biased bullying and harassment. The students also practiced delivering educational presentations about Muslims; they learned a lot from our veteran Youth Speaker Soha, pictured above. Visit our site to learn more about the INGYouth program and speaker certification.

Job Opening at ING

Development Associate Position Available

Come join the team! We’re searching for a Development Associate to support management in planning and implementation of fundraising- and development-related activities for ING. Learn more about the position and its qualifications at our employment page.