Another Year Gone

Here is my biggest takeaway from 2022. We did a lot- but it's not enough. 

By the grace of Allah, 2022 has been a good year. After 2 years of uncertainty, we finally find ourselves at the brink of normalcy. After a global vaccination effort, COVID-19 cases are finally letting up. The midterm elections, though featuring many nail-biters, passed without the threat of overthrowing democracy. For many soccer fans, the FIFA World Cup which brought Morocco, a Muslim-majority country to the forefront, is a welcome reason to celebrate.

Here at ICNA Council for Social Justice, we’ve been pretty busy too. 

Prison Reform Now

In New York, a statewide advocate is calling for reform after a State Inspector General report found that Black and Hispanic individuals are more likely to face disciplinary action than others incarcerated.

The Inspector General report found that there are vastly disproportionate discipline citations for Black and brown prisoners when compared to the white population. Black and Hispanic incarcerated individuals are 38% and 29% more likely to be issued a misbehavior report. 

Farha, the Nakba, and the Israeli Lobby

Farha is a film about the story of a young Palestinian girl during the events of the Nakba in 1948. The film is historical fiction, based on the true stories of Palestinians forced to flee their homes and communities as Israeli forces took over Palestinian land. The film follows Farha as she is forced to hide in a kitchen room, locked in while she watches the atrocities of the Nakba through a hole in the wooden walls. 

Israel Forbids Many Gazan Christians Permits to Visit Family on Christmas

Families celebrate Christmas under Israeli apartheid.

Israeli Forces Killed 15 Year old Palestinian Girl Jana Majdi Zakarneh

The US State Department is asking for accountability after the Israeli military conducts its investigation of a 15-year-old Palestinian girl.