December 21, 2021 Assalamu Alaykum ICNA CSJ Supporter, 2021 has come and gone, and through the mercy of Allah, and the dedication of our staff and volunteers, and donors, this was our biggest year yet! Despite an ongoing pandemic and the suspension of many in-person activities, we have been able to grow our organization on an unprecedented level and are so excited to share our progress with you! This year, our Muslim Prisoner Support Project (MPSP) grew exponentially, and we’ve expanded our distribution programs to more than 50 prisons in 15 states. Our program shipped copies of the Quran, Islamic literature, headscarves, and prayer rugs to Muslims in the darkest of places. Through your generous donations, MSPS has gained national traction, and prisons from across the country are reaching out to demand our services. Next year, we hope to expand our reach even further, with in-person events like Jummahs and Ramadan iftaars. Despite the pandemic hindering our ability to meet in small groups during local events, we still got the opportunity to meet so many of you at our rallies, which were held in major cities across the country. In Arizona, where Imam Jamil Al-Amin is currently being held, we gathered to demand his freedom and to draw attention to the injustices perpetrated against him. In Washington, DC, we marched with thousands of you to demand freedom for Palestine and an end to the apartheid state of Israel. Next year, we hope to gather with more of you and raise our voices against injustice in all its forms. These events took place alongside our amazing partner organizations, and a major theme for us this year was partnerships. We banded together with other organizations to uplift the work they do and offer a hand in extending their reach. One of our most fruitful partnerships this year was with The Bridge Initiative, Coalition for Civil Freedom, CAGE, the Center for Islam and Global Affairs, the Muslim Justice League, and United Voices for America, with whom we released a report about the 20 year War on Terror, aptly named “The Terror Trap”. We also helped to organize a film festival, connecting filmmakers from around the world to share their impacts and perspectives on the War on Terror. We look forward to continued partnerships in the coming year, and have an exciting lineup prepared for you!
You may also have noticed some changes to our website and social media! This year, our team banded together to create an improved user experience for you as you navigate our pages. We have some exciting content on our social media accounts, such as Facebook and Instagram, that you may recognize if you follow our page. We also have added some great content to our website, answering questions that you may have about our work, or explaining some interesting headlines! You will continue to see new changes to our website as we go into the next year, making your interaction with our content smoother, more enjoyable, and most importantly, more efficient so that you have what you need to stay informed about your community.
One of our most important accomplishments this year was made possible by supporters like you, who joined hands and signed various petitions to important U.S officials this year. Our Action Alerts were well received, and thousands of people sent letters to the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, asking him to declare India a country of “particular concern” with regards to International Religious Freedoms. You also sent out emails to your congressional representatives to ask that they vote yes to House Resolution 5665, the Combating International Islamophobia Act, and it was passed by the House last week. The right to petition the government is an American standard granted to us by the constitution, and we are excited that so many of you are exercising this right that we have made so simple with the click of a button.
Next year, we’re hoping to meet with all of you again in person, be it small group activities and discussions, our annual appreciation dinner, rallies, and marches, or even just at our local masjid one on one. This past year, we have come together by staying distanced and shown incredible resilience in the face of unprecedented odds. We owe a debt of gratitude to you, and to all our supporters who keep updated on the work we do and recognize its importance. This year, you deserve thanks for every package we sent to prisons in the United States, and every rally put together by teams of tireless staff and volunteers, we are excited for the new year, and are finally able to see a bright light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Please don’t be a stranger, and visit our website here to see the change as it happens Thank you for your continued support and duas.
Walaikum Assalam Rahmatullahi Barakatuh, |
