CAIR-CA’s 2021 Muslim Youth Live has wrapped up! In this year’s program, the sessions covered a variety of topics including career guidance, how to combat racism, and mental health.
If you missed the live events, please use the links below to watch the full sessions! Here are some highlights and key learnings from the incredible speakers:
Session 1: Navigating the Crossroads of Our Career featuring Sarah Jawaid
- Relationships are a source of power, so be intentional in your relationships.
- A mentor should be someone that inspires and motivates you to reach your goals.
- Adversity is a chance to rise to an occasion.
Session 2: Anti-Racism 101 featuring Margari Hill
- Internalized white supremacy can lead to certain tropes, which Muslim Americans can fall into, such as: “We don’t really belong here” or “the Good Muslim vs. Bad Muslim” rhetoric which further segregates our communities.
- Our goal as Muslims is to have a fully integrated self — where it’s not just trying to connect with only your affinity group, but for us to be together as a community and address the oppression that we collectively experience.
- True solidarity is showing up for each other in real ways, meaning there is a shared interest because it’s for the benefit of everyone.
Session 3: When I Grow Up: Muslims in Startups featuring Komal Ahmad
- Have faith so that rock bottom can be the very foundation on which you build your new life.
- Passion alone is not enough; you must be hungry for the passion that keeps you going.
- With the support of your community and your resilience, you will overcome any obstacles that come your way.
Session 4: Economic Justice featuring Imam Taha Hassane
- As Muslims, we are commanded to seek justice for workers. We are commanded to promote the good and forbid the evil. And because of this, a Muslim by default is an activist.
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Give to the worker his wages before his sweat dries” (Ibn Majah).
- There are four economic justice campaigns: fair wages for all, health and safety at the workplace, the right to organize, and Immigration and racial justice.
Session 5: Islamic Ethics of Environmental Justice featuring Imam Dawood Yasin
- Given the climate crisis and the culture of over-hoarding wealth and resources, our Islamic ethics forbids us to engage in such unhealthy tactics.
- Allah has entrusted mankind as the Khalifas (custodians) of the land; therefore, we are responsible for taking care of the natural world including plants, animals, humans.
- Through the teachings and examples of our Prophet (PBUH), we are strong advocates of environmental justice by building inter-generational action items that encourage a fluent relationship between the natural world, the human world, and the spiritual world.
Session 6: Mental Health & COVID-19 featuring Dr. Noha Alshugairi
- “Thinking, Feeling, and Behavior” are three intertwined domains that can help provide a reflection of how an individual can be doing from a mental health perspective.
- You are gifted with something that is different than anyone else.
- Tawwakul means having a goal and taking action towards that goal, all while leaning on Allah (swt) for His guidance.
- Our Muslim identity in the current role impacts the policies we create and the issues we advocate for because we want to make sure it is an inclusive space where anyone can have a seat at the table.
- Having a seat at the table looks different it comes with separate roles and one can participate through various channels like community services, being appointed to commissions, chamber of commerce, and running for office.
- During and after the campaign, navigating around Islamophobia whether it’s overt-internalize, micro-aggression, or internalize bias is a challenge for Muslim officials.
Thank you for tuning in to Muslim Youth Live! We hope the conversations held helped in expanding your horizons on the many ways we can challenge injustice. We wanted to give you one parting gift as we closed out MYL to continue the conversation; the MYL Resource Packet, a comprehensive session by session break down of key takeaways, action items, and resources to reflect on, work on, and learn more!