Dear Community Members,
As Salaamu Alaikum,
The past few months have been a whirlwind of emotions. With record numbers of votes, including mail-in-ballots, the tallies are ongoing.
It is imperative that every vote is counted.
So we will continue to wait for the final election results, which could take a few more days if not longer. However, we do not need to wait to celebrate our community’s efforts and support.
At CAIR-SFBA, we believe civic engagement needs to happen year-round and to those ends, we saw our 2020 election work as an extension of what we were already doing. Our campaign theme, Demand Change. Vote!, was informed by the urgency of American Muslim participation in all of the various races on the ballot this year, from the presidential race down to the local city measures.
For many months now, we have sought to mobilize American Muslims toward meaningful participation in the election cycle. We did this work with an aim towards building community awareness around the importance of voting and civic engagement, and providing the information needed in order to take part in local, state, and federal elections effectively and safely.
Through your support, our staff worked to:
- Host 10 candidate forums in partnership with masajid and various organizations to connect local candidates to Muslim voters so they could share their platforms and answer questions
- Visit masajid and Muslim owned businesses across the region from San Jose to Vallejo, to ensure culturally competent, in-language access to voter education materials
- Produce local and state voter guides, answering your questions about the various ballot measures and offering recommendations on them, to advance our civil rights and equity goals
- Call over 20,000 Muslim homes and text message over 40,000 Muslim individuals to remind them to register to vote and answer their questions about voting
This work was accomplished with our offices across the state, collectively over 50 staff, dedicated to protecting civil rights and our democracy. It was accomplished in partnership with businesses, masajid, and community organizations who opened their doors and connected us with their customers and members.
Most importantly, it was accomplished because of Allah’s mercy and your continued support.
While we are nervous, we are also proud. There is much to celebrate, from historic voter turnout, to pandemic safe ways to participate, and even more Muslim candidates winning office including locally.
Whatever the final election results will be, we know we will all rise to the occasion.
Whether we need to push back against more unjust policies or advocate for the fulfillment of campaign promises, CAIR is at the ready, able, and willing to continue to work towards long-term success.
Tomorrow, you are invited to join us for a national debrief call with MPower Change and CAIR leaders. We will check in to make sense of the election and chart a path forward to ensure that our work is effective and that we can work together to organize to protect our community.
Then, I want to make sure you are already planning to participate in our annual banquet on Saturday, November 7, at 6:30pm. We will gather virtually to reflect on our work and plan for the road ahead. We are excited to be hosting Shaikh Suhaib Webb, Ustadha Ieasha Prime, Linda Sarsour, and Amer Zahr. They will offer insights and much-needed inspiration.
Whether or not you are able to join these events, I hope we can continue to count on your duas and your donations. Be it $10, $50, $500 or $5,000, your support, of any amount, will enable us to sustain and grow our work to defend our community, empower our youth, and advocate for a better region, state, and nation for all.
Jazaka’Allah khair for advocating, engaging, and voting.
Sincerely,
Zahra Billoo, Esq.
Executive Director
P.S. There are a number of people protesting, advocating for every vote to be counted. Protesting is a part of civic engagement and if you are able, we encourage you to attend. As always, please make sure you know your rights and if you face any harassment or targeting, you can contact our legal team via our website.