Standing Up to Discrimination

Imagine entering a government building, a place where one would assume their Constitutional right to practice their faith is protected, only to endure discrimination and humiliation. This past year, a Muslim woman made a routine visit to a California DMV when an employee rudely asked her to remove her hijab for the ID photograph. The woman objected and was met with hostility and insistence by the state employee, who then asked the woman to at least push her hijab back. She didn’t budge and kept her hijab in place.

Following the incident, she reached out to CAIR-CA for help. Our experienced civil rights department advocated on her behalf and, as a result, the California DMV admitted to wrongdoing and acknowledged that she should have never been asked to remove her hijab.

But we didn’t stop there—in advocating for our community, we worked to ensure this would not happen again to a Muslim woman who observes the hijab. As a result of the dedicated work of our civil rights staff on this case, the California DMV has committed to local and statewide trainings for staff on customer service regarding religious head coverings. If it weren’t for our civil rights attorneys, many of our community members would have no legal recourse when faced with discrimination or have an avenue to bring about real and tangible change in our communities.

Join the Fight for Our Rights

This is just one example of the types of cases our civil rights department handles. In the last year alone, we have received and managed over 2,200 intakes. For decades, American Muslims have continued to face discrimination while traveling and flying, as well as with the FBI and law enforcement. CAIR-CA’s civil rights department has been tackling cases involving those issues, as well as hate crimes and hate incidents, issues at mosques, and problems with public accommodation.

Our staff works on cases involving discrimination against already marginalized communities, such as those who are incarcerated, as well as grievous employment and housing discrimination. American Muslim youth continue to experience bullying in school by not only their peers, but even by educators. Our civil rights department has assessed many cases in the past year involving discrimination in schools and on college campuses. Our youth should feel confident in their Muslim American identity, and should feel comfortable practicing their faith.

The civil rights department at CAIR-CA serves an indispensable role in safeguarding the rights of our community. In doing so, it works to protect the rights of all Americans. Be an instrument of change in our community. Support the invaluable work of CAIR by donating today.