CAIR-Ohio

(COLUMBUS, OHIO 12/09/2021) — On Wednesday, Dec. 8, oral arguments for the redistricting lawsuit filed on behalf of the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) and other plaintiffs were heard at the Ohio Supreme Court.  

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and the law firm Reed Smith filed the suit on behalf of CAIR-Ohio and other plaintiffs in September to challenge unconstitutional and discriminatory state legislative maps. Justices can now either affirm the maps or rule that the Ohio Redistricting Commission must go back to the drawing board to meet constitutional requirements.  

By: Tala Dahbour, CAIR-Ohio Policy Director

Muslim Americans have made great strides in the last decade in reaching local, state, and federal halls of power. In the face of rampant anti-Muslim sentiment following 9/11 and blatantly discriminatory executive orders of the Trump administration, Muslims across the country have organized to combat racial and religious discrimination. Nonetheless, in Ohio, severely gerrymandered maps drawn at the expense of Muslim communities threaten to perpetuate the political exclusion of Muslim voices. 

CAIR-Ohio denounces congressional districts approved by Gov. DeWine over the weekend.

The approved map does not reflect Ohio voting preferences (55% republican, 45% democrat) and overwhelmingly favors one political party. This map and process to stifle citizen voices fail to uphold the essence of bipartisan reforms Ohioans voted for in 2018. The map cracks apart communities of color, dividing our neighborhoods and pulling together parts of the state that don’t belong in the same districts.

Ohio Muslims and all Ohioans deserve better and we will continue to fight for fair maps and to bring an end to gerrymandering in Ohio.

Redistricting resources and information can be found here.

For questions, contact CAIR-Ohio Community Affairs Director Whitney Siddiqi: wsiddiqi@cair.com | 513-281-8200

(COLUMBUS, OHIO 11/17/2021) — On Friday, Nov. 12, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) joined other organizations of the Equal Districts Coalition at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. 

Amina Barhumi, CAIR-Ohio’s Outreach Director and a member of the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission, testified before a joint committee in opposition to the proposed Senate map in Senate Bill 258. 

(COLUMBUS, OHIO 11/10/2021) – On Thursday, November 4, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) provided testimony on proposed maps in public hearings at the Ohio Statehouse.

(COLUMBUS, OHIO 11/03/2021) — On Thursday, October 28, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) joined other organizations of the Fair Districts Coalition at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.

Tala Dahbour, CAIR-Ohio’s Policy Director was in attendance and addressed the attendees of the rally.

“The suppression of political power is especially harmful for communities who are racial and religious minorities and experience institutional discrimination at a higher rate than others. But fair districts return power to the people. That’s why, even though our state legislative maps are unfair and unconstitutional, we won’t give up this fight”, said Dahbour.

For more information and updates from Fair Districts Ohio, click here.

Additional redistricting resources and information can be found here.

For questions, contact CAIR-Ohio Community Affairs Director Whitney Siddiqi: wsiddiqi@cair.com | 513-281-8200

(COLUMBUS, OHIO 10/22/2021) — On Wednesday, October 20th, 2021, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) joined its Equal Districts Coalition partners at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, for a People’s Redistricting Hearing and Rally. At the rally, fair maps advocates and community members responded to the Ohio Redistricting Commission’s disregard for their constituents’ need for fair maps and their constitutional requirements to do so.

Members of the CAIR-Ohio outreach and legal teams were present while CAIR-Ohio Community Affairs Director Whitney Siddiqi and other organizers gave remarks.

“We’re here to demand that every vote – especially those of marginalized communities like the Muslim community – have equal voting power through fair districts. We can only achieve that through a fair process. Today, we’re calling on the Ohio Redistricting Commission to release a proposed map and schedule hearings that are accessible to all Ohioans. It’s long past time to get to work,” said Siddiqi.