On Thursday, October 18, CAIR-Columbus Public Affairs Coordinator Usjid Hameed spoke about Islam and cultural competency to students enrolled in a multicultural policing class at Ohio University Lancaster Campus in Fairfield County.
During the presentation, Hameed discussed the diversity of beliefs in Islam, dispelled stereotypes, addressed the importance of interaction between law enforcement and Muslim communities, shared some of the challenges faced by CAIR-Columbus when working with law enforcement, and fielded questions from the class.
Following the class, the professor said that the presentation “prompted my students to ask some really good, critical questions, and… helped open their eyes to a subject that most knew little about.”
CAIR-Columbus was encouraged with the opportunity to speak to a group of future law enforcement officers. “If we want to ensure that all communities are treated with dignity by law enforcement, these conversations about cultural competency must be had early and often” Hameed said following the presentation. “I hope that CAIR-Columbus continues to speak to classes so that we can work to get to a society in which people’s differences are appreciated, not feared or hated.”
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. The CAIR-Ohio affiliate has three chapters in Ohio – Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Their mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.