On Sunday, October 1, CAIR-Columbus Public Affairs Coordinator, Usjid Hameed, was one of five panelists to speak at For Ohio’s Future’s “Resist. Mobilize. Win.” event. Hameed and panelists from other local organizations discussed race, activism, and the new challenges faced by their communities since the Trump Administration took office.
Hameed spoke about the immigration barriers enacted by the new administration which disproportionately impact Muslims, and touched on the steep rise in anti-Muslim bias incidents since the 2016 election season began. In addition, he spoke about the importance of voting and staying informed to combat these discriminatory policies.
“Engaging others and inspiring them to action is difficult but we must continue to try. All of the advances our society has made in the realm of social and racial justice have come about because normal, everyday people stood up for what they believed in. We all have a part to play in ensuring that our country lives up to its stated values of diversity and inclusion,” Hameed said.
Following the panel discussion, For Ohio’s Future conducted a training focused on protesting for positive change, combating extremism and the alt-right, and transferring grassroots energy into electoral power for 2018.
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.