(COLUMBUS, OHIO 12/06/2021) — On Friday, Dec. 3, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) hosted an advocacy workshop for the Muslim Student Association at The Ohio State University.
Category: recent news
(COLUMBUS, OHIO 12/07/2021) — On Friday, Dec. 3, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) joined the 2021 Social Practice of Human Rights conference at the University of Dayton. The conference theme of “Between Peril & Potential” convened experts to address the perils and potential the pandemic has created for human rights advocacy.
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.
(COLUMBUS, OH, 11/29/2021) – A Muslim-American family has been reunited thanks to a successful lawsuit by the Ohio office of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) after two and a half years of visa delays.
Sarah and her husband Malek reunited earlier this month after a long and painful forced separation imposed on them by the U.S. Department of State. The family’s reunion was only possible after CAIR-Ohio filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassy in Beirut for their delays in processing Malek’s visa.
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 11/10/2021) — On Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) held its 24th annual banquet at the Ohio Union in Columbus, Ohio. The annual banquet is an opportunity for staff to address hundreds of attendees including supporters, business leaders, elected officials, and representatives of mosques and community organizations to update them on the work CAIR-Ohio does, highlighting the challenges and victories of the past year, and sharing its plans for further community empowerment and civic engagement.
(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 11/18/2021) — On Wednesday, Nov. 10, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) joined Common Cause Ohio at Senator Portman’s office in Columbus, Ohio to urge him to support the Freedom to Vote Act.
The Freedom to Vote Act will help remove several hurdles that communities of color and other minority communities face when voting. This bill seeks to eliminate challenges with voting by:
- Expanding voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration)
- Voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting)
- Limiting the removal of voters from voter rolls
- Restoring voting rights to those with past criminal convictions
- Establishing Election Day as a federal holiday.
Take your healthcare advocacy to the next level!
Muslim Healthcare Professionals Advocacy Network (MPAN), a CAIR-Ohio project, is partnering with Poligon to bring you the advocacy tools you need to engage with your elected officials and support policies that improve healthcare for all Americans.
Register to attend the workshop here.
Signup to be part of the Muslim Healthcare Professionals Advocacy Network (MPAN) here.
Protect Our Democracy; Push the Senate to Support the Freedom to Vote Act
Our democracy is threatened when voting rights are under attack. The Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio), Ohio’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, is urging Ohioans to stand up for voting rights.
The Freedom to Vote Act will help remove several hurdles that communities of color and other minority communities face when voting. This bill seeks to eliminate challenges with voting by:
- Expanding voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration)
- Voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting)
- Limiting the removal of voters from voter rolls
- Restoring voting rights to those with past criminal convictions
- Establishing Election Day as a federal holiday.
Additionally, the bill addresses election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance. The Freedom to Vote Act will ensure that all citizens will be better represented in our government.
Read the bill as introduced here.
Tell your senators to protect our democracy and vote YES on the Freedom to Vote Act.
Click here to take action.
CAIR-Ohio’s Winter/Spring 2022 Internship Application is NOW OPEN!
As an organization that protects the civil liberties of American Muslims, we want to empower young Americans with the necessary skills to make a difference.
Click here to apply!
For more information email or call CAIR-Ohio Outreach Director Amina Barhumi: abarhumi@cair.com | 614-763-6557
(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.
(DAYTON, OHIO 10/25/2021) — On Sunday, October 24th, 2021, the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) held a non-partisan “Meet the Candidates” forum at the Islamic Society of Greater Dayton in Sugarcreek, Ohio.
Attendees were given the opportunity to hear from candidates running for office in the Greater Dayton Area, including the position they are running for, what the role entails, and how they intend to improve issues in the community.
The forum was moderated by Whitney Siddiqi, CAIR-Ohio’s Community Affairs Director, followed by a Q&A session from the audience. The candidates answered a variety of questions related to civil rights, policing, official school holidays for the Muslim holiday Eid-al-Fitr, critical race theory in schools, and more.