July 19, 2017
Page 5
Empowered
C ontinued froM f ront
how people can practice different
customs under one roof.
Teachers and administrators at
Madison also stepped up their ef-
forts to be receptive and supportive
of learning about Muslim culture,
faith and practices. The alliance set
up a prayer room with the support
of the school and staff, where Mus-
lim students observe their religious
call to prayer even during school
hours.
With the space to fast and the
prayer room, the students in the al-
liance say they feel empowered for
one of the first times in their school
career.
The support lifted a heavy
stress for the students, sophomore
Fowzia Ibrahim told the Portland
Observer, “By us having a prayer
room and having this opportunity,
we’re also bringing in a part of our-
selves that we left at home and for
the most part, our lives. Half our
life was here and half our life was
there, now we’ve put it together.”
After the attacks on the Twin
Towers in New York City on Sept.
11, 2001 and the current push by
President Trump for a travel ban
against countries whose religion
is primarily Islam, Muslims in
the United States have faced ob-
stacles in acceptance and under-
standing of their culture, history
and traditions.
Somali youth make up the third
largest immigrant group in Port-
land Public Schools. Many Somali
families fled their war torn African
country through sponsorship by
local Christian churches to settle
here. Islam is practiced by most
Somalis.
As the work of the Muslim
Student Alliance grew, so did the
members. The 20 students, both
young women and men, are for
the most part Somali. Many of
them are Muslim, but the diverse
alliance welcomes any person
who has an interest.
Yasmin Elmi, one of the found-
ers of the alliance told the Port-
land Observer, “We have grown
as Muslims and as human beings
together. Last year we weren’t as
close. People were not proud to be
who they are. As we created this
club, we’ve become more proud
of what we are and what we be-
lieve in no matter what the world
is saying about our religion.”
The Muslim Student Alli-
ance works with affinity student
groups who promote understand-
ing of black, Latino, African and
LGBTQ communities, sharing
ideas and resources. By making
spaces for one another, they’ve
made Madison a more open place
for people from all walks of life.
They’re also gaining leadership
skills which will follow them into
adulthood.
In January, one week after In-
auguration Day, President Trump
signed a Muslim travel ban which
went into effect shortly after the
ink of his signature dried. Much of
the immigrant community at Mad-
ison was shaken with fear. The
Muslim Student Alliance went to
work and organized a “teach-in”
at the school library. They brought
in a volunteer organization to give
a presentation called “Know Your
Rights.” The students learned
skills on handling different situa-
tions, how to stay calm and col-
lected while moving from fear to
resilience.
With the help of a Madison
art teacher, the Muslim Student
Association designed safety pin
buttons which read: “We stand
against hate, bigotry and racism.”
Later that month, as students
filled the halls and rushed to their
classes, teachers met them at their
classroom doors wearing the eye
catching buttons. Not only did
students feel a sense of safety,
welcome and support from their
teachers, they were inspired to
share the peaceful message even
further. The alliance followed up
by making hundreds of the pins
for any student who wanted one.
The group has hosted a race
talk, inspired by a similar event
at cross town rival Grant High
School, to discuss how issues of
race and racism impact them as
students and young adults in day
to day life. The talk was well at-
tended by both Madison teachers
and students, who shared their
cultural experiences. A lesson plan
was created by the alliance which
was shared for teaching in every
Madison classroom.
Freshman Ahlam Osman spoke
for the alliance by saying, “Part of
our mission is to break the stereo-
types that people have about Mus-
lims. By setting a good example,
we’re showing we can succeed,
we are a community and we can
help other.”
The alliance also generated the
idea of hosting a multicultural fair
at Madison and made it a reality.
Over a week, students from dif-
ferent backgrounds shared their
culture through dance, food and
outreach. It was one of the big-
gest and most successful fairs that
Madison has had.
The Muslim Student Alliance
has also stepped outside of the
Madison community to establish
neighborly ties by volunteering at
the Oregon Food Bank. They have
a trip planned this summer to help
clean up Oregon beaches with the
group SOLV.
Yasmin Elmi spoke for the
group of young adults by telling
the Portland Observer, “As Mus-
lims, we’re supposed to be help-
ing each other, feeding the poor,
healing the sick. We’re helping
our community, while fulfilling
our practice as Muslims.”
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