Equal Voice for America’s Families in Ramadan
IMAN leaders and organizers began this Ramadan with a trip to Los Angeles for an extremely important national convention convened in partnership with the Marguerite Casey Foundation. IMAN Executive Director, Rami Nashashibi, youth board member, Ameenah Muhammed and youth leader Raphael Wiggins all attended the Equal Voice for America’s Families convention. “What is absolutely unique about this and why we have been so excited about this effort since its inception is that the Equal Voice for America’s Families Campaign has provided for IMAN, and for alliances that we lead like the United Congress, an opportunity to be a genuine and organic part of a national and unified platform that seeks to have national impact on the policies and conditions affecting low-income families across the country,” said Rami Nashashibi.
“I will never forget what it felt to be part of a convening that brought the American Muslim community in Chicago together with 10,000 families across the country in this huge simulcast convention with LA and Birmingham. Imam Mohammed was scheduled to open up in prayer, and to see all the IMAN leaders amidst this national movement really made us see the power in our collective voice.” Moving forward, the Equal Voice Campaign will tap into the momentum it has built with grassroots organizations across the country and with an eye towards 2014 seek to build something very exciting upon the foundation that all our work has contributed to. “They took my voice seriously,” said IMAN youth leader Rapheal Wiggins, “and I came back more convinced we can make a change!”
The goal of this convention was to update the Equal Voice for America’s Families National Family Platform for 2012.