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MPV Newsletter

December 2023

President's Note

Never Again...?

I have been in interfaith spaces for 23 years and in the U.N. spaces for eight years. Every year on December 9th, an
International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime is
commemorated, mourned as we remember the crimes against humanity with the Holocaust, the Khmer Rouge, the Kurds in Iraq,
Rwanda, Bosnia/Kosovo, Darfur and Sudan. We, you, and especially the Western Democracies have implemented numerous
initiatives, forums and conferences and at extravagant events we declare that a genocide will never happen again, not on our
watch.

Well, where are you all now?

As a reminder, the definition contained in Article II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide (1948) ( [link removed] ) describes genocide as a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, in whole
or in part.

We have in many weeks heard Israeli politicians spell their intent to exterminate Palestinians from Gaza on video, we have
read it in print. It is not only talk, they have implemented it with the belligerent bombing of schools, hospitals, UN
facilities, places of worship and apartment buildings as evidenced by the plethora of video footage thanks to the brave
Palestinian reporters. The fact that Western media is barred from entering Gaza should inform governments of the nefarious
intentions of Israel, shouldn’t it?

If ridding Hamas, a terrorist organization, is the intent then we also know bombing civilians and infrastructures is a failed
strategy. To the contrary. There has been plenty of research concluding that eradicating terrorism requires the military, a
counter narrative to the violent ideology as well as addressing the root causes. Well, the one counter narrative and solution
is a two-state solution. Can we finally end this 75 years of occupation once and for all?

With the exception of Ireland, for too many weeks I have watched the Western "democracies" sit on the sidelines watching
innocent Palestinians dismembered, not just in Gaza but in the West Bank as well. What a contrast to your reaction to the
annihilation of villages in Ukraine and its citizens. Your racism is palpable. You no longer have any moral standing. And
most evident, your championing of human rights principles is a farce. And the biggest hypocrite is my American government.

To commemorate this sad state of our humanity this December 9, MPV will be releasing a series highlighting ongoing genocides
throughout the world as a reminder... "Never Again".

Onward and downward…

Ani Zonneveld,

President & Founder

 

Board Updates

We are pleased to announce that Atif Osmani is now a Co-Chair of Muslims for Progressive Values Board of Trustees. Atif has
served as a Trustee on the Board of Trustees since 2022.

Another exciting updates is that Fatima Qarni is the newest Trustee on MPV's Board of Trustees. Fatima Qarni is a software
engineer residing in Seattle, but was born and raised in Chicago. She holds a Bachelor's in Computer Science from University
of Illinois at Chicago and a Master's in Computer Science from Northwestern University. Prior to working with MPV, she was on
the board of the nonprofit Muslim Women in Technology (MWT), and helped to launch their mentorship program. Fatima has always
valued supporting and creating opportunities for women and other under-represented groups within the Muslim community. She
finds it important for there to be space held in the Muslim community for people from all backgrounds, which drew her to
working with Muslims for Progressive Values and hopes to further their mission.

 

Event Spotlight

For those interested, a Collective Healing Space is available to those who wish to process and grieve the ongoing genocide in
Palestine. The space will center Palestinians, Arabs, SWANA diaspora folks and Muslims, to process the genocide happening in
Palestine and collectively create art that will be auctioned to benefit a humanitarian organization in Palestine.

The group is LGBTQ+ affirming, open to any state, and will be happening virtually every Wednesday evening EST in December.

Register Here ( [link removed] )

 

16 Days of Activism

November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marked the start of the Global 16 Days of
Activism against Gender-based Violence. In conjunction with the 16 Days of Activism, MPV will be highlighting 16 numbers that
depict the violence that women across the world continue to face on a daily basis.

In the face of this systemic violence and accordance with this year’s campaign - “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against
women and girls” MPV calls on governments across the world to share how they are committed to investing in gender-based
violence prevention and what they are doing to end GBV in and outside of their borders.

View the full series ( [link removed] )

 

National Updates

Check out our new store for MPV products and our publications and for national and chapter events, check our MPV calendar.

The MPV Store ( [link removed] )

The MPV Calendar ( [link removed] )

 

Book Recommendation

The Wall Between

Given Israel’s occupation of Palestine, the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, the suffering impacted on all, and
the impact the conflict has on our global community, we recommend this book “The Wall Between Us - what Jews and Palestinians
don’t want to know about each other” co-authored by two men Raja G. Khouri (Palestinian) and Jeffery J. Wilkinson (Jew).

Watch this brief video ( [link removed] ) of the authors as they ask “how do we move from who is right to what
is right?”.

"For the sake of peace on earth, please read this book." - Ani Zonneveld

Purchase the book here! ( [link removed] )

 

MPV in the Media

President Biden to Nominate First Muslim to a Circuit Court | Bloomberg Law | November 15, 2023

Read Here ( [link removed] )

 

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Chapter Updates

MPV San Francisco

In November, members of MPV SF Bay went out for a night at the opera, watching Omar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning work by
composers Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, life and astonishing journey of enslaved West African Islamic Scholar Omar Ibn
Said. Director Kevin Mogg promises that “we were better behaved than the Marx Brothers.” Through the month, members were also
conscious, engaged, and active in various efforts marking and protesting the war in Palestine.

 

Chapter Events

MPV San Francisco

December 2: December will start with a book event with Professor Katrina Daly Thompson. It has been the great honor and
fortune of MPV to be mentioned in a new book titled "Muslims on the Margins, Creating Queer Religious Community in North
America ( [link removed] )" by Professor Katrina Daly Thomson of the University
of Wisconsin-Madison. The event is tentatively planned for Manny's in the Mission on 16th Street at 6 PM. Please watch the
MPV SF Bay Meetup ( [link removed] ) group and Manny’s calendar ( [link removed] ) for
details. We hope to go out to dinner with Katrina and it would be great if as many of us as possible join in.

MPV SF Bay Meet Up ( [link removed] )

 

Chapter Events

MPV DC

December 2: MPV-DC will be hosting a cookie swap at a member’s home in Virginia. Guests will bring homemade cookies to share
with each other and enjoy with coffee and tea. People are welcome to RSVP below.

RSVP Here ( [link removed] )

December 9: MPV-DC will be hosting a brunch at a cafe in Bethesda, MD. People are welcome to RSVP below.

RSVP Here ( [link removed] )

December 16: MPV-DC members will meet for ice skating and dinner at the Georgetown Waterfront Park. People are welcome to
RSVP below.

RSVP Here ( [link removed] )

 

Women in Islam Series

The Women in Islam Series is a public education series that demonstrates the compatibility of Islam and feminism and expands
public knowledge on the explicit right that Muslim women have to human rights. Over the series, we'll be publishing 11 pieces
of educational content that promote a woman’s right to bodily autonomy from a progressive Islamic perspective. Check out Part
IX on Islam and the Right to Choose: Hijab.

Read Part IX here ( [link removed] )

 

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Support MPV

Giving Tuesday

November 28 marked the annual Giving Tuesday Day, an international charitable day that encourages individuals to support the
nonprofits or NGOs whose work aligns with their values and their passions. Although Giving Tuesday has passed, if you
appreciate the work that MPV does, we encourage you to make a donation ( [link removed] ) to support MPV today.

Donate Today! ( [link removed] )

 

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