Dear Friend,

 

Muslim, Arab, and allied communities are under significant stress given the dire situation in Gaza and the plethora of other issues that we confront domestically and internationally. These are frustrating times, especially when our calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza continue to be ignored and our children are getting bullied, attacked, and even murdered for exercising their freedom of speech or for just being themselves. This past weekend, three Palestinian American students, Hisham Awartani, Tahseen Ahmed, and Kinnan Abdalhamid, were shot in what appears to be a hate-motivated crime in Vermont. A young Palestinian American child, Wadea Al-Fayoume, was murdered in Illinois in October. As someone who has led Emgage for seven years and previously served as a diplomat in active war zones, I can share that this is one of the most challenging periods of my professional life. It pains me to see our communities suffer and the feeling of helplessness take hold. 

 

Which is why I’m asking you to not lose hope. 

 

I want you to not lose hope for the sake of those being bombed and harmed who need us to stay strong, who want us to advocate, and who want to see the change they need to survive. I want you to not lose hope because we have already invested in building the infrastructure that turned out over one million Muslim voters in 2020 and showed the country that the Muslim vote matters.  

 

In 2024, we will continue our important work of mobilizing voters and advocating for human rights at home and abroad. But we need your support now more than ever to scale up this work. The stakes are too high and the challenges are too difficult for any of us to do it alone. In 2024, Emgage will focus on critical initiatives to address immediate needs while continuing long-term investments in building stronger communities. 

 

Your support today will help us:

  • Continue to push for a ceasefire in Gaza: Palestinians are experiencing unbearable, heartbreaking violence and need our support and advocacy. In coordination with prominent Palestinian, Muslim, and human rights organizations and leaders, we continue to push at all levels of government for a sustained ceasefire, and for a long-term solution that leads to Palestinian self-determination. 
  • Mobilize Muslim voters: In 2020, over one million of us turned out on election day and ensured that our voices and values were heard. We are not going anywhere. Next year, we plan to re-launch the Million Muslim Votes campaign with a slate of national partners in a bold way.
  • Combat Islamophobia: The Muslim American community is experiencing Islamophobic rhetoric and violence at levels reminiscent of post-9/11. We continue to push elected officials to stand up and speak up for the safety and rights of our communities. We are also working with policymakers to address systemic Islamophobia, especially in government policies. 
  • Defend human rights: From India to Palestine and from Detroit to Tampa, our communities want to see our government uphold the values of human dignity and human rights. From fixing our criminal justice system to centering human rights in our foreign policies, Emgage will prioritize educating and advocating in support of universal values of equity, justice, and freedom.

On this Giving Tuesday, we need you more than ever to remain hopeful, and to remain engaged. 

Click here to donate to Emgage today

Thank you for your support. We are honored to be in service to this community. 

In gratitude,

 

Wa'el Alzayat

CEO, Emgage

FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTube

 

Emgage
3425 US HWY 98 N
Lakeland, FL 33809
United States

 

Want to support this great work? Please consider donating here today.

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.