Channel it into work!
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How does a bird fly?
I feel like a bird with clipped wings, unable to fly, unable to
do what I want, or need to be doing. I’m curtailing my movement,
my natural tendencies of hugging people in greetings, a
self-censorship that tests my personal discipline. So what is a
free bird like me to do?
Channel it into work! In Los Angeles at my home office, I have
been recalibrating my energy, my priorities, and work timelines
and outputs to make this forced grounding as productive as
possible. Instead of slowing down, my team and I have been
doubling down our efforts. On March 25, I participated in the
digital launching of the Global Campaign for Equality in Family
Law. It was a rich presentation by several experts,
representatives of global organizations and UN Women. I highly
recommend you watch it here ( [link removed] ).
Our MPV-USA national retreat had to be cancelled and instead a
virtual conference has been organized for May 2. Our conference
on Freedom of Religion and Belief and Gender in Kenya was forced
to be postponed. Instead, we have moved up our production of an
inclusive curriculum for children in Burundi, the production of a
women’s rights toolkit in Kenya, and we are laying the groundwork
on research of apostasy and blasphemy cases in Muslim countries.
There is more good news! The transcript Professor Adis Duderija
(Griffith University, Australia) and I wrote have been accepted
by the publisher and our contribution titled "Transnational
Progressive Islam" will be published in a few months.
MPV’s work has also been referenced and recognized in a few
notable publications, notably “In Religious Freedom Under
Scrutiny” by Heiner Bielefeldt and Michael Wiener. At the 43rd
session of the Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteur in the
Field of Cultural Rights, Professor Karima Bennoune, reported on
the work of cultural rights defenders – human rights defenders
who defend cultural rights in accordance with international
standards with recommendations on how to protect and support
them. The section of her report entitled “Gender and Inclusion in
Cultural Life” references MPV’s work in promoting women in
religious leadership. Click here ( [link removed] ) to read the full report.
Despite COVID-19 there is a lot of good going on in this world.
Humanity will rise to the occasion because it is a matter of
survival if we don’t. So we will.
So how does a bird fly? By pushing against a strong branch. So
fly I will.
Onward and upward…
Ani Zonneveld
President
In This Issue:
* President's Letter
* Chapter Updates
Quick links:
MPV Website ( [link removed] )
About MPV ( [link removed] )
Our Communities ( [link removed] )
#ImamsForShe ( [link removed] )
Donate to MPV ( [link removed] )
Chapter Updates
MPV-New York
On March 20 MPV-NY had planned to host the second Friday Prayers
of the year, but unfortunately had to cancel due to precautions
over COVID19.
As Ramadan approaches, MPV-NY will be hosting a few Zoom
gatherings to celebrate the holy month. Sessions will occur after
iftar and will provide a safe and anonymous space for
participants to share stories of past Ramadans and the toll the
current health situation on one’s self, both physically and
mentally.
MPV-NY has tentatively planned the following events:
April 24: Zoom meeting: Maghrib Prayer Post Iftar and check in
April 30: Zoom meeting: Informal Taraweh Prayer
For those who need someone to talk to during these trying times,
the chapter organizers are here for you, so feel free to reach
out at any time via email at
[email protected], via Facebook, or
Meetup.
To participate and get more information, please stay tuned and
sign up either through the MPV-NY event page ( [link removed] ) or
MPV-NY Meetup ( [link removed] ).
MPV-L.A.
Saturday, April 11, 1:15 - 3:30 p.m.: We'll be having our next
MPV Quran Reading Group over Zoom. As usual, we read over a
passage and explore progressive/contextualist approaches to the
text, enriching this endeavor with the diversity of our own
personal experiences and understandings. This time, we'll delve
into and grapple with the Quran's Lot narrative, focusing on
passages from Surah Hijr 15:57-77 and Surah Shu'ara 26:160-175.
We'll also cross reference the narratives from 11:77-83,
54:34-40, 29:28-35, 7:80-84, 27:54-58, as well as discuss queer
perspectives on the text.
Here's the Zoom link: [link removed]
Meeting ID: 689 399 279
April 23: Ramadan begins. All community gatherings have been
cancelled for the month and are on a wait and see for May.
MPV-Boston
On March 6 MPV-Boston held a book review for
Call Me American by Abdi Nor Iftin. Abdi Nor Iftin is a radio
journalist, public speaker and author. Call Me American, is the
true story of his heroic survival in war-ravaged Mogadishu and
his incredible journey to a new life in America. Abdi Iftin is a
proud Somali American. Abdi was honored to join MPV-Boston
community and appreciated our work. His experience of seeing
Somalia from a moderate and peaceful Muslim nation to sharia
enforced by Alshabab and it’s adverse impacts on Muslims. While
he saw this shift living in Somali, he experienced a shift in
America from warm and welcoming to Trump's Travel Ban for
Somalis.
On March 15, MPV-Boston collaborated with a U.S. wide circle of
LGBTQA* supporting parties and families of South Asian diaspora,
Desi Rainbow Parents And Allies. Queer identified Muslims,
Siblings, and allies joined this video conferencing to share
their experinces and importance of family inclusion which is
still underway for many progressives Muslims. A video recording
for this conference can be found on this Youtube Link.
On April 3 MPV-Boston held a book review for The Rumi’s
prescription by an Iranian American author, Melody Moezzi at
Harvard book store who is a contributing member of the MPV-Boston
community. This event will be held on Zoom. On April 10 MPV-
Boston hosted “Muslims Love for All . This event is to educate
people about harsh marginalization of Ahmadiyya muslims by
embellishing the light of love in the practice. This event will
be held virtually via video conferencing.
MPV-D.C.
On March 22, MPV-DC hosted a virtual halaqa and on March 28,
MPV-DC members participated in the virtual book reading hosted by
MPV-LA of the book Qur’an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text
from a Woman’s Perspective, by Dr. Amina Wadud.
On April 12, MPV-DC will host another virtual halaqa.
MPV-Atlanta
Fridays: The space where we meet will be closed at least through
the end of April, in the meantime MPV-Atlanta will meet from 1:30
- 3:00 p.m. EDT online using Zoom. We will post the information
on Facebook, Meetup and in our WhatApp group. If you would like
the information and are not on social media, please email
[email protected].
March 20 Khutbah: [link removed]
Fridays and Sundays: MPV-Atlanta friends, Kaleemi Khanqah Atlanta
will meet online Fridays at 6pm ET and Sundays at 9:00 p.m. EDT.
Email
[email protected] for details.
April 18: MPV-Atlanta will hold our monthly gathering online.
Details to come. Email
[email protected] if you would like to
attend
MPV-San Francisco
On March 15, MPV-San Francisco moved our monthly meeting online
to Zoom.April 19: MPV-San Francisco will tentatively have a Zoom
meeting from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. pending more member input. If you
are interested in joining, check our Meetup Group or email
[email protected]
The Muslim Solidarity Group of Santa Cruz has invited us to speak
at an Iftar on May 16 health precautions permitting.
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