<[link removed]> October Newsletter President’s Note May 15, 2026: A Palestinian State Of the 76 years of Israel’s apartheid and occupation of Palestinians, it was only in the last year that the world finally woke up to its brutality - Israeli soldiers laughing at the cruelty they inflict on Palestinian civilians, Israeli citizens indignant of Israeli people’s right to rape Palestinians, the mocking of Palestinian amputees flooding the Para-Olympics, and of course the videos of children decapitated by bombs from the United States and dropped by Israel. I can go on and on about the capitulation of the American government’s complicity in Israel’s genocide, the complete revelation of the farce of so called “international rules based order”, or the disgusting manner in which Biden’s administration has violated America’s Leahy Law, which prohibits the U.S. government from providing military assistance to foreign security forces that have committed gross violations of human rights. With the U.S. AID and his own State department providing detailed evidence of obstruction of humanitarian aid by Israel, Secretary of State Blinken lied to Congress reporting to the contrary thus enabling more shipment of arms to Israel. It's a rage that will fill me for the rest of my life. Despite the human rights violations we witnessed in the past one year, I believe the emergence of a Palestinian state is inevitable. I believe truth, human rights, and human dignity will win. Because Truth, as revealed by our social media feeds from Palestinian citizen journalists such as Bisan Owda and Motaz Azaiza to name a few, cannot be silenced or censored. That truth has opened up billions of peoples’ hearts, exhibited by the millions who continue to demonstrate in the streets all over the world; the majority of Americans who want a ceasefire and for Palestinian statehood; the votes at the U.N. General Assembly for Palestinian statehood; the slew of heads of states and their foreign ministers from the global South and North who have spoken up for the Palestinian cause; and the ICC and ICJ rulings. And that’s not all that gives me hope. Early in September at the Bahrain Summit <[link removed]> , Arab countries convened, with Iran at the table, and called for setting a timeline for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Here in the U.S. we see speaking tours by Salt of the Earth <[link removed]> , a Palestinian man and an ex-IDF sharing their stories and the path forward. We are happy to sponsor this effort in partnership with MPV-San Francisco, and you can read about it below. Like all human rights issues, I’ve learned you cannot move the ball forward without each party getting something out of it. For Israel, continuing to be a pariah state, to feel besieged, is not a way to exist. For Palestinians, to be free of being besieged is the only way to exist. For its neighbors, to be able to live without fear without the cloud of war and to replace resources spent on their militaries with investments in education and development. And for Americans, well we could definitely use the billions pumped into Israel, Jordan and Egypt to alleviate poverty, provide free education and health care to millions in need, and strengthen our own infrastructure in the face of the increasing threats of climate change. I will put May 15, 2026 down as the date for the rebirth of a Palestinian State. A date that can be both a celebration and a reminder of the nakba. Onward and upward… Ani Zonneveld President and Founder of Muslims for Progressive Values National Updates A BOOK TALK WITH DAISY KHAN Join Ani Zonneveld, Founder and President of MPV and Chair of MPV Los Angeles, for a book talk with Daisy Khan, a prolific women’s rights defender and author of the recently published book, 30 Rights of Muslim Women. We encourage you to buy her book ahead of the discussion so you can come prepared with the author of this incredible reference book. RSVP HERE <[link removed]> National Updates UNIT 6 OF THE PROGRESSIVE ISLAM CURRICULUM We are pleased to announce that Unit 6 of the Progressive Islam Curriculum, Freedom of Religion and Belief and Islam, is now available for download on our website. Unit 6 applies a progressive hermeneutical approach to Islamic jurisprudence to inform individuals on an inclusive understanding of freedom of religion and belief from an Islamic perspective. DOWNLOAD HERE <[link removed]> UN Updates As family laws are rooted in religious text, they are usually at the heart of much of the suffering faced by women, girls and LGBTQ+ folks. It is therefore important to challenge family laws within the legal framework of Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) <[link removed]> . MPV was founded on the principles of FoRB 17 years ago, and as a member of the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law <[link removed]> , Ani Zonneveld conducted two sessions at an internal strategic session in Geneva. The sessions provided the concept and international implications, as well as case studies of the abuse of “blasphemy” laws and strategies to challenge such accusations as human rights defenders within the Islamic landscape. Chapter Events - MPV Chicago MPV Chicago had a great virtual meet up in September. We’re excited about meeting in person. Join us on Oct 20 at 10:30. More details can be found on our Facebook group page <[link removed]> . Chapter Events - MPV Boston Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) Boston is delighted to be one of the organizing groups for this year's Diwali-Eid celebration on October 12th, from 6-9 PM. This beloved potluck event brings together Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and people of all faiths and backgrounds—or none—to share in an evening of performances, art, culture, and delicious home-cooked meals. The event, hosted by the City of Cambridge for decades, centers around the powerful messages of unity, peace, and harmony. We are looking for volunteers to use this Sign up sheet <[link removed]> to help us during the event. We are looking for local Muslim artists, performers, painters, and writers to bring their incredible work and portray the unity that we envision in our community. We are thrilled to participate as an organizer this year and look forward to celebrating together! Chapter Updates - MPV Boston Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) Boston was proud to partner with the International India Film Festival Of Boston <[link removed]> on a special screening of the film, Wakhri. Wakhri is a Qandeel Baloch inspired film directed by Iram Parveen Bilal. This incredible film is both powerful and thought-provoking in its exploration of gender identity, gender disparity, women’s education and societal norms. The film also highlighted the ongoing brutal treatment of individuals whose identities deviate from the norm in traditional communities like queer, feminist, and trans folks. The screening was followed by a panel discussion on gender disparity in education systems in South Asian countries and how this disparity extends into the diaspora. You can follow Iram Parveen Bilal on Instagram <[link removed]> for more updates on her films. To learn more about our events, visit MPV Boston Facebook Page <[link removed],> . Chapter Updates - New York MPV NY <[link removed]> hosted two impactful events in September, fostering dialogue and strengthening community ties. Our first event featured a collaboration with Hindus for Human Rights to launch Zara Chowdhary's book tour. Zara, alongside co-author Zahir Jan Mohamed, shared insights from her powerful memoir, The Lucky Ones, which recounts her harrowing experience during the 2002 Gujarat pogrom—a dark chapter in India's history that saw the massacre of Muslim Indians. In our second event, we organized a meaningful meet-and-greet with Hindus for Human Rights and the Dalit Solidarity Forum. The gathering provided a safe and inclusive space for the community, where participants felt truly seen, heard, and valued. It was an incredibly heartwarming and fulfilling experience, reinforcing the importance of solidarity and mutual support. Chapter Updates - San Francisco The MPV San Francisco Bay <[link removed]> community is celebrating the return of monthly meetings. The initial plan is to have one in-person and one virtual meeting every month. The first in-person meeting was held on September 22nd at Delah Coffee in San Francisco. The October meeting will be held mid-month. Members also participated in various Mawlid events around the Bay Area celebrating the birth of The Prophet, sallahu alaihi wasallam. With The Temple of the Waters <[link removed]> and the Tzimtzum Collective, the chapter co-sponsored an event with Rotem Levin and Osama Iliwat, Israeli and Palestinian activists. Osama and Rotem shared their personal stories, the realities on the ground, and their vision for a path toward collective safety and liberation. You can learn more about them and their tour on their Instagram <[link removed]> . As always, chapter events are listed on the chapter Meetup page <[link removed]> , and further details about the chapter can be found at the Chapter Intro online <[link removed]> . Support MPV! If you’d like to support Muslims for Progressive Values, one of the most impactful programs to donate to is our #ImamsForShe program <[link removed]> , which empowers Muslim women, imams, and religious leaders to combat misogynist interpretations of Islamic scripture. DONATE HERE! <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <mailto:[email protected]> Muslims for Progressive Values 1626 N. WILCOX AVE, SUITE 702 LOS ANGELES, CA 90028 U.S.A. Powered by Squarespace <[link removed]> Unsubscribe <[link removed]>