That’s 12 years working to uphold equality of rights
for Muslim women and girls. 12 years supporting

The Oldest Progressive Muslim Organization in America

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MPV Turns 12!

Guest Note

Ani has given me the honor of writing to you this month.

I’ve been on the leadership team for the MPV Boston chapter for
the past year, and I am grateful to be a part of an organization
that I have known and respected for over a decade. This year MPV
celebrates 12 years of operation. That’s 12 years working to
uphold equality of rights for Muslim women and girls. 12 years
supporting Muslims of all sexual orientations and gender
identities. 12 years advocating for the right to freedom of
expression and belief for Muslims all over the world -- as well
as the freedom to leave Islam.

All of this progress has been made possible by our members, our
supporters, and our allies. Together, we achieved the following
in 2019:

* MPV President Ani Zonneveld co-organized and led 6 United
Nations side events and workshops, representing progressive
Islamic values that advocate for equal rights for Muslim women
and girls, support and include LGBTIQ+ people, and uphold freedom
of belief, freedom of religion, and freedom of expression for all
people.

* MPV Board member Adeel Mangi organized a coalition of 12 Muslim
organizations to file an amicus curie brief to the Supreme Court
arguing that LGBTQ+ employees should be protected under Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act, as part of our #NoHateInMyFaith campain.

* MPV chapters in 8 cities across the US have held over 140
gatherings, including weekly/monthly Jum’a prayers, film
screenings, member outings, volunteer service, Women’s Marches,
Pride Weekend, and interfaith exchanges with allies, building
progressive and inclusive Muslim communities.

We are tremendously grateful for everything you have done to
support our vision of Islam as a source of dignity, justice,
compassion, and love for all.
I’d like to ask you to further your support of MPV, either by
donating, becoming an MPV member, or joining our communities. We
cannot do this work without you.

Thank you,
Nadia Madden
Fundraising Director
Muslims for Progressive Values, Boston Chapter

In This Issue:
* President's Letter
* U.N. Update
* National Update
* Chapter Updates
* MPV in the News

Quick links:
MPV Website ( [link removed] )
About MPV ( [link removed] )
Our Communities ( [link removed] )
#ImamsForShe ( [link removed] )
Donate to MPV ( [link removed] )

International Update

November 13, Geneva: Join the Permanent Mission of the
Netherlands in Geneva in its event “4 Corners of Expression - 4
award winning ways to express human rights and humanitarian
issues” at 4:00 p.m. on November 13 at the Palais des Nations.
Performers are vlogger Abdul Aziz Muhamat (Sudanese) addressing
the issue of mental health; dancers Dakota and Nadia, and Dutch
cartoonist Tjeerd Royaards, chief of the Cartoon Movement who
helped organize the cartoon competition “Cartooning for Human
Rights,” initiative with OHCHR, and Ani Zonneveld of Muslims for
Progressive Values performing her song “Let Me Try.” The event is
free and open to the public.

November 15, Brussels at the EU: Ani Zonneveld will be giving an
internal discussion with the folks at DEVCO at the EU followed by
a public forum from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. Topics to be covered include
child and forced marriage, FGM/C, equal inheritance, reproductive
rights, abortion, marital rape, marriage and divorce, hijab and
niqab, gender segregation and the overall issues of gender-based
violence, and the counter-narrative to all these issues. To RSVP
for the public event, please send an email to
[email protected].

November 18-19, The Hague, Kingdom of the Netherlands: 7th
meeting of the Istanbul Process, November 2019: Combating
religious intolerance: Building inclusive and resilient
societies, and pushing back against incitement to hatred and
violence. Representing MPV and AIM ( [link removed] ) is
Ani Zonneveld who will be chairing a high-level panel.

National Update

Please join us to the first Celebration of Life in Washington DC,
November 22, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. For details of all honorees please
visit the event website here ( [link removed] ).

We will be honoring Madam Bochra Bel Haj Hmida of Tunisia with
the Fatima al-Fihri Visionary Award.
Bochra is being honored for her tremendous human rights work,
specifically her work on the Commission on Individual Freedoms
and Equality (COLIBE). She was appointed as chairwoman of COLIBE
by the President of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi, and played a
major role in pushing the Tunisian government towards reforms in
legislation which included equal inheritance between women and
men, decriminalization of homosexuality and abolishment of
capital punishment.. Given Bochra’s long history of defending
human rights, we are proud to honor her with the Fatima al-Fihri
Award. *Fatima al-Fihri was an Arab woman who is credited with
founding the oldest existing, continually operating and first
degree-awarding educational institution in the world, The
University of Al Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco in 859 CE. Al-Fihri
was born around 800 AD in the town of Kairouan, in present-day
Tunisia.

Chapter Updates

MPV-New York

On October 5, MPV-NY hosted a Hike Day at Harriman State Park.
Participants hiked the Pine Meadow Lake Loop and enjoyed lunch
afterwards. Great opportunity to escape the concrete jungle and
enjoy the outdoors.

On October 11, MPV-NY hosted a Friday Jum’a Prayer and a member
lead presentation and discussion on “Shi’as as the Other" and
what that means through the lens of intrafaith community.
Participants were given a safe space to learn more about Shia
Islam and reflect on how Muslims communities can support each
other better through different Islamic views.

November 15: MPV-NY will be partnering with Congregation Beit
Simchat Torah (CBST) to present an interfaith worship, social,
and scriptural study program. Participants will join members of
all faith backgrounds in a Jum’a and Shabbat Service, Potluck
Dinner and Roundtable Discussion. Due to limited seats,
participants must register with the Eventbrite page ( [link removed] ) and may be placed on a waiting list.

MPV-L.A.

November 16: Come join MPV-LA for a monthly in-depth discussion
and reflection of the Qur’an from at progressive reading, hosted
by Adnan Majid.

The Qur’an is the central text of Muslim religious tradition and
deeply poetic and beautiful. Yet it has been and continues to be
used to justify oppression like misogyny and violence.
Approaching the text can be difficult, but it's crucial for
progressive Muslims, to reclaim this heritage. Participants will
get together to struggle with, connect to, and grow from the
Qur’an while exploring contextualist/progressive approaches to
the text. To RSVP click here ( [link removed] ).

MPV-Boston

On November 1, MPV-Boston held a monthly prayer meeting and
dinner discussing how Muslims use light in faith traditions and
connections to Diwali. The discussion included how progressive
Muslims can interpret Surat al-Noor, in light of both its
inspirational passages and enjoinment of hudud
punishments. Participants also made collages in answer to the
question: “What is the light you want to bring to the world?”

December 6: MPV-Boston will be holding a holiday party, “Muslims
for Christmas”, welcoming of interfaith families and members of
the Community Church of Boston. Participants will discuss the
birth of Prophet Jesus and its importance from a progressive
Islamic perspective, and make blessing bags with warm items for
people who are homeless this winter. RSVPhere ( [link removed] ).

December 7: MPV-Boston will meet on Boston Common to give out
coffee, muffins, smiles, and blessing bags to people who are
living on the streets. RSVP here ( [link removed] ).

MPV-D.C.

On November 22, MPV-DC in collaboration with MPV National will
host the Celebration of Life Awards Gala at the Human Rights
Campaign headquarters in Washington, DC. MPV President Ani
Zonneveld will present the Fatima al-Fihri Visionary Award to
Bochra Bel Haj Hmida, a long time activist and political leader
in Tunisia. The event will also honor numerous other human rights
defenders from around the world. For more information, please
visit this page ( [link removed] ).

MPV in the News

Media Congo | Une première prière mixte dirigée par des femmes
imames à Paris ( [link removed] ) | October 18, 2019

Le Monde Arabe |Imamat féminin : une tradition méconnue de
l’islam ( [link removed] ) | October 27, 2019

Los Angeles Daily News | Third Annual Interfaith March takes to
the streets of San Fernando Valley ( [link removed] )| October 27, 2019

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