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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
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- President's Letter
- U.N. Update
- National Update
- Chapter Updates
- MPV in the News
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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 is Ani Zonneveld who will be chairing a high-level panel.
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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.
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.
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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 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.
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. RSVP here.
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.
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.
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