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Hi Friend,
“You punch above your weight.”
As Asifa and I have met with our many partners and supporters in the past eight months, this is a refrain we have heard about the Muslim Advocates staff who have come before us.
Yesterday my colleagues learned that they—and others—had made it possible for a Muslim man imprisoned in Virginia, Dwayne Law, Jr., to have food provided for suhoor and iftar while he fasted. Until we intervened, Virginia state prison officials at Baskerville Correctional Center had denied him these meals and suggested that he end his fast and eat during the day.
Asifa and I thought that during these final days of Ramadan, you would appreciate hearing how our staff transformed your generous contributions into relief for a member of the American Muslim community.
Thank you for your support. Will you support us this Ramadan? [[link removed]]
When his partner called us last week to tell us that Mr. Law was not receiving meals from the prison and was relying on potato chips and other commissary foods for suhoor and iftar, our first step was to inform the warden that the prison was required by the U.S. Constitution to provide a religious accommodation to Mr. Law. By denying Mr. Law his request for meals during non-daylight hours, Baskerville and the warden were forcing Mr. Law to choose between basic subsistence and observing his sincerely-held religious beliefs.
Our Legal Director, Naomi Tsu [[link removed]] , directed the team as we started to deploy the other tools our small staff has honed: we consulted with other advocates, including CAIR, on similar efforts; Policy Counsel Sumayyah Waheed [[link removed]] reached out to regional elected officials for their support and intervention on Mr. Law’s behalf, and in partnership with our friends at the ACLU of Virginia, we prepared to file an emergency lawsuit in federal court. Chris Godshall-Bennett [[link removed]] , who came to Muslim Advocates on a one-year fellowship to work on prison conditions for Muslim prisoners (and who, thanks to your support, we have recently been able to hire as a full time staff member) worked around the clock to prepare the complaint so it would be ready to go if the prison did not comply. Early Monday morning, right after suhoor, one of our experienced litigators and an expert in Ramadan accommodations, Reem Subei [[link removed]] , drove from her home to Baskerville to meet with Mr. Law in person.
On Monday, after days without a response from the Warden, we went to court. I commend the complaint [[link removed]] to you. It lays out the Kafka-esque hoops Mr. Law tried to jump through all on his own and forcefully makes the case of why our work is so vital. Americans from every community rely on lawyers to vindicate their rights and American Muslims often turn to legal representation because they have been targeted or discriminated against *for being Muslim*.
Yesterday, less than 24 hours after we went to court, Baskerville Correctional Center reversed course and prison officials informed Mr. Law that he would receive an iftar meal.
Your donations enable us to pay our staffs’ salaries and therefore your donations made this possible. When Reem met with Mr. Law on Monday, he told her that when he’s released later this year, he wants to do the kind of work that MA does because people in jail are often forgotten by those outside and he was so reassured by our responsiveness. We are grateful to be able to use our expertise and experience in this way, and when we learn how it has affected our clients, we need to tell you, the donors, because that appreciation is due to you as well.
Can you please help us to keep doing this work? Mr. Law’s partner is making a donation to Muslim Advocates — will you join her? [[link removed]]
Thank you for everything you do. Wishing you a fulfilling and peaceful last few days of Ramadan.
Warmly Farah & Asifa
Interim Co-Executive Directors, Muslim Advocates
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P.O. Box 34440
Washington, DC 20043 United States
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