Dear John,

Your generous support for the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) has empowered us to advocate for the issues that you care about in our nation's Capitol. Here’s the latest on what's happening with the MPAC Policy team:

ICYMI - Women, Life, Freedom:  The Case of Mahsa Amini and Morality Police in Iran [Virtual Webinar]

This week, MPAC virtually hosted “Women, Life, Freedom: The Case of Mahsa Amini and Morality Police in Iran.” This discussion included Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi, Associate Professor in Persian Studies and Women and Gender Studies and Director for UNC Center for the Middle East and Islamic Studies, Dr. Nader Hashemi, Associate Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics and Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, and MPAC President, Salam Al-Marayati. 

The esteemed panelists discussed the complexities surrounding the death of Zhina (Mahsa) Amini, the young Iranian Kurdish woman who died in custody of the morality police for improperly wearing the hijab, the authoritarian regime in Iran, the long-standing complexities behind compulsory veiling in Iran, and the impact of historical and current US policies on the most vulnerable groups in Iran.  

The full discussion can be viewed here.

MPAC Policy Intern Saleema Walters Authors “Uyghur Genocide in China – We Need to Act Now”

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recently issued a long-awaited report on human rights violations in the Xinjiang region of China. This 48-page document details China’s persecution of Uyghurs and other predominately Muslim minority communities in Xinjiang since 2017. The findings suggest that China may have committed crimes against humanity based on the systematic abuse of Uyghurs, including reports of torture, forced sterilization, disappearances, and arbitrary detainment in “re-education camps.” The Chinese government has since responded, denouncing the allegations as “lies,'' and declaring the report “a farce orchestrated and performed by anti-China forces in the U.S. and other Western countries.” Regardless of China’s position, it is evident from the report that China has been attempting to erase the religious and cultural identities of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities under the guise of suppressing religious extremism and terrorism.

Read Saleema’s full article here.
 

MPAC Western NY Chapter Attends United Against Hate Program Launch in Buffalo

On September 26, 2022, MPAC’s Western N.Y. Chapter attended the inaugural launch of the United Against Hate Program in Buffalo, NY. The United Against Hate Program was announced at the #UnitedWeStand White House Summit this past September; it brings together community groups, community leaders, and law enforcement to build trust and strengthen coordination to combat unlawful acts of hate across the country. Over the next year, all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices will host the United Against Hate Program around the nation.

Following the event, MPAC’s Western NY Chapter issued the following statement.
 

The 2023 CLDP Applications Are LIVE!

MPAC’s flagship CLDP Fellowship application for 2023 is now open for students interested in interning on Capitol Hill during this upcoming summer. CLDP offers its fellows the opportunity intern in a congressional office or committee in Washington, D.C., with many networking and professional opportunities throughout the summer. Our program helps subsidize what is usually an expensive experience for students: housing and a generous stipend are provided. To apply, and for more information, visit cldp.org.

To help applicants with their CLDP application, we are hosting virtual info-sessons throughout the Fall, where we will be discussing what a summer with CLDP would look like, what value the program offers to students, the requirements for the fellowship, the application process, and what makes an applicant competitive.

You can sign up for any of our 2023 CLDP Virtual Open Houses here.

Thank you for empowering all of us at MPAC to work towards a better future for American Muslims and those of all faiths across the country.

In service,

Mohammad H. Ali
Director of Policy and Government Relations