October 2023 Resource Roundup

Our Shoulder to Shoulder Community & Congregational Network is an opportunity to connect with interfaith and community organizations and leaders throughout the country who are, in some capacity, addressing anti-Muslim discrimination in the U.S. In our meetings, members share resources, problem-solve, and reflect on this important work. Our network includes volunteer-run organizations and organizations with 10+ staff members. There are organizations in rural, urban, and suburban communities in red, blue, and purple states. Each of them recognizes anti-Muslim discrimination as a threat to our communities and country. Each of them is committed to addressing this issue in their community alongside their Muslim neighbors, friends, and siblings.

The notes below are a selection of public resources and events shared by network members and our various partners and friends. If you’re interested in learning more about our Shoulder to Shoulder Community Network, contact us and/or check out our website.

A Special Note

You’ll notice that the October Resource Roundup is a little more robust than usual, with some specific resources for responding to trauma and managing a crisis. These last weeks have been particularly intense, to say the least. In our work to stay aligned in our mission to counter anti-Muslim discrimination and violence in the U.S., we have been actively meeting with partners within and beyond our coalitions, listening to how communities like yours are experiencing the alarming rise in hate crimes and hate incidents, as well as the government responses. We have been internally collecting, sharing, and creating resources to meet this particular moment. If you don’t see something you’re looking for on our list, please reach out to anyone on our team.

We’re here to support you.

S2S Programmatic Updates

• November 21, 12 pm ET | Addressing Islamophobia & Antisemitism: As a Jew, do I have to choose?

Upcoming Important Dates

• October 27, 2018: Tree of Life Shooting
• November National Native American Heritage Month — ISPU research on Muslim Native Americans
• November 4: National Day of Community Service
• November 8: Birth of Guru Nanak
• November 11: Veteran’s Day
• November 12: Diwali
• November 14 to 18: Anti-Bullying Week
• November 12–18, 2023 | United Against Hate Week | Toolkits, Resources, etc.
• November 23: Thanksgiving Day
• November 20 to 26: Better Conversations Week

Events

• Othering & Belonging Conference, this Thursday and Friday (Oct. 26–27) in Berlin and available virtually | The two-day agenda will be a deep-dive into how we can co-create more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable democratic societies rooted in belonging, amidst the reality of rising authoritarian-populism and intersecting global crises, clearly demonstrated by the catastrophes currently unfolding before our eyes.
• Religicide: Confronting The Roots Of Anti-Religious Violence | Online | Monday, October 30, 2023 7:30–8:30 p.m. ET | Georgette Bennett will speak about her book, Religicide, coauthored with Jerry White, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, which documents the global persecutions of people for their faiths, including the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, the Bosnian war, and other human rights catastrophes. It amplifies the voices of survivors and offers a blueprint for action, calling on government, business, civil society, and religious leaders to join in a global campaign to protect religious minorities. Register Here
• Bystander Intervention new Individual Training Pathway | Right to Be | October 24, November 7, & 16th
• With The Best Of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps And Mistakes | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET | This event (In-Person and Virtual) introduces With the Best of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps and Mistakes. This new book is a collection of stories by thirty-four scholars and activists of slip-ups and outright failures of interfaith encounters — situations in which practice did not quite match theory! Learn More
• Little Amal is the 12 foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee child at the heart of The Walk. She has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees. Between 7 September and 5 November 2023, Amal is journeying 6,000 miles across the United States in one of the largest free public festivals ever created. 100+ free public events.
• Kristallnacht Remembrance | Luther School of Theology Chicago’s Annual Service of Commitment | Monday, Nov 6, 2023 Chapel Service at 11:30 am (hybrid) | LSTC commits to the denunciation of anti-Semitism now and in the history of our tradition as we join with Jewish partners in remembering the massive, coordinated attack on Jews throughout the German Reich on Nov, 9–10, 1938. Registration
• Engaging Nonviolence: An Online Community Course Starts November 6
• A Place of Welcome? A Multifaith Gathering on Practicing Hospitality in Minnesota | Thursday, November 9, 2:00–8:00 pm, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Avenue S, Saint Paul, MN 55116 Information Here
• December 5, 2023 | Join an online discussion of “Slavery and Islam,” by Jonathan A.C. Brown. Brown, a professor and the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization at Georgetown University, explores the moral and ultimately theological problem of slavery across the Jewish, Christian and primarily Islamic traditions. 25 free books will be available to those who sign up. Register Here

Jobs

• Political Research Associates (PRA) is seeking its next Executive Director to lead the organization at a time when threats of authoritarianism and political violence are rising across the U.S. and the world. Here is the position announcement
• Matthew 5:9 is now hiring an Intake Manager. The Intake Manager will be the first contact with new pastors and Christian leaders, assessing their needs and connecting them to the right opportunities within the network and our partner organizations. Information Here
• The Religion & Society Program at the Aspen Institute is currently seeking an Operations Manager, Senior Development Associate, and an Executive Assistant with a passion for creating a more inclusive society where religious and non-religious people can thrive.
• Project South is hiring. Finance Manager, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, Director of Movement Organizing, Youth Organizing Specialist, Communications Coordinator
• South Dakota Voices for Peace is hiring a Multilingual Outreach Coordinator.
• Turning Point for Women and Families’ mission is to help Muslim women and girls affected by domestic violence to empower themselves and transform their own lives as well as those of their families. Turning Point provides a diversified range of culturally competent services focused on safety and self-sufficiency through direct services, advocacy and referrals. Administrative Manager; Domestic Violence Counselor/Advocate; Outreach Coordinator; Social Worker Domestic Violence; Youth Program Coordinator
• UC Berkeley Othering and Belonging Institute | Field Strategy & Research Analyst; Research Associate; Faculty Cluster Initiative Coordinator
• ReThink Media has an opening in our Peace & Security Collaborative for a Communications Associate/Sr. Communications Associate. This person will primarily staff our nuclear portfolio, supporting organizations and coalitions in advancing arms control and disarmament. Learn More & Apply Now.
• United Church of Christ’s DC Office | Policy Advocate for Domestic Issues
• Search for Common Ground USA | Call for Consultants (Pennsylvania and Texas)

Fellowships

• Social Movement Technologie’s new BIPOC Campaign Leadership Fellowship
• Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and Trinity Church Wall Street, Interfaith Center of New York’s Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy, gives diverse religious leaders the tools they need to make a difference. ​​Working with expert trainers from leading nonprofits, we have created an intensive leadership development program for a select group of fifteen clergy members, lay leaders, and faith-based activists. Applications are open. Deadline is October 22. To apply, click here. You can see the schedule and workshop topics here.
• A new class of Emerging Leaders for Liberation (ELL) | American Friends Service Committee’s ELL program helps young people across the U.S. strengthen their social justice and leadership skills.

Grants

• Emergent Fund: https://www.emergentfund.net/apply. Emergent Fund is a rolling, monthly rapid response and emergent organizing grant for movement and frontline communities responding to urgent and specific unanticipated crises or opportunities to build power.
• Urgent Action Fund: https://urgentactionfund.org/our-grants/security-grant/. We provide fast, flexible support to women, trans and non-binary activists so they can respond to unexpected risks and opportunities. We offer security grants, which are intended to support the safety and security of activists at risk. We also offer opportunity grants, which fund efforts to influence policy, raise awareness on important issues, and advocate for change.

Resources

Toolkits

• Managing in a Crisis | Rethink Media
• Bystander Intervention toolkit | American Friends Service Committee
• Counteracting Dangerous Narratives in Times of Uncertainty | Project OverZero
• Resilience-Based Approaches to Preventing Political and Identity-based Violence | Project OverZero
• Writing A Solidarity Statement: Considerations and Process Questions — Building Movement
• A Very Brief Guide to AntiSemitism | T’ruah
• Research for Israel/Palestine current events | Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU)
• Dialogue and Activism tools | Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom
• Sharing The Well: A Resource Guide For Jewish-Muslim Engagement
• Guide to Investigating and Prosecuting Bias/Hate-Motivated Crimes Against Sikhs | Sikh Coalition | This guide was written with the purpose of providing tailored guidance for police officers, investigators, and prosecutors on how best to recognize, investigate, and prosecute bias/hate crimes, and create awareness of how they impact the Sikh community. Quick-reference summary document.
• 5 Strategic Questions to Supercharge Your Racial Justice Actions. The first step to more effective racial justice actions is developing a grand strategy. Here are 5 questions from Christians for Social Action to help you get started.
• Community Resource Muslims for Just Futures & Building Movement Project
• Maintaining an Inclusive Workplace — Islamic Networks Group (ING)
• Interfaith Alliance Educational Resources | Partnering Against Hate, Mobilizing Against Antisemitism
• Allied Against Hate: A Toolkit for Faith Communities | White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Office

U.S Department of Homeland Security

• Resources and Information for Faith and Community Leaders Regarding the Israel — Hamas Conflict
• Protecting Places of Worship: Six Steps to Enhance Security Against Targeted Violence
• Protecting Houses of Worship: Perimeter Security Considerations
• Nonprofit Security Grant Program Information

Trauma and Behavioral Health

• After a Tragic Event | Family and Youth Institute
• Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event | Child Mind Institute
• ISPU Muslim Mental Health Toolkit includes resources for individuals and professionals, including specific resources for American Muslim children.

Eastern Mennonite University — STAR: Strategies for Trauma Awareness & Resilience

• Breaking Cycles of Violence- Building Resilience
• Trauma-sensitive development & aid article (pdf)
• Trauma Do’s and Dont’s (pdf)
• What Trauma Does to the Brain and Body (pdf)
• Common Responses to Stress and Trauma (pdf)

Educators

• A note on steps to prevent bullying in schools at this time | Islamic Networks Group (ING)
• Addressing Anti-Muslim Discrimination: Resources for Building More Inclusive Classrooms, Campuses, and Communities | Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign
• The Great Muslim American Road Trip Now on PBS Learning with Teacher Resources Watch the three episodes and enjoy the classroom resources on PBS Learning Media

Department of Education

• Combating Discrimination Against Jewish Students
• FACT SHEET: Protecting Students from Discrimination Based on Shared Ancestry or Ethnic Characteristics
• Questions and Answers on Executive Order 13899 (Combating Anti-Semitism) and OCR’s Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights
• Office for Civil Rights | U.S. Department of Education
• Know Your Rights: Title VI and Religion
• Departments of Justice & Education Discuss Protecting Students from Discrimination in the Classroom

Books

• All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep by Andre Henry
• The Seventh Story: Us, Them, and the End of Violence — a full length book of essays imagining ways of imagining the world and our lives that move us toward courage, creativity, and community.
• Cory and the Seventh Story — a children’s book intended to help kids think about the stories people live by, and how to move beyond “us” versus “them”.
• Sharing The Well: A Resource Guide for Jewish-Muslim Engagement is a helpful resource to continue and deepen these conversations.

Reports

• FBI annual report on hate crimes for 2022
• Sikh Coalition Analysis of FBI 2022 Report
• Total Information Awareness: The High Costs of Post-9/11 U.S. Mass Surveillance | Brown University Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs’ Costs of War Project | Dr. Jessica Katzenstein, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Inequality in America Initiative at Harvard University, outlines how mass surveillance in and beyond the United States has expanded exponentially since the 9/11 attacks.
• Latino views of American Muslims and Islam | Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) | According to the U.S. Census Bureau, just under 20% of Americans are Latino, a sizable proportion of the American public. Demographic data from ISPU’s American Muslim Poll finds that 9% of Muslims in the United States are Latino. Explore the full report.
• Islamophobia in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region | UC Berkeley Othering and Belonging Institute | Find all of these publications, and other related work, on their Islamophobia site.
• The Canadian Islamophobia Industry: Mapping Islamophobia’s Ecosystem in the Great White North | Islamophobia Studies Journal, Vol. 7, №2 (FALL 2022 report)
• Polarization and Depolarization in the U.S.: Roles of Religion | The Center for Faith, Identity, and Globalization (CFIG) | June 2023 Publication: Research Fellow Paper by David Tassell
• Media Matters’ latest research on how right-wing media have used the recent attacks on Israel by Hamas to fearmonger about Muslims and target Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
• Hate in the Lone Star State: Extremism & Antisemitism in Texas

Event Recordings

• The Bridge Initiative’s co-sponsored event “Understanding Islamophobia in the Global Context”: https://buff.ly/3PuIeDY
• Beyond the Hate Frame: An Interview with Kay Whitlock & Michael Bronski | You can watch a recording of the session here and review the accompanying slideshow here.
• Making Peace Everyone’s Issue: How to Tell the Story of Peacebuilding in Action to Any Audience
• Najeeba Syeed presented the 2023 Dr Raana Memorial Lecture, on “Religious Identity and University Discourse” at Saginaw Valley State University.

Articles

• Always, but in this moment especially, our words matter. | by Rachel Brown | Oct, 2023 | Rachel Brown leads Project OverZero
• Jewish and Muslim Interfaith Communities Are Tested by the Israel-Hamas War — The New York Times
• On 9/11 there was a sense of unity in the country. We’ve taken a collective step back. By Simran Jeet Singh
• Inside Canada’s Growing Islamophobia Problem
• What is an abaya − and why does it cause such controversy in France? A scholar of European studies explains
• What Went Wrong? | Season 2 from Neighborly Faith | For 2023, we are asking the natural next question: what are the most promising solutions?
• Reaffirming Our Dedication to Combatting Islamophobia and Antisemitism | Islamic Networks Group (ING)
• How Muslim and Jewish faith groups are coming together during Israel-Hamas war | PBS News Weekend
• How the Muslim-Jewish interfaith movement is navigating these tense times | NPR
• The Israel-Hamas war tests mission of two leaders of interfaith dialogue | NPR
• Amid Israel-Hamas war, interfaith solidarity more important than ever, say experts | Archdiocese of St Louis
• Years of Interfaith Progress Jeopardized in an Instant | RealClearPolitics
• U.S. mosques have been especially concerned about security since the Hamas attacks | NPR
• Israel-Palestine war: Anti-Muslim incidents in US revive post-9/11 fears
• A rabbi and imam in conversation on how they’re counseling their communities
• Community leader on uptick in Islamophobia amid MidEast conflict

Podcasts

• Misinformation & uninformed comments are clogging war coverage; plus, Tupac’s legacy | It’s Been a Minute
• The podcast — Learning How to See | Brian McLaren dives into a conversation with the co-host for this season, Gareth Higgins. Together, Brian and Gareth invite you to explore the story patterns that can lead us towards — and away from — a more equitable and loving future.

Videos

• The Great Muslim American Road Trip Now on PBS Learning with Teacher Resources Watch the three episodes and enjoy the classroom resources on PBS Learning Media

Closing

Tea Invitation by Ibtisam Barakat

I write
for my heart
has become
a country
and I want
all people
to live in it.

I make space
by emptying
all corners
of fear.

I make peace
by making
a cup of tea
for my story
and yours.

A cup of tea
for our estranged
histories
that come from
one family
but to one another
do not speak.

Hot tea and mint.
I have meant
to invite you over
to my heart.

Do you like your tea
with sugar?