Racism in the Muslim Community - TMN Community Discussion

By: Jamilah McMillan

The Muslim Network (TMN) hosted a NJ Muslim Leaders Meeting titled Racism in Muslim Communities at the ICPC in Clifton, New Jersey on December 9th.

In a large room gathered more than eighty community members, including mosque and community leadership from around the state. Video recording of the event was prohibited in order to create a safe space for honest discussion.

At the front of the room sat Nadirah Pierre, an activist, nationally renowned social media influencer, and an African-American woman. TMN asked Ms. Pierre to host the event because of her notable work bringing to light explicit and implicit racism, as well as other sociopolitical issues, that exist within Muslim communities.

The aim of the event was to provide a platform that would move discourse on integrating the diverse Muslim community within the state.

“We wanted to focus on the issue of racial segregation and compartmentalization against Black Muslims, reverts, Latina/Latino Muslims, and other identities,” said Thamilvili Sivanesan, the Director of Events at TMN.

"It allowed us to talk with different organizers and members of the community about the history of racism, how it affects us today, and how we can sincerely work to address it,” continued Sivanesan.

According to Pierre and many of the event attendees, racism is not only prevalent in American society but also within Muslim communities as well.

"If you look from the outside in, racism in the Muslim community might not seem like an issue. But it is there; and once you see it you can't un-see it," said Pierre.

"I remember attending Islamic school, and having people ask me specific questions to prove that I was really Muslim. I recall someone saying to me, 'If you are really Muslim recite Surah Al-Fatihah,'" continued Pierre.

Through Pierre's direction, event attendees were allowed to exchange experiences, share ideas, and discuss ways in which the community could do better at understanding racial issues and combatting racism within the Muslim community.

"Many of the attendees expressed that this was an important discussion to be had and were glad that we held this event," said Sivanesan. 

"They said that they liked the diversity in the room and thought that the discussion went well. Some were saying that more time was needed because there was so much more that could have been talked about," she added.

According Sivanesan, this was not the final meeting of its kind. TMN plans to host a "part two" of the event in the upcoming year in order to further the dialogue and strengthen the ideas that evolved at the event.