Exploring Omar Discussion Series | Spoleto Festival USA 2020. Omar Ibn Said definitively arrived on the shores of Charleston as a Muslim. And while we know he was a forced member of a Christian family and belonged to a Presbyterian church at the time of his death, can we say for sure he departed this life as a Christian? This conversation examines the latter end of Ibn Said’s life and discusses how religion has, throughout U.S. history, drawn people to resist or remain resilient in the context of social justice. Hussein Rashid, a professor at The New School in New... Continue reading

Exploring Omar Discussion Series | Spoleto Festival USA 2020. Omar Ibn Said definitively arrived on the shores of Charleston as a Muslim. And while we know he was a forced member of a Christian family and belonged to a Presbyterian church at the time of his death, can we say... Continue reading

“Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class” on Vimeo. AVACGIS Guest Lecture Series with Hussein Rashid, on "Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class", moderated by Jennifer Victor (George Mason University) | November 10, 2020: islamicstudiescenter.gmu.edu/events/11587 "Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class" from Ali Vural Ak Center for Global... Continue reading

“Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class” on Vimeo. AVACGIS Guest Lecture Series with Hussein Rashid, on "Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class", moderated by Jennifer Victor (George Mason University) | November 10, 2020: islamicstudiescenter.gmu.edu/events/11587 "Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class" from Ali Vural Ak Center for Global I on Vimeo. AVACGIS Guest Lecture Series with Hussein Rashid, on "Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class", moderated by Jennifer Victor (George Mason University) | November 10, 2020: https://islamicstudiescenter.gmu.edu/events/11587 If you would like to be informed about the Center programs, please subscribe to the AVACGIS mailing list at the... Continue reading

Islamic Studies Center | Events: Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class. Historically, the United States has defined itself in opposition to groups and ideas, from monarchies to poor people. The 2020 election has strong historical echoes with how the country defined itself at its founding, against Muslims and against Blackness. This talk will trace those echoes, and explore how Muslims are not immune to the racial dynamics of the country. Continue reading

Islamic Studies Center | Events: Making the US: Muslims, Race, and Class. Historically, the United States has defined itself in opposition to groups and ideas, from monarchies to poor people. The 2020 election has strong historical echoes with how the country defined itself at its founding, against Muslims and against... Continue reading

Muslims in the Movies — Kristian Petersen | Harvard University Press. Muslims in the Movies provides a series of essays that explore the portrayal and reception of Muslims in Euro-American film, transnational productions, and global national cinemas. The volume brings together a group of internationally recognized experts to introduce Muslims in the films of Europe, North America, Australia, Iran, Egypt, North Africa, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The interdisciplinary collection explores issues of identity, cultural production, and representation through the depiction of Muslims on screen and how audiences respond to these images. Together, the essays operate as... Continue reading

Muslim Narrative Change Cohort - PIllars Fund. A group of brilliant Muslim artists, practitioners, academics, and thinkers who, together, are creating a transformative narrative strategy that will offer us the opportunity to change stories, ideas, behaviors and, ultimately, society. Continue reading

Muslims in the Movies — Kristian Petersen | Harvard University Press. Muslims in the Movies provides a series of essays that explore the portrayal and reception of Muslims in Euro-American film, transnational productions, and global national cinemas. The volume brings together a group of internationally recognized experts to introduce Muslims... Continue reading

Muslim Narrative Change Cohort - PIllars Fund. A group of brilliant Muslim artists, practitioners, academics, and thinkers who, together, are creating a transformative narrative strategy that will offer us the opportunity to change stories, ideas, behaviors and, ultimately, society. Continue reading

As Ismailis, We Should all Care about Climate Change. | IsmailisRiseUp. Our generation is faced with a daunting task: stop climate change. But how? Dr. Rashid, who has witnessed his home city of New York transition from a sub-temperate to a sub-tropical climate in his lifetime, explains that it is more than just individual responsibility. There are individual choices that we can make but ultimately when a handful of corporations are responsible for over 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is hard to place responsibility on individuals. That does not mean, however, that we as individuals do not have... Continue reading

As Ismailis, We Should all Care about Climate Change. | IsmailisRiseUp. Our generation is faced with a daunting task: stop climate change. But how? Dr. Rashid, who has witnessed his home city of New York transition from a sub-temperate to a sub-tropical climate in his lifetime, explains that it is... Continue reading

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I'll be responding to my friend and colleague Dr. Khalil Abdur-Rashid on Islam in Society, hosted by The Interfaith Council of The Thanks-Giving Foundation, SMU Perkins School of Theology, and The Dallas Institute. The event is Oct. 5 at 4PM CST. Free registration at: https://dallasinstitute.org/faiths Continue reading

Equality Labs is hosting weekly sessions for the next four weeks on Re-Imagining Muharram & Shi'a Resistance. I'll be speaking during the second week on Practicing Freedom, with an amazing group of panelists, including Sharmin Hossain, Kayla Renée Wheeler, and Hoda Khatebi, with music by Arooj Aftab. You can register for any, or all, of the events here. Continue reading

I was asked by the Convention on Founding Principles to join an interfaith invocation. While I do not agree with all the platform points of the group, it was a good opportunity to join other progressives to demonstrate that we can work together, as long as we do not deny each other's humanity. Continue reading

I've been invited by Congregation Rodeph Sholom to join a conversation on race and religion. The event is free, but registration is required. Details: With Rabbi Benjamin Spratt, Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson (Auburn Seminary), Hussein Rashid, PhD (Union Theological Seminary), Rev. Dr. Malcolm J. Byrd (Mother A.M.E Zion Church), and moderated by CRS member Lucy Lang. This timely panel conversation features some of the brightest minds exploring anti-racism work in faith-based communities. Bring your questions and learn how we are uniquely positioned to make a meaningful difference in fighting racism. Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JJNnHdHqSKyP1sE4_wvNWQ Congregation Rodeph Sholom page. Facebook page. Continue reading

A fun little interview I did for Columbia College Today. What, if anything, about your College experience would you do over? I tried to go to as many talks as I could on campus, because we had so many great speakers. I always left feeling inspired and interested. I was generally pretty bad at reading further and really getting to know the issues some of these people were speaking about. I vividly remember talks by [civil rights activist] Yuri Kochiyama and [Muslim leader] Warith Deen Mohammed, but really only getting into their work after I left Columbia. We only stand... Continue reading

I'm pleased to announce I'm an advisor on a new project on American Muslim Stories. Continue reading

The concert I consulted on and helped organize for Columbia University, New Moon Rising, is now up on YouTube, and embedded below. Continue reading

I am part of Virginia Tech's inaugural i4 Residency/Fellowship. i4 stands for "Improvisation, Inspiration, Incubation, and Immersion." Amazing class of fellows, whose bios can be here. Continue reading

I'll be on a panel addressing anti-Blackness in South Asian American communities. You must register for the event here. The session is Sunday, June 14, at 1PM CST. Continue reading

I'll be speaking on Saturday, June 6, at 2PM EST on Muslims in science fiction films, as part of The Center for Global Muslim Life's Global Muslim Film Festival. Details on registration in the flyer attached in the post. Continue reading

I'm helping organize and co-host a virtual concert of American Muslim artists at Columbia University on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 3PM EST. Flyer with details below. Continue reading

I am humbled to be part of an amazing line-up of speakers for the Believers Bail Out Day of Action in Ramadan 2020. Continue reading