The event, called "Stand Up Against Islamophobia,” was the first in a series of events hosted by Harvard Hillel called "Stand Up,” aimed at engaging Harvard's faith groups and addressing discrimination against religious minorities.
Amitai B. Abouzaglo ’20, the event’s moderator, said the goal of the event
was "building strong relations—community relations and personal
relations—between the Muslim community on campus and the Jewish community on
campus.”
The first portion of the event was a presentation from Director of External
Relations of the Harvard Islamic Society Anwar Omeish ’19, which discussed the
existence of institutionalized Islamophobia, defined by Omeish as structural
discrimination based on race, culture, religion, or identity.
Omeish said her group was engaged in efforts by the recently-launched
Anti-Islamophobia Network to combat policies that institutionalize
Islamophobia.
"Islamophobia is not [just] interpersonal, it’s also structural,” Omeish
said. "It extends into policies, and it has extended into policies before the
Trump administration and obviously it’s worse now, but this is something that
Muslim people experience.”
The next event brought together three members of the Harvard Islamic
Society: Sahar M. Omer ’20, Tajrean Rahman ’20, and Saim Raza ’19. The
panelists spoke about their personal encounters with Islamophobia and support
from peers in their hometowns and at Harvard.
The panel also included a question and answer session during which an
audience member asked what Harvard can do to help Muslim students feel more
comfortable. Omeish and other members of the Harvard Islamic Society said they
have met with the Harvard administrators to devise new strategies to support
the Muslim students at Harvard.
After the event, Abouzaglo said he hoped the event would foster "strong
relations—community relations and personal relations—between the Muslim
community on campus and the Jewish community on campus.”
"Right now, I believe that the Jewish community is in a position of great
privilege,” Abouzaglo said. "As people who have experienced a history or
historic oppression that now that we find ourselves more comfortable
specifically in America that we have a moral conscription to stand up and ally
with all marginalized groups.”
"For me, the most important allyship of solidarity is with those of fellow
religious minorities in America,” Abouzaglo added.
Source: The Crimson