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MPAC – July 16, 2007
National Muslim American youth summit brings
leaders to Capitol Hill policy arena
Washington, DC - July 16, 2007 -- Last week, the Muslim Public Affairs Council held its 1st Annual National Muslim American Youth Summit, a historic gathering of young leaders from across the nation selected to discuss pressing policy issues with high-level officials from government agencies and Congress.
During the two-day summit, 27 young leaders engaged in face-to-face dialogue with government officials and policy makers from the Departments of Justice, State, and Homeland Security as well as staff members from the Senate and House Committees on Homeland Security to discuss
widespread concerns about the threat of domestic radicalization and violent extremism from Muslim American youth. They also had the rare opportunity to meet with Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) and with Muslim American Congressional staffers from half a dozen offices, who all stressed the need and possibility of greater Muslim American involvement and contribution to policymaking and opinion shaping. MPAC commends government and Congressional officials for demonstrating their expanding commitment to engage directly with the mainstream Muslim American community.
The Washington Post ran a story about the gathering yesterday, in which described the frustration they feel as Muslim American youth six years after 9/11 in interacting with a "government many Muslims feel speaks about them but not to them." The Post's website also features a video from the young leader's social gathering with other interns at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
"For me, this conference is about trying to find out what it means to be an American Muslim in terms of political and civic engagement. Trying to find out what it means to be a political Muslim but not the one on the cover of a magazine with a gun," summit participant Omar Sarwar told the Post.
The student leaders, who traveled from 11 states to attend the summit, had what they described as an unprecedented opportunity to interact with a group of their peers who were also interested in enhancing civic and political participation in their local communities. Both in meetings with officials and during informal discussions, they discussed barriers within their communities and the need to get involved in public service as an expression of the values they held as Muslims. Many left with a renewed sense of energy and commitment toward applying the lessons they had learned from one another and from their meetings, in their local communities at home and on their university campuses.
MPAC is dedicated to training and supporting young leaders who can help address the challenges facing America at large and its diverse Muslim communities. As such, the National Muslim American Youth Summit is a seminal event which will be held on an annual basis to expand the exposure of young Muslim Americans to the inner workings of the nation's capitol, and simultaneously provide government officials and Congressional leaders with the opportunity to learn what is on the minds of young Muslim Americans.
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