"Waawiyatanong": Unveiling Detroit's Significance as a Locus of Racial Justice

By Layla Abdullah-Poulos

Nestled within the heart of the United States, the city known as Detroit holds a historical and contemporary significance that extends far beyond its geographical boundaries. Often referred to as the Motor City or Motown, Detroit bears a lesser-known moniker that encapsulates its deep-rooted significance in the struggle for racial justice: "Waawiyatanong," an Anishinaabe Native American name meaning "the place of the caribou bones." Unpacking the layers of this name reveals a narrative that intertwines Indigenous heritage, African American history, and the ongoing fight for racial equality.

Urgent Statement: Violence and The Attack on Education

We want to express our deep sorrow and outrage over the recent shooting at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida. This horrifying incident, driven by hate and racism, is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address systemic racism and its pervasive impact on our communities.

For over 400 years, Black people have lived in fear of racial violence in this country. On Saturday, August 26, 2023, a white gunman opened fire at a Dollar General in Jacksonville, Florida. He killed Angela Michelle Carr, 52, Anolt Joseph “AJ” Laguerre Jr., 19, and Jerrald Gallion, 29, before turning the gun on himself. The 21-year-old gunman, Ryan Palmeter, left behind manifestos detailing his racist ideologies. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the Jacksonville community. Crimes motivated by hate are not just attacks on innocent people but against communities and our pluralistic society.

Remembering the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington: Reflecting on Key Racial Issues and the Imperative of Anti-Racism Training

On August 28, 1963, history witnessed an iconic event reverberating through generations: the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Marking its 60th anniversary, this historic event was pivotal in the Civil Rights Movement, illuminating pressing racial issues such as voting rights, economic justice, and freedom. As we commemorate this milestone, we must reflect on our progress and persistent challenges while recognizing the crucial role of anti-racism training in building a more just society.

Honoring Shia Kindred in Wake of Albuquerque

Our condolences and prayers are with the families and loved ones of Mohammad Ahmadi (62), Muhammad Afzaal Hussain (27), Aftab Hussein (41), and Naeem Hussain (25).  As we await details of the case, our hearts go out to the Albuquerque community and our Shi’a family. You deserve to be safe, you deserve to be loved, and you deserve to practice your faith free from fear of religiously-motivated violence. Echoing other statements in the wake of the Albuquerque murders, we at MuslimARC build on these calls for protection to understand this act of interpersonal violence on a larger systemic level within a racial justice lens. Our response strives to offer action steps that our Ummah–particularly Sunni  Muslims–can take to counter the systemic oppression of our Shi'a kindred. 

Gun Violence is a Uniquely American Problem

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. To God, we belong and to God, we shall return.

Our hearts are broken into 22 little pieces. 

On Tuesday, May 24th, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos opened fire at Robb Elementary school with an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle, killing 19 elementary school children, two teachers, and his own grandmother in the town of Uvalde, Texas. He also injured 17 others. The world continues to grapple with the reality that Uziyah Garcia, Alithia Ramirez, Amerie Jo Garza, Xavier Lopez, Annabell Rodriguez, Eliahana Torres, Jose Flores, Eliahna Garcia, Rojelio Torres, Jaliah Silguero, Jace Luevanos, Jacklyn Cazares, Makenna Elrod, Naveh Bravo, Tess Marie, Alexandria Rubio, and Layla Salazar won't be playing in the schoolyard anymore. Dedicated educators Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia won't get to impart the love and knowledge they held to their fourth graders. Their murder comes on the heels of two mass shootings in the last 10 days, Buffalo, New York on May 14th and Laguna Woods, California on May 15th. It follows 280 incidences of gun violence in the last 72 hours (Gun Violence Archive). It comes in the light of 200 mass shootings in 2020. MuslimARC prays for all victims and those affected by gun violence. As we grieve, we are praying to our Creator to ease our sorrows during this time of unimaginable loss. 

 

Ethno Nationalism is against our creed: MuslimARC's Statement on Saturday's Buffalo shooting

Ethno Nationalism is against our creed. 

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. To God, we belong and to God, we shall return.

Our country is once again in mourning. 

On Saturday, May 14, 2022, an 18-year-old self-proclaimed white supremacist traveled hundreds of miles to Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York, and murdered 10 people and injured 3 others.  The suspect posted a racist manifesto about his white supremacist ideology and plan to attack the Black community and live-streamed the mass shooting. Our prayers are with the victims, Ruth Whitfield (86), Roberta Drury (32), Aaron salter (55), Heward Patterson (67), Pearl Young (77), Geraldine Talley (62), Celestine Chaney (65), Katherine Massey (72), Margus Morrison (52), and Andre Mackneil (52), survivors, and the Buffalo community.

 

MuslimARC Solidarity with Asian Communities Statement

On March 16th, 2021, a gunman killed eight people at three different spas in North Georgia. Six of the victims were Asian American, and seven of them were women. This mass shooting occurred during a time when Asian American communities have faced escalating hate crimes. This white supremacist misogynist attack exposes gendered violence that Asian women have endured for generations.   

MuslimARC 2020 Election Statement

Imam Ali (AS) said, “Speak the truth, and do good deeds to secure a good reward, and be adversaries to the oppressor and those who aid the oppressed.”

We live in a time where the political climate of fear fuels racism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia across the country. According to the APA, the 2020 Presidential Election is a source of significant stress for more Americans than the 2016 Presidential Race. As an organization that provides anti-racism education and resources to advance racial justice, we want to focus on how the elections will impact our society's most vulnerable. MuslimARC recognizes the importance of fulfilling our Creator’s mandate to fight oppression through sacred resistance and build solidarity with marginalized communities, for whom this anxiety is even greater. 

Let’s use this time to rethink our strategies and work harder toward our collective goals. We will get through this.

Muslim Coalition Statement on COVID-19 Pandemic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MuslimARC Joins National Muslim Coalition Statement on Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic Urging Mosques, Islamic Centers to Suspend All Non-Essential Gatherings

New Zealand and the Need for Critical Anti-Islamophobia

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. To God, we belong and to God, we shall return.

On Friday, March 15th, a white supremacist gunman attacked two mosques during jummah congregational prayers in Christchurch, New Zealand. The attacker killed 50 people and injured dozens. Our prayers are with the victims and survivors of the massacre and all people impacted by hate crimes. We join the many voices expressing solidarity.

As an organization dedicated to anti-racism education, we are committed to building a just and inclusive world where diversity is seen as an asset rather than a threat. Mourning this tragedy compels us to ask: What now?