Linda Sarsour

Linda Sarsour

Linda Sarsour is the Executive Director of MPower Change. She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Linda Sarsour is "the daughter of a Palestinian immigrant, has helped to partly dismantle the New York Police Department’s program of spying on the city’s Muslims and has worked with officials in City Hall to close public schools for the observance of two of Islam’s most important holy days, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. From her base at the Arab American Association of New York, the nonprofit group in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where she is the executive director, Ms. Sarsour has taken on such issues as immigration policy, voter registration, mass incarceration, Islamophobia and the Police Department’s stop-and-frisk tactic. She has emerged in the last few years not only as one of the city’s, and the country’s, most vocal young Muslim-American advocates, but also as a potential — and rare Arab-American — candidate for office."

Background

“My first memory of her was of her talking about how much she loved Brooklyn,” said Mustafa Abdullah, an organizer with the St. Louis chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, who met Ms. Sarsour when she flew to Ferguson, Mo., after Michael Brown was killed a year ago. “She came right up to me and said, ‘My name’s Linda. I’m from Brooklyn. Don’t mess with Brooklyn.’ That stuck with me.”

“She’s basically filled the void left by people like myself and other Muslim leaders who are also activists but don’t have the luxury of time to appear on a 10 a.m. CNN show,” said Debbie Almontaser, a New York educator and the board president of the Muslim Community Network. Ms. Almontaser added that modesty — “thinking as a collective, always volunteering others before oneself” — is a core Islamic value.

“That sort of ingrained humility,” she said, “is not exactly a part of who Linda is.”

Sarsour's in Sunset Park, the western Brooklyn neighborhood where she was raised by Palestinian immigrant parents as the oldest of seven children, five girls and two boys. Because her father worked six days a week at his corner store in Crown Heights — named, for reasons of family pride and locational shrewdness, Linda Sarsour’s Spanish-American Food Center — she grew up helping her mother babysit and shop while she attended John Jay High School and Arab-language and history classes.

At 17, she wed in an arranged marriage. At 19, she had her first child, a boy. (She and her husband now have three children: The boy, Tamir, is 16; two daughters, Sabreen and Sajida, are 14 and 11.) After taking classes at Brooklyn College and Kingsborough Community College, she planned to be a high school English teacher. But shortly before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, one of her father’s cousins, Basemah Atweh, asked her to come work as an organizer at the Arab American Association of New York, which Ms. Atweh had just founded with a local obstetrician, Dr. Ahmad Jaber (who happened to have delivered Ms. Sarsour).

After the attacks, the association was transformed, turning, as Ms. Sarsour put it, from “a bunch of rich Arabs who wanted to help poor Arabs into ‘What is going on here?’ ” It was a time when law enforcement officers were descending on New York’s Muslim neighborhoods, particularly Bay Ridge.

The first person who sought Ms. Sarsour’s help was a Moroccan woman who appeared one day with her 4-year-old son, saying: “They took my husband. I haven’t seen him in four days.”

Ms. Sarsour called around to lawyers for assistance, she said, eventually finding the man, who, she recalled, had been detained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in a case of mistaken identity.

It is still uncommon among Muslims, even in New York, for women to take a leading role in political activities. Ms. Atweh, for instance, joined forces with a group of wealthier, more visibly powerful men to found the Arab American Association of New York. By her own admission, Ms. Sarsour, too, has struggled with this untraditional role. She said she had an arrangement with her husband that allowed her to pursue her work as long as he remained anonymously in the background.

“It’s one of the tensions in my life,” she said. “There are plenty of Muslim women who are backbones of the community, but they aren’t usually at the forefront. There just aren’t a lot of me out there — women in hijabs, doing what I do.”

Another tension is religion itself. Ms. Sarsour said she prayed often but did not regularly attend a mosque unless she was organizing.

“She’s candid about not being quote-unquote particularly religious,” said Imam Talib Abdur-Rashid, the leader of the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood in Harlem and one of Ms. Sarsour’s mentors. “But the ideals she holds about the sacredness of life and about social justice go to the core of religious practice.”

In 2005, Ms. Sarsour and Ms. Atweh were returning from the gala opening of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, when a tractor-trailer accidentally ran their car off the road. Ms. Atweh died in the crash and two other passengers sustained broken bones and snapped vertebrae. Ms. Sarsour, who was driving, had only minor cuts on one hand. When, shortly after, she was named to succeed Ms. Atweh as executive director of the association, she said she felt as though she were “fulfilling the prophecy of a woman of little means who wanted to create an institute for people like herself who didn’t really have anywhere else to go.”

While remaining true to Ms. Atweh’s vision, Ms. Sarsour broadened the scope of the organization’s mission over the next several years. Part of this occurred in 2011, when The Associated Press published a series of articles about how the Police Department had established sophisticated surveillance operations in the city’s Muslim neighborhoods. Ms. Sarsour’s fight against police incursions in her own community awakened her to similar problems in others. Joining a group called Communities United for Police Reform, a coalition that includes the Legal Aid Society and the New York Civil Liberties Union, she worked toward the passage, over the objections of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, of what is known as the Community Safety Act, which created an independent inspector general to review police policy and which expanded the definition of bias-based profiling.

Influencing Biden

DSA at Socialism Conference 2024

Plenaries featuring DSA members:

All Eyes on Palestine: Solidarity, Liberation, Intifada

Friday August 30, 2024 7:30pm – 9:00pm CDT

Even amidst Israel’s ongoing genocidal war, the courage and steadfastness of Palestinians have awakened a global solidarity movement. Join us to discuss the rich history of the Palestinian liberation movement, the state of the resistance to Israel and US imperialism, and the future of Palestinian and global liberation.

Featuring Sumaya Awad, Linda Sarsour, Abdel Razzaq Takriti, Noura Erakat, Rabbi Brant Rosen, George Abraham.

Gulf Coast for Palestine

Jenan Matari, Linda Sarsour, Mohamad Habehh.

Townhall on Safety & Security

• Sammie Abbiaza Wills
• Montha Chum
• Linda Sarsour
• Christina Jimenez
• Ash-Lee Henderson
• Eddy Zheng
• Dr. Emalani Case
• Mia Ives-Rublee

Comrade

People's Convention 2019

In July Christopher Rashad Green, Isamar Ortega, D'Elena Camacho, Thomas Assefa were among the New Virginia Majority activists attending the Center for Popular Democracy's People's Convention 2019 in Detroit. The delegates posed with Linda Sarsour and Rep. Rashida Tlaib among others.

CAIR Honors Bassem Masri; Linda Sarsour Endorsed Jamilah Nasheed

Excerpts of CAIR - Missouri banquet March 2019

From Omar Lee, discussing a CAIR - Missouri banquet in March 2019:

"Last night I attended the annual CAIR - Missouri banquet. Executive Director Faizan Syed gave the yearly update on the efforts the organization has been involved in combatting anti-Muslim bias in the St Louis region. Keynote speaker and internationally-known activist Sister Linda Sarsour gave a powerful speech calling on local Muslims to stand for justice."

"Palestinian-American and St Louis activist Bassem Masri was posthumously awarded by CAIR for his lifetime of activism. Zuhdi Masri accepted the award for his son and Imam Djilali Kacem offered remarks.

"After the event Linda Sarsour took to the mic once again to strongly and passionately endorse State Senator Jamilah Nasheed for President of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen. Sarsour called on local Muslims to do their part to help Sen. Nasheed make history."

Endorsing Keith Ellison

Millennial Leaders Endorse Keith Ellison for DNC Chair was posted February 2017.

Young people have been at the forefront of every major struggle in our country to make real the promise of democracy. During the last election cycle, our generation played a pivotal role in bringing economic and racial justice to the forefront of political dialogue, and now we are marching in the streets, rallying at airports, and at town halls resisting Donald Trump’s cabinet and his agenda of hatred and greed.

That’s why we endorse Representative Keith Ellison for DNC Chair. We believe he can activate the millennial base of the party by working with the movements we have powered.

Signatories included Linda Sarsour, Activist, National Co-Chair, Women's March on Washington.

Rockwood Leadership Institute

Rockwood Leadership Institute May 30, 2013 ·

Rockwood alumni leaders standing tall in Austin, TX - at the close of a 4-day retreat to envision possibilities for US human rights advocacy and progressive national security reform. Together. We congratulate these leaders on their commitment to ongoing connection across the field, and living the Rockwood practices! — with Sharon Price, Linda Sarsour, Maya Berry, Shah Boo, Zeke Johnson, Helen S. Kim, Nus Choudhury, Fahd Ahmed and Leslie Sholl Jaffe.

2017 recipients annual 'American Courage Awards'

2017 recipients annual 'American Courage Awards'

The Asian Americans Advancing Justice's American Courage Award in 2017 was presented to Neal Katyal, Partner, Hogan Lovells and Saunders Professor, Georgetown University

Other awards were given:

Ted Lieu tweets about presenting award to Linda Sarsour

• The Bridge Builder Award to the Starbucks Coffee Company
• The Changemaker Award to Linda Sarsour "Civil Rights Activist and Leader of Women's March" (Presented by Ted Lieu)
• The President’s Award to Michael Honda former Member of Congress, U.S. House of Representatives

"Champion of Change"

In 2012, Linda Sarsour was a White House "Champion of Change".

Islamic Scholarship Fund

Linda Sarsour (far left) advertisement for 2016 annual ISF Annual Bay Area Banquet

Linda Sarsour spoke at 2016 annual ISF Annual Bay Area Banquet sponsored by the Islamic Scholarship Fund. Political Science Assistant Professor Dr. Dalia Fahmy and politician Rashida Tlaib also spoke at the event.

CAIR

thumb

Linda Sarsour is a regular speaker at Council on American Islamic Relations events.

Black Lives Matter

Linda Sarsour is deeply involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, having helped to organize an April march from New York to Washington led by a group called Justice League NYC — an offshoot of Harry Belafonte’s Gathering for Justice — to honor Eric Garner, Akai Gurley and other black men killed by the police. More recently, as part of a project she calls Respond With Love, she has raised more than $100,000 to help rebuild black churches that burned down, some by arson, after the church massacre in Charleston, S.C.

When Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson. “I was sitting here in Brooklyn,” Ms. Sarsour said, “and heard he’d gotten shot and was lying in the street for four and a half hours. I was like, ‘Wait a minute. This happened in the United States of America? You hear about that happening in Palestine.’ ”

Two days later, she called Mr. Abdullah, the A.C.L.U. organizer in St. Louis.

“Linda’s first question was: ‘Mustafa, where is the Muslim community on this?’ ” Mr. Abdullah recalled. “It was actually a call to conscience, a prophetic question.”

And, he added, it was a question that led to the formation of a group called Muslims for Ferguson, which eventually held a series of national conference calls encouraging Muslims to engage in conversations about police practices. When Ms. Sarsour traveled to Ferguson in October, two months after Mr. Brown was killed, she met many of the city’s black residents, some of whom, she said, had never seen a woman wearing a hijab before.

“When you look at the Muslim community and its relationship with the police, it’s very similar to the black community’s relationship,” said Tamika Mallory, a former top aide to the Rev. Al Sharpton who works with Justice League NYC and other groups. “It’s all about finding common ground. It’s like Linda says, ‘I’m gonna help y’all get your people straight and I expect you to come help me get mine straight.’ ”

Linda Sarsour helped to organize events like December’s shutdown of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn after a grand jury did not indict the white officer in the case involving Mr. Garner, she acknowledges that she has encountered resistance from some Arab Muslims who feel that she should save her energy for helping her own kind.

“There are people who disavow her work because they think it’s not enough in the community,” said Zead Ramadan, a former board chairman of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in New York. “The older, more conservative faction will say, ‘Oh, she’s too liberal,’ or, ‘That’s not how a Muslim woman should act.’ But if there’s anyone who clearly represents the religion and who can make it into a political seat in New York, it’s Linda.”

Twitter event

The official autopsy report for Michael Brown came out on October 22 — the same day the Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation has observed a National Day of Protest since 1996. To mark this important day, hundreds of Muslims took to Twitter to show their solidarity using the hashtag #Muslims4Ferguson.

Organized by the Muslims for Ferguson Facebook group, which launched on August 21, the Twitter event invited Muslims everywhere to join in conversation with Imam Omar Suleiman, Imam Dawud Walid, Imam Suhaib Webb and civil rights activists Linda Sarsour and Mustafa Abdullah.

The group wrote on its Facebook page:

Too many lives have been lost in communities of color because of the criminalization of black and brown bodies — who are being killed and imprisoned and abused because of their dark skin...

We are coming together to say no more Mike Browns, no more John Crawfords, no more Ramarley Grahams, no more Eric Garners, no more Renisha McBrides, no more Trayvon Martins. As Eric Garner said before he was murdered, “It ends today.”

Terror ties

Linda Sarsour, the head of the Arab American Association of New York and an Obama White House “Champion of Change,” was speaking at December 2016 15th annual convention of the Muslim American Society and Islamic Circle of North America.

While there, she posed for a picture with Salah Sarsour, a member of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee and former Hamas operative who was jailed in Israel in the 1990s because of his alleged work for the terrorist group.

Salah Sarsour, who is also a board member of American Muslims for Palestine, served as a bodyguard of sorts at the convention for Sumeyye Erdogan Bayraktar, the daughter of Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Linda Sarsour is related to alleged Hamas operatives. Though she avoids discussing it now, Sarsour has acknowledged in past interviews that she has cousins serving prison time in Israel because of their work for Hamas. Sarsour has denied having any contact with the terror group. She told The New York Times in 2012 that she would not have been appointed an Obama “Champion of Change” if she had.

The activist has risen to national attention recently. She served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

Muslim Democratic Club

At the Larry Lawrence Bar in Williamsburg, where the Muslim Democratic Club was being honored, the nerdy-cool crowd was tipsy. The event was being held by the New Kings Democrats, a multiethnic collection of young progressives.

Arriving just as her club mates had given up hope of her appearing, Ms. Sarsour, tracked down the club’s co-founder Ali Najmi, a Queens lawyer running as a Democrat for City Council this year, stood beside him as a New Kings official handed them a plaque, and then dashed out again, bumping into Councilman Antonio Reynoso on the sidewalk — “Linda!” he shouted with an air kiss — before running into a waiting car. Ms. Sarsour has spoken openly about her own desire to run for the City Council — at some point. She has even mapped out her potential competition, Justin Brannan, an aide to Councilman Vincent J. Gentile, who has served the Bay Ridge area on the Council since 2003 and is coming up against the term limits law.

There are currently no Arab-Muslim elected officials in New York, but not long ago the Muslim Democratic Club ran a list of common Muslim surnames through a voter-registration database and found that there were quite likely more than 100,000 Muslim voters in the city.

Muslim-Americans have slowly gained footholds in various nodes of power in the city. The City Council speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, employs a staff member, Faiza Ali, as Muslim liaison. Ibrahim Khan, chief of staff to Letitia James, the public advocate, has done similar outreach work. And this summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio named Sarah Sayeed as a senior adviser to the city’s Community Affairs Unit, where she focuses on issues of concern to Muslims.

Muslim Democratic Club founders

New York City’s first Muslim club is looking to have an impact on the mayor’s race. And organizers of the group, the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, cited current Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s policies–notably, the city police department’s controversial Muslim surveillance efforts–as a key motivating factor as they seek to ensure his successor follows a new path.

Founders

“The mayor has been a problem for this community,” one club leader, Ali Najmi, said. “We want to send a message to City Hall that the next mayor needs to treat us differently.”

But the club’s first ever meeting, held in a posh Midtown lounge March 2013, also focused on even more local political issues. Mr. Najmi, along with Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour and other organizers, led a PowerPoint presentation for the dozens of attendees about the untapped voting strength of Muslim Democrats in the city, keying on City Council districts in Brooklyn and Queens where Muslims live in significant numbers.

The ultimate goal of the club, which will begin fundraising soon, is to build a field operation powerful enough to influence elections throughout New York City. Influence for its own sake, though, is not the goal. In addition to the surveillance issue, MDCNY is currently pushing for the inclusion of Muslim holidays in the public school calendar. Foreign policy issues are not on the agenda.

“Those are the two main issues that we hear already on Twitter, on Facebook, from our community and the centers that we work for. As you know, many of us are in the grassroots community. Those are going to be our two big issues and the usual, health care, immigration,” Ms. Sarsour said.

Linda Sarsour president

Muslim Democratic Club of New York March 28, 2015:

Happy #spicy35 Birthday to MDCNY Board Member Linda Sarsour and thank you for serving as our President for back to back terms! Here's to 35 more years of consistent, strategic civic engagement in NYC Muslim communities. #MuslimDems — with Linda Sarsour, Aliya Latif, Saubirah Hk, Merium Malik, Anthony Jones Forstateassembly, Mohammed AbuJayyab, Murad Awawdeh and Faiza N. Ali.

Ms. Sarsour said that if she did decide to seek office, it would probably be as part of a coalition of progressive candidates. “The community is there,” she said. “But we just haven’t found the inspiration yet to become politically engaged.”

Beyond that, Ms. Sarsour’s oft-stated ambition is to serve as the first mayor of an independent Brooklyn. This is a position, she said, that she would have to work toward by first becoming Brooklyn borough president and then accomplishing the tricky business of getting Kings County to secede from the rest of New York.

Reception for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed

Muslim Democratic Club of New York August 22, 2017:

NYC came out strong tonight at our reception for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. Special s/o to our host committee for making this event a huge success! Together, we raised nearly $25K!! Abdul is a candidate we can believe in. Please consider donating here if you haven't already:

1. ForourFuture — with Zead Ramadan, Haseeb Chowdhry, Abid Hossain, Muzna Ansari, Linda Sarsour, Aymen Abu Hamza, Ali Najmi, Faiza N. Ali, Aliya Latif, Noor Zafar, Noha El-Ghobashy and Saubirah Hk at New York.

#MuslimVOTE movement

Muslim Democratic Club of New York September 7, 2014:

Knock knock! Who's there? The #MuslimVOTE movement! #MuslimDems hit the streets today to help elect the first NYS Muslim Senator. Our team reminded residents in Southeast Queens to vote for experience, integrity and advocacy - to vote for Munir Avery on Primary Election Day, Tuesday 9/9! — with Debbie Almontaser, Farjana Khan, Saubirah Hk, Faiza N. Ali, Aliya Latif, Murad Awawdeh, Munir Avery, Ayisha Irfan, Linda Sarsour and Alexandra Owens.

Board members with Robert Jackson

Muslim Democratic Club of New York July 12, 2014:

We are dedicated to help ensure the maximum impact of the #MuslimVOTE beyond the polls. - MDCNY Board — with Linda Sarsour, Aliya Latif, Debbie Almontaser, Robert Jackson and Faiza N. Ali.

Supporting Letitia James

Muslim Democratic Club of New York October 1, 2013:

Today is the runoff election for public advocate! Are you ready to help elect a fighter for all New Yorkers? Vote for Letitia James and encourage your friends and family to do the same! Every vote counts! — with Nermeen Arastu, Zeba Iqbal, Linda Sarsour, Faiza N. Ali, Aliya Latif and Sussie Lozada.

Team El-Yateem

Khader El-Yateem September 24, 2017:

1. TakeAKnee #StandWithKaep #TeamElYateem — with Murad Awawdeh, Amanda Philip, Linda Sarsour, Somia Elrowmeim, Widad Indie, Brittany Anderson, Abdullah Younus, Rabyaah Althaibani, Khader El-Yateem and Zohran Kwame Mamdani.

MK Mohammad Khan September 12, 2017:

We fought the machine, and well...the machine won. Tomorrow is another day to dust ourselves off and get back to organizing, but tonight, I can't help but hold my frustration with erstwhile "progressive" organizations, politicians, and unions—who claim allyship on issues of racial and immigrant justice, but double down on whiteness and the establishment every time they're asked to make space for n... See More — with Abdullah Younus, Linda Sarsour, Andrew Smith, Rama Issa-Ibrahim, Kayla Santosuosso, Faiza N. Ali and Murad Awawdeh.

Protest Supreme Court Decision on Executive Order 13769

Screenshot from Google Doc preparing for "MASSIVE mobilization".

On June 26 2018, Make The Road New York teamed with organizations listed below in rallying against a Supreme Court decision to uphold President Donald Trump's Executive Order 13769, titled "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States."

The organization of a "MASSIVE mobilization" was arranged ahead of the Supreme Court decision. In a Google Form requesting information about potential partner organizations, Mohammad Khan and Linda Sarsour of MPower Change were listed as contacts.

From the Facebook Invitation:

"The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Trump's racist Muslim Ban, so it is time to take to the streets.

"Please join us in Foley Square at 6PM to say #NoMuslimBanEver.

"It's crucial that we have a visible, strong presence across the country of people who care about Muslim and refugee communities and oppose Trump's White Nationalist agenda.

Confidential memo

A memo detailing the creation and agenda of the National Muslim Democratic Council that is marked "CONFIDENTIAL; NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION" was leaked. In the section marked "2012 election strategy" the group specifically spelled out detailed plans to support the Democrats and target Republicans in "key races where American Muslims can make a difference."

According to the document, these races included:

• Defeating Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., in his race against Patrick Murphy, D-Fla.;
• Supporting former Gov. Tim Kaine, D-Va., in his race against former Sen. George Allen, R-Va., in the race for Virginia's vacant Senate seat;
• Supporting Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., in her bid for re-election against former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich.;
• And, supporting Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, in her bid to capture the state's 3rd congressional district.

The confidential NMDC document was signed by several known Islamists such Jamiah Adams, Jihad Williams, Zeba Iqbal, Assad Akhter, Mazen Asbahi, CAIR's Basim Elkarra; and Linda Sarsour of the Arab American Association of New York.

9 day march

Linda Sarsour, Carmen Perez, Tamika Mallory

April 20, 2015, Linda Sarsour (Co-Founder of Muslims for Ferguson) and fellow marchers finished their 9 day march from New York City to D.C., where they will soon deliver a "justice package" demanding police accountability, an end to racial profiling and police militarization, and much more. They finished their 250 mile march but the struggle has just begun. As Linda said: "Many more journeys towards Justice to complete. We will travel as far as needed until our people are free."

Call for Justice

Call for Justice: Joint Letter on American Muslim Solidarity Against Police Brutality, January 26, 2015;

We are contacting you on behalf of the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC)(1) and Muslims for Ferguson(2) to ask for your solidarity in the struggle and call for justice concerning the tragic and unnecessary police and federal law enforcement killings of Black men, women, and children in the United States.

From the time of our Noble Prophet ﷺ‎, anti-Black and anti-African racism has plagued Muslim societies and communities. The first martyr in the early days of Islam was Sumayyah (RA), who had black skin and was a victim of violence at the hands of the governing authorities of Makkah. Other companions with black skin, such as Ammar bin Yassir (RA) and Bilal (RA), were also victims of ridicule and torture by the same authorities. State violence against marginalized communities is not a new development. History has proven time and again that Muslims are not immune to these forms of oppression.

Indeed, these oppressive behaviors and practices go against the messages that are at the heart of our Holy Qur’an and Prophetic traditions.

Signatories included Linda Sarsour.

Dream Defenders Advisory Board

As of 2016;

• Michelle Alexander - Associate Professor of Law, the Ohio State University
• Keron Blair - National Director, Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools
• DR. Angela Davis - Distinguished Professor Emerita, University of California
• Alana Greer - Attorney, Community Justice Project
• PASTOR Michael McBride - Director of Urban Strategies and Lifelines to Healing Campaign, Pico
• Rafael Navar - National Political Director, Communication Workers of America
• Linda Sarsour - Executive Director, Arab American Association of New York
• Ed Whitfield - Co-Managing Director, Fund for Democratic Communities

Abuznaid connection

Linda Sarsour , Ahmad Abuznaid

The People's Summit

The People's Summit was held in Chicago, Illinois in June 17-19, 2016. Speakers included Linda Sarsour, Executive Director of MPOWER Change/Racial Justice and Civil Rights Activist.

Endorsed Pramila Jayapal

Linda Sarsour - Executive Director, Arab American Association of New York endorsed Pramila Jayapal in 2016.

#Our100

#Our100 was set up in New York City, right after the 2016 election. Following the election of Republican Donald Trump to the White House, women of color in New York City are joining together over the next four days in solidarity against misogyny, racism, Islamophobia, and anti-immigrant sentiments.

This action builds on October’s #GOPHandsOffMe protests, when women of color and survivors took to the streets and made videos in response to the tape in which the president-elect could be heard through a hot mic speaking about sexually assaulting women.

“Women of color-led coalitions are coming together in the first 100 hours after electing a new president to support an agenda for Black lives, immigrants, Muslims, Latinas … against rape culture and a sexist, racist, xenophobic policy,” said Agunda Okeyo, an activist, organizer, and African immigrant in the city who told Rewire in a phone interview that Trump is “a danger to democracy.”

Thousands will mobilize nationwide to tell the country that the leadership of women of color will not end at the ballot box. These first 100 hours are the kickoff to demand accountability from all holders of public office and to spread an anti-hate agenda that includes a vision for Black lives, common sense immigration reform, and an end to rape culture, according to the release.

A press conference by women of color leaders was held in Manhattan November 9. Speakers included My Muslim Vote’s Linda Sarsour, Demos President Heather McGhee, Movement for Black Lives co-founder Thenjiwe Tameika McHarris, Black Lives Matter co-founder Opal Tometi, and Demos Vice President Jodeen Olguin-Tayler, as well as survivors of sexual assault and immigrant rights leaders.

Leaders representing Black Lives Matter, Demos, Forward Together, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance worked together in the week leading up to the election to raise the national profile of women-led organizing. Those efforts culminated in the #Our100 pledge and a wave of actions nationwide.

“We have a lot more work to do, to build the America we deserve. But we are strong, determined, and we are just getting started,” said Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter and one of the organizers of this action.

Viviana Bernal of Demos and the #GOPHandsOffMe campaign told Rewire she is participating to end the culture of violence, rape culture, and sexual assault that many women have spoken up against since the Trump tapes went public.

“We believe Donald Trump basically admitted to sexual assault. Women of color and sexual assault victims felt triggered,” Bernal said during a phone interview. “He has been saying really racist, sexist things all along. It is only when his comments violated the rights of white women that it led to public outcry.”

The women of color participating in the campaign are outraged at all his vitriolic statements against marginalized populations and want to “center our voices and speak out,” she added.

“This election was a referendum on the politics of hate and division. We have a long way to go,” said Ai-jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

In conjunction with the launch of #Our100, the leaders will release polling data from Celinda Lake about women of color voters and an open letter to the nation to be published in major national publications this week.

“Our work did not start, and it will not end at the ballot box,” said Olguín-Tayler, a survivor of sexual assault, in a statement. “We are women who lead organizations, work in Hollywood, teach in our universities, women who are ordained faith leaders, who run large businesses; women who are mothers, who take care of our land and our elders. We came together across our differences to write this letter to our fellow Americans because we know we can, and must, do better. We need a nation that does right by women. Because when women of color are doing well, when Black and Muslim and Indigenous women in particular are doing well—this whole country will be well.”

“We stand determined to hold the vision of a just, inclusive America worthy of ALL of her people,” McGhee said in the release. “No longer can anybody sit on the sidelines. This election will be the last stand of the past, and tomorrow is already being born.”

Livefreesotu watch party

Michael McBride, January 14, 2016;

Deeply grateful to all our amazing friends who joined our #livefreesotu watch party & discussion. It was a small cross section of the diversity in our faith & liberation movements but the conversation was rich, challenging, nuanced & unfiltered. Hopefully this will be the first of many conversations and inspire the rich and diverse voices across the country to create our own narrative, content & s... — with Rahiel Tesfamariam, Barack Obama, Osagyefo Sekou, Gabriel Salguero, Alexie Torres-Fleming, Davey D. Cook, Onleilove Alston, Dante Barry, Tory Russell, Dara Silverman, Traci Blackmon, Ify Ike, Steve Phillips, Rosa Clemente, Bakari Kitwana and Linda Sarsour.

2016 Annual ISF Annual Bay Area Banquet

Linda Sarsour spoke at 2016 annual Islamic Scholarship Fund Annual Bay Area Banquet. Political Science Assistant Professor Dr. Dalia Fahmy and politician Rashida Tlaib also spoke at the event.

Standing Rock

Linda Sarsour visited the Dakota Access Pipeline protest. Pictured here with Judith LeBlanc.

Facing Race conference

The Facing Race conference participants gathered just days after the conclusion of the most contentious election season in decades, November 10-12, 2016 — Atlanta, Georgia.

Both major parties exposed their deep splinters, Trumpism became the new normal and many politicians were forced to deal with issues that communities of color raised to national prominence. In Facing Race's closing plenary on November 12, racial justice leaders speak to the challenges of governance before us, and how the movement can position itself to make the most of the next four years.

These are the activists and thought leaders featured in "Where Do We Go From Here?" listed in alphabetical order:

• Kara Denise Brewer Boyd, director, American Indian Farmers
• Marisa Franco, director and co-founder, Mijente
• Glenn Harris, president, Center for Social Inclusion
• Pramila Jayapal, U.S. congresswoman-elect for Washington's 7th Congressional district; founder, OneAmerica; co-director, We Belong Together campaign
• Van Jones, author and co-founder, Rebuild the Dream
• Linda Sarsour, advocacy and divic engagement coordinator, National Network for Arab American Communities
• Rinku Sen, president, Race Forward

Women's March

Co-chairs of the Women's March organized anti-Trump protest scheduled on the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration, January 21, 2017 were;

• Tamika Mallory, Women’s March co-chair
• Carmen Perez, Women’s March co-chair
• Linda Sarsour, Women’s March co-chair
• Bob Bland, Women’s March co-chair

Anti "Muslim ban" rally

After 17 people were detained without charges this morning in John F. Kennedy Airport, protesters and elected officials gathered in Battery Park to speak against President Donald Trump’s slew of executive orders banning immigrants from seven Muslim majority countries and halting the entry of refugees into the country.

The New York Immigration Coalition, Make The Road New York, the National Immigration Law Center and several other New York-based organizations coordinated the rally, and over 10,000 supporters attended.

Among the speakers were Senators Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Mayor Bill de Blasio, activist Linda Sarsour and U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler. Many elected officials were also present at the rally in Washington Square Park on Wednesday, which promoted a similar message of open borders with the hashtag #NoBanNoWall.

Addressing the crowd, Schumer said that the protests in JFK contributed to the fight against Trump’s recent executive orders regarding immigration.

“Because of your actions, he [Secretary John F. Kelly] promised me that the 42 who are detained and under court order to be released, will be released to the United States and to freedom shortly,” Schumer said during his speech. “So we’ve made progress for 42 — we have to make progress for thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands more.”

Sana Mayat is the NYU’s Muslim Student Association vice president, and she expressed surprise and pride to see the number of non-Muslims that showed up at the rally.

“People are saying that an attack on one is an attack on everyone, not just an issue that is limited to one group,” Mayat said. “It is really impactful and it gives me a lot of hope.”

CAS freshman Claudia Franke attended the protest and said that the message of Sunday’s rally particularly resonated with her, since she has family members living in the U.S. with green cards.

"Countering Islamophobia"

July 24, 2016, CAIR - Philadelphia, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and Jewish Voice for Peace hosted a town hall meeting on "Countering Islamophobia."

Speakers at the town hall meeting included Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN); CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad; Linda Sarsour, executive director of the Arab American Association of New York; Kameelah M. Rashad, Muslim chaplain at UPENN; Raed Jarrar, government relations manager at American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); Donna Nevel of the Network Against Islamophobia, Jewish Voice for Peace; and Rev. Dr. David D. Grafton of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

DSA

Linda Sarsour joined Democratic Socialists of America circa November 2017.

DSA/CAIR

On November 5 2017 Democratic Socialists of America member Linda Sarsour addressed a CAIR-Alabama annual benefit event in Birmingham.

Women's convention

Women’s March announced that U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will open the Women’s Convention’s Friday evening program, which will take place in Detroit from Friday, October 27 to Sunday, October 29 2017.

Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Wendy Carrillo, and [Erica Ford] will also join the roster of over 60 women speakers, femmes, and allies of all backgrounds who will join thousands for a weekend of workshops, strategy sessions, inspiring forums and intersectional movement building. The theme of the Convention, “Reclaiming Our Time,” will honor U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), who will be headlining the Convention on Saturday evening.

“It was amazing to be part of the Women’s Marches and witness democracy in action...I fully expect to see that same turnout, passion and energy here in Detroit, and I look forward to speaking with women leaders from across the country,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow.

The growing list of speakers include: Angela Rye, Amber Tamblyn, Symone Sanders, Piper Perabo, Sally Kohn, Nomiki Konst, Leah Greenberg, Lilliana Reyes, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rebecca Cokley, Nina Turner, Stephanie Schriock, Ai-jen Poo, Aida Hurtado, Lenore Anderson, Stephanie Chang, Raquel Castaneda Lopez, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Sarah Eagle Heart, Rashida Tlaib, Brittany Packnett, Winnie Wong, Stosh Cotler, and the Women’s March co-chairs Bob Bland, Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour and Tamika Mallory.

Inclusv

Inclusv Advisory Board members, as of May 12, 2018 included Linda Sarsour.

Emgage Action rally

Politicians and activists rallied Muslim Americans in Dearborn on July 29 2018 to encourage voter participation in the upcoming Aug. 7 primary election and to register new voters for the November ballot.

Held outside the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, there was a festive atmosphere, with bouncy houses for children, and food vendors to tempt tastes, but there was a serious message to impart: In an election pivotal to Muslim Americans candidates and voters, every vote will count, in the primary and general election, and eligible citizens should register and learn about the process and ballot.

The event was organized and sponsored by Emgage Action, an American Muslim community advocacy organization; Mpower Change, a grassroots movement working to build social, spiritual, racial and economic justice for all people; the Michigan Muslim Community Council, which works to unify communities and promote social justice; and the National Network for Arab American Communities, an Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services Institution.

Nada Al-Hanooti, executive director of the Michigan chapter of Emgage Action, said the Muslim community tends to have a low voter turnout.

“What we’re trying to do is energize our community, get them out to the polls, because we have a lot of great candidates right now,” Al-Hanooti said. “Not only because they are Muslim, but because they are extremely qualified and viable candidates. So this is our time, and we are taking full advantage and mobilizing.”

Gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed and political activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke at the rally, were the reason many attended, but for Majeda Tafish, 40, of Dearborn, who became a naturalized citizen 10 years ago, it was a chance to take the first step to register to vote.

In the past, Tafish said, the lists of candidates and the issues seemed daunting to her.

“I want to vote, to have a voice,” she said. “Wherever I go, they keep saying, ‘Vote, vote,’ but I see a big list and I don’t know any of them. They give me a brochure that says nice things about them, but I don’t know who to believe.”

Among the politicians on hand for the event were Sam Beydoun, candidate for Wayne County Commissioner; Donald Stuckey II, candidate for Michigan’s 9th state House district; state Rep. Sylvia Santana, current House Representative for the 9th district, who is running for state Senator for District 3; Gary Woronchak, Wayne County Commission chairman, who is running for state Senate in the 3rd district; Fatou-Seydi Sarr, candidate for state House in the 8th district; Abraham Aiyash, candidate for the state Senate 2nd district; U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D – 12th District),; Fayrouz Saad, candidate for U.S. House 11th district; Rashida Tlaib, candidate for the U.S. House 13th district; state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, 15th district; Democratic primary gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed; and Michigan Supreme Court Candidates Samuel Bagenstos and Megan Cavanagh.

Sarr, Aiyash, Dingell, Saad, Tlaib, Hammoud, El-Sayed, Bagenstos and Cavanagh were among the politicians who spoke at the event. They were joined by speakers Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan Chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations; Ahmad Abuznaid, director of the National Network for Arab American Communities, an Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services institution; activist Khadega Mohammed; activist Linda Sarsour; and political activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City.

Abdul El-Sayed called for the Muslim voting community to raise its voices, vote and encourage others to vote in the primary and general election.

“When you look at who we are right now, we are so much better,” he said. “That is the opportunity in front of us on Aug. 7. Let’s not lose that opportunity because we, together, are doing the work of democracy. Now let’s go get it.”

2018 Demos Gala Host Committee

Honorary chairs of the 2018 Demos Gala Host Committee included Naomi Aberly, Sharon Alpert, Bob Bland, Charles Blow, Alan S. Davis, Alicia Garza, Mary Kay Henry, Anne Hess, Craig Kaplan, Gara LaMarche, Nancy Meyer and Marc Weiss, Craig Newmark, Hillary Pennington, Robert Reich, Frances Rodgers and Charles Rodgers, Anthony D. Romero, Linda Sarsour, Martin Schneider, Ted Snowdon and Duffy Violante, Katrina Vanden Heuvel, Darren Walker, John Walsh, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Lola West, Marianne Williamson.

Arrested at Ryan's office

March 5, 2018, several Muslim-American leaders were arrested at the US Capitol while urging Congress to stand against President Donald Trump's effort to end a programme that protects certain young immigrants.

Omar Suleiman, Dawud Walid, Mujahid Fletcher, Talib Shareef and Nihad Awad of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Zahra Billoo, and Linda Sarsour advocated immigration reform before getting arrested.

The protesters participated in an act of civil disobedience at the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, demanding that he meet them to hear their concerns.

Demonstrations have taken place in major cities across the US in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme that protects young undocumented immigrants from deportations.

Fletcher, who also came to the US as a child from Columbia, said he shared the experience of the Dreamers, people who came into the US illegally as children.

"We don't want to live based on fear. We want to live according to the principles of freedom of speech, of religion," he said.

Quoting Malcolm X, Talib Shareef of the Muslim Alliance of North America said: "Almighty Allah has told us to stand for justice. We are not weak in faith and we are here for a mobilization.

"We stand here in the spirit of Malcolm X with the people who are affected by these policies."

"This is creating real fear," Suleiman said, adding that the imams are fighting white supremacy because Islamophobia, racism and hostility against immigrants all stem from the same roots.

CAIR National Council Meeting 2017

CAIR - Connecticut April 30, 2017:

Capped off a great weekend at the CAIR National Council Meeting listening to Linda Sarsour motivating CAIR leaders from across the country.

Fundraiser for Julia Salazar

Winnie Wong June 9 2018:

Linda Sarsour and I are hosting a fundraiser for Julia Salazar. We hope you can come. We can use this opportunity to have an organizing meeting. Fundraising is very important. But organizing is much more important. — with Sophie EG, Sam Esther Adler-Bell, Linda Sarsour, Brea Baker, Moumita Ahmed, Gabriella Zutrau, Mary Clinton, Michael Cavadias, Susan LK, Ravi Ahmad, Audrey Sasson, Julia Salazar, Elana Levin, Maria Svart, Bianca Cunningham, Michael Kinnucan and Democratic Socialists of America.

Michigan socialists

Winnie Wong July 31 2018:

This fun crew is about to be reunited this week and we'll be joined by some good as heck friends. 🤭. #ForOurFuture — with Claire Sandberg and Abdul El-Sayed, and Linda Sarsour.

"The Tide is Changing"

Universal Muslim Association of America (UMAA) July 12 2018.

The Tide is Changing with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Abdul El-Sayed, and Linda Sarsour.

She the People 2018 Summit

She the People's three-year initiative kicked off with its inaugural She the People Summit on September 20, 2018 at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco. The sold-out, first-ever national summit of women of color in politics drew nearly 600 attendees, mostly women of color, from 36 states.

Speakers included Linda Sarsour.

Comrades

Winnie Wong December 14, 2017 ·

With Ana Maria Archila, Bob Bland, Linda Sarsour and Ady Barkan.

Antifa

September 25th 2018 Winnie Wong, Bob Bland, Ady Barkan, Linda Sarsour.

Socialist multiracial organizing

Mie Inouye is with Francisco Cendejas, Anthony Joel Quezada, Charles Du, Linda Sarsour, Tan-dra Louie, Jabari Brisport at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Atlanta. August 3 at 10:12 AM · Atlanta, GA ·

I loved facilitating this workshop on socialist multiracial organizing with these good people! They and the folks who came out give me hope. 💖✊🏼 #afrosoc #dsacon2019