Ramon Mejia
Ramon Mejia was born in Dallas, Texas. Ramon’s father is originally from a small village in Michoacán, Mexico and his mother is from a small town in South Texas. Enlisting in the U. S. Marine Corps in July 2001 out of economic necessity, he was part of the invading force and attached to the first CSSB unit to cross into Iraq in 2003. As a result of his experience in Iraq, he felt the need to learn more about the history of Islam, and what Islam signifies. He made his shahada, declaration of faith, on August 29, 2008 in Dayton, Ohio.
While working on his BA in History & Religious Studies at The University of Texas at Austin, he joined Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). As an anti-Militarism activist, and member of IVAW, Ramon strives to end militarism by transforming himself, military culture and American society. He is part of an interfaith organizing committee that opposes local manifestations of hate and racism in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He also helps build awareness and opposition to the gentrification of his neighborhood causing the further marginalization and forced displacement of poor, people of color, working class, and immigrant communities. He has traveled to the Philippines to learn from the Bangsamoro, the Indigenous Muslim community, about their struggle for self-determination and has learned about human rights violations committed by the Filipino government, as well as U.S. military operating in the area. He works as a Middle School Social Studies teacher and aspires to return to graduate school to gain a deeper understanding of Stokely Carmichael and SNCC grassroots organizing efforts in the South during the Civil Rights Movement.[1]
Activism
A founding Organizer of #VetsVsHate, and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, and Regional Organizer of Veterans Challenge Islamophobia — Dallas, Texas | Biloxi, Mississippi.
Ramon Mejía enlisted in Marine Corps out of economic necessity. He served in Supply Ops. and participated in the initial invasion of and deploying to Dhi Qar Province, Iraq in 2003. As a result of his experience in Iraq, he converted to Islam in 2008. As an anti-militarism activist, he works to end militarism by transforming himself, military culture and American society. He has been an active organizer in countering local manifestations of hate and racism by neo-Nazis and paramilitary groups in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.[2]
Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative
Ramon Mejia is a member of Muslim ARC - Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative.
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 Ramon Mejia , Social Studies teacher, Dallas Texas.
"Faith & Racial Justice"
Maytha Alhassen, Ramon Mejia, Asha Mohamood Noor, Sahar Pirzada.
Comrades on the border
CAIR - Greater Los Angeles December 12, 2018 ·
With Hussam Ayloush and Yasmine Taeb.
Zahra Billoo December 9, 2018:
In San Diego tonight! We’re to take part in an interfaith service in advance of tomorrow's action with AFSC-San Diego, Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, community partners, and hundreds of faith leaders at the border as part of the #LoveKnowsNoBorders: A Moral Call for #MigrantJustice mobilization. — attending Love knows no borders: Interfaith Service with Naeem Baig, Hussam Ayloush, Ossama Kamel, Maytha Alhassen, Yasmine Taeb, Mejgan Afshan, Lubna Shaikh, Asma Rehman, Imraan Siddiqi, Megan Fair and Ramon Mejia.
It Takes Roots People's Caravan
It Takes Roots People's Caravan took place in July 2016. Grassroots Global Justice Alliance launched the It Takes Roots to Change the System People’s Caravan from the RNC to the DNC. Nearly 40 community leaders and allies from the US and Honduras traveled in a bus from the Republican National Convention in Cleveland to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, stopping along the way to build with communities in Pittsburgh and Baltimore fighting for environmental and racial justice.
Caravanistas included Ramon Mejia, Iraq Veterans Against the War.