January 29, 2019

Earlier today, it was reported that “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett was the victim of an attack which police are investigating as a possible hate crime. According to authorities, two people subjected Smollet to racist and homophobic slurs, poured on him an unknown chemical substance, and tied a noose around his neck. We were horrified to learn the details of this incident, but even more grateful to hear that Smollet is in good condition after the fact.

This attack hit incredibly close to home across our MPAC offices in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. In D.C., we have been working diligently to introduce solutions that would improve hate crimes enforcement against all communities. In Los Angeles, our work focuses on creating an environment where hate crimes against any and all communities will be intolerable, as guided by the belief that “familiarity will breed empathy.”

That the victim of such an egregious attack was an accomplished actor for an incredibly successful and diverse show is proof that there is much work still to be done. We stand with Jussie Smollett, and all those who stand to be affected by the normalization of these incidents. In doing so, we remain even more committed to seeing through our work to combat hate crimes.

Founded in 1988, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is a national nonprofit working to promote and strengthen American pluralism by increasing understanding and improving policies that impact American Muslims.