October 10, 2017

Dear Friend,

We’re just one month away from our 17th Annual Convention on Sunday, November 5th in Downtown Los Angeles. This year's theme is: Bridging the Divide: Religion, Race, and Politics.

I’m excited to share our line-up of speakers who will join our timely, hard-hitting panel discussions including members of our inaugural Advisory Council. This Council includes leaders and opinion shapers who help us assess public opinions and policies vis-a-vis Muslims, Islam and other minorities and guide our strategic directions and programs.

The intersectionality of security, freedom, and rights is the bridge of understanding between those who want security at the expense of freedom or those who want freedom at the expense of security. In the 21st century, we are required to look at these issues within our religious, racial, and political contexts. Dogma means we want to support an issue at the expense of other values, whereas ethics requires us to use a values-based approach to solve complex problems.

We'll be tackling the following topics:

Security & Rights
America has always struggled with whether to prioritize the security of the nation over the civil rights of citizens. This discussion will focus on why the two are not mutually exclusive and how neither has to be compromised.

Speakers
Mike Downing, LAPD Deputy Chief (retired)
Seema Ahmad, MPAC Board Chair

Rethinking Religious Freedom
The treatment of religious minorities both at home and around the world has pitted individuals and communities against each other. This discussion will explore the tensions underlying these divides and begin to chart a way out of them.

Speakers
Asifa Quraishi-Landes, University of Wisconsin Professor of Law
Nathan Walker, 1789 Delegates Executive Director
Omar Noureldin, MPAC Vice President

Race & Nationalism
What does it mean to be American, to be patriotic? We’ll explore different answers to these questions and their intersections and interactions with race and politics.

Speakers
Connie Rice, Advancement Project Founder
Sammy Rangel, Life After Hate Executive Director
Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC President

These vital conversations will challenge the notion that there is no “middle ground” for opposing views and discuss opportunities for bridging diverging viewpoints. I look forward to seeing you there!

Best Regards,

Salam Al-Marayati
President

P.S. To reserve your complimentary tickets please reach out to Shahbano at shahbano@mpac.org or Raahima at raahima@mpac.org.