Inaugural National American Muslim Policy Conference

MPAC co-hosted the inaugural National American Muslim Policy Conference which brought together elected officials, experts, and leaders from across the nation to discuss our community’s policy priorities and needs. We are proud to have worked alongside American Muslim Health Professionals, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition, and Emgage Action as part of the Community Collaborative Initiative.

The Community Collaborative Initiative, a community-based action research project hosted by Indiana University’s Lilly School of Philanthropy, we cordially invite you to participate in the inaugural National American Muslim Policy Conference.

Setting the Stage

This panel was moderated by Moderated by Dalia Mogahed, Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy & Understanding, and featured special guests, Abrar Omeish, Board Member, Fairfax County Public Schools, Abdullah Hammoud, Mayor, Dearborn, MI, and Linda Sarsour, Award-Winning Racial Justice, and Civil Rights Activist.

Health Policy & Advocacy Priorities for American Muslims

When it comes to health equity, many Muslims have seen firsthand the importance of advocating for health equity. At the 2022 National American Muslim Policy conversation, we discussed why it’s crucial for Muslims to be accounted for in decisions that impact healthcare access, actions taken by Muslims to address healthcare gaps, additional needs in the community and potential future directions.

This panel was moderated by Sana Syed, Vice President, American Muslim Health Professionals and featured Dr. Aasim Padela, Director of the Initiative on Islam and Medicine, MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, Dr. Adel Syed, CEO, Umma Clinic, and Dr. Quaiser Abdullah, Assistant Professor in the Communication and Social Influence Department in Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University.

Towards Civic Justice

American Muslims are the “most diverse faith community in the nation.” They are every profession or unemployed, rich and poor, young and young-at-heart, Democrat and Republican – and every identity in between. So… how do we – as partners and allies – advocate and build policy for this vibrant, complex, and complicated community?

We joined IL Muslim Civic Coalition and partners at the National American Muslim Conference and discussed strategies for striving for Civic Justice. Experts discuss Policy & Execution of Census, GOTV, Impacting legislators and building replicable systems for Advocacy.

This panel was moderated by Moderated by Dr. Dilara Sayeed, Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition (ILMCC), and featured Maaria Mozaffar, Director of Advocacy, ILMCC, Maya Berry, Executive Director, Arab American Institute, and am Rasoul, Virginia State Delegate.

Jan 6 and the Rise of White Extremism

White supremacy is a scourge that has plagued our country for generations but only came into the mainstream on January 6th, 2020. It took a coordinated attack by domestic terrorists who laid seige upon our Capitol– the seat of our democracy.

At our inaugural collaborative National American Muslim Policy Conference, MPAC President, Salam Al-Marayati and CEO of Emgage, Wa’el Alzayat, sat down with Diala Shamas, Staff Attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights and Samantha Vinograd, Acting Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to dissect the issue and discuss what needs to be done going forward.

Human Rights Abroad US Policy Challenges & Opportunities

As the White House and the State Department create and publicly share our nation’s foreign policy, it is partially predicated on the notion that our nation is privileged with the moral high ground and therefore can take preemptive action. However, for decades that foreign policy has only strategically emphasized human rights abroad. Our longstanding allies commit unthinkable acts of violence without being checked and that must stop.

At our inaugural collaborative National American Muslim Policy Conference, MPAC President, Salam Al-Marayati and CEO of Emgage, Wa’el Alzayat, sat down with Peter Beinart, Professor of Journalism and Political Science, University of New York, Samar Ali, Research Professor, Vanderbilt Project on Unity, and Jonathan Finer, Deputy National Security Advisor to discuss the issue what needs to be done going forward.

Closing Remarks by MPAC Board member, Mohamed Abdel Kader.