October 28, 2010

During the past two weeks, MPAC’s D.C. office has been engaging local communities through a two-part series based on its “I Am Change” Civic Leadership program. 

Government Liaison, Alejandro Beutel, spoke to a packed classroom at the ADAMS Center in Sterling, Va. He discussed the importance of civic participation in Islam, citing the concept of public interest and using the example of Prophet Muhammad’s public conduct to resolve political disputes, which earned him the nickname Al-Amin, The Trustworthy. 

Beutel outlined the decisionmaking processes of our government and also provided a step ladder approach to political change, starting with “presence” at a discussion table, then working its way up toward “respect” and “acceptance” of one's views, before finally achieving “influence” in the political process.

In Potomac, Md., Beutel provided an overview of the “I Am Change” program to a school gymnasium filled with members of the Indonesian Muslim Association in America. The question-and-answer session provided the liveliest participation, where Beutel injected lessons from the presentation into discussions about the current status of Muslims, the importance of working in the public interest, and how the development of Islam in Indonesia offers important lessons for living as a Muslim in America. 

This coming weekend, Beutel will complete the second part of the series to both communities.

Learn more about the “I Am Change” program and find out how you can schedule a workshop in your community.

-- Haris Tarin (haris@mpac.org)
Director the D.C. Office