September 7, 2013

Shortly after Ramadan concluded and before the school year began, 18 delegates gathered in Los Angeles for three days of adventure at MPAC’s and the Muslim Youth Group of the Islamic Center of Southern California’s Young Leaders Civic Summit. Giving youth a behind-the-scenes look at our society’s nerve centers -- media, Hollywood and government -- delegates met with dozens of industry insiders, executives, thinkers and leaders.

 The summit was kicked off with a tour of the Los Angeles Times building in downtown followed by Q&A panel discussion with the newspapers top editors. Delegates were given a rare glimpse into how articles are published and what it takes to be successful in the journalism business. The summit continued with a visit to City Hall and a meeting with NewGround’s Director of Programs, Aziza Hasan.

 “It’s important for our community to learn how to have dialogue with those of other faiths and cultures, especially the Jewish community,” Hasan said.

The following day, delegates with met government officials - Matt Hovsepian, a representative of Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Councilman Felipe Fuentes -- and were inspired by the power of government to help society and the importance for all American to engage their elected officials and be civically engaged.

In addition to industry meetings and workshops, the summits gave the young leaders the opportunity to engage in the arts by visiting Sunset Gower Studios, where they met with producers and managers. A tour of the studios led to an open and honest discussion about Muslims getting involved in Hollywood and the journey many have taken to break into the industry. This was followed by a visit to the Japanese American National Museum, where delegates took a tour of the museum and learned about the history of Japanese Americans and internment camps. The delegates gained a deep understanding of the racism and prejudice this country has endured and how this relates to what the American Muslim community is currently facing.

On the final day, Imam Jihad Saafir of Masjid Ibaadallah spoke at the graduation about the importance of being God conscious.

“We need to take advantage of the life that God has provided us with, of being Muslim, and being able to use that blessing to the best of our ability by incorporating Islam in every action of our lives,” he said.