Extras

Ending Violence Against Women

“Violence against women is violence against all society.” –El Salvador President Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena

This Friday is International Women’s Day, and I’ll be joining millions of other women, men, and organizations to participate in advocating for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and ending gender-based violence.

END VAW

The CSW is a global policy-making body dedicated to gender equality and the advancement of women. They gather annually to evaluate progress on gender equality, set global standards, and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and women’s advancement worldwide. This year’s theme is the “elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.” They’re in session through next week.

I’m joining 70 other individuals, media outlets, and organizations to tweet on International Women’s Day to support and strengthen the CSW’s work to end violence against women. If you’d like to join us, sign up here.

I’ll be hosting the Tweet-a-thon during the 10 am hour (PST). Join us!

An exciting new chapter!

I’m really happy to share that I’ve started an internship for Brass Media! Brass Media is a multimedia company that produces content for young adults, by young adults, about money and real world stuff.

I’ll be doing what I love best: good, old-fashioned editorial stuff like dotting Is and crossing Ts!

I’ll also be blogging for their website, Money Side of Life! My first blog post is already up here, about how to make some extra cash consigning your clothes.

Ramezan Mobarak!

Hello, friends! Happy Ramezan to you all!

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Here’s what you can expect from me this Ramezan:

1. Many Muslims fast during Ramezan. This means no eating, drinking, drugging, or sexing during daylight hours. I can’t abstain from food for personal medical reasons. I’ll be eating as necessary, but will do so in the privacy of my home out of respect for others who are fasting. I reserve the right to make special birthday exceptions!

2. I will try to be more patient and kind. I will fail a lot, but I will be trying.

3. I am going to try to get through an entire Qur’an this month. It will be an audio version, but still.

4. Muslims who can afford to give zakat (money to charity). I’ll be writing a check to my local food bank.

5. I am going to aim for prayer 3 times a day (in the Shi’a tradition) . This will also be in the comfort and privacy of my own home.

6. Feel free to ask any genuine questions you have about Ramezan or how I practice it. If you want to ask any questions designed to belittle my faith or how I practice it, kiss my ass instead. Whoops… Failed at patience and kindness already!

Another #FF Thank You Campaign

Wednesday, Muslim Advocates launched Hassan v. The City of New York, a lawsuit seeking to prove that the New York City Police Department’s surveillance of Muslims in New Jersey is unconstitutional. Several lawmakers have also petitioned the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into FBI violations of constitutionally-protected rights of American Muslims.

We in the American Muslim community are grateful for those who work with us and for us to defend the civil liberties of all Americans. And we’d like to show our support by launching another #ThankYou campaign on Twitter today: Friday, June 8, 2012.

We hope you’ll join us to thank those who are fighting for our civil liberties by participating in our Twitter campaign. We’ve included a list below to make it easy:

Lawmakers:

#FF #ThankYou @petestark @RepBarbaraLee for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @RepRonPaul @RepJJJr for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @cbrangel @janschakowsky for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5  #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @Dennis_Kucinich for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @RepJudyChu @keithellison for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @RepLynnWoolsey for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @RepMikeHonda for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @repbobbyscott for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @ChrisVanHollen for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @RepZoeLofgren for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @RepAndreCarson for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @RepRaulGrijalva for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5 #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @JacksonLeeTX18 for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @jaredpolis for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @MelWattNC12 for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @JaniceHahn @RepSamFarr for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/bqZ5x #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @BradLander for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims http://ow.ly/br88X  #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @JumaaneWilliams for expressing concern about #FBIsurveillance of American #Muslims http://ow.ly/br88X #myNYPDfile

Media

#FF #ThankYou @GGreenwald to speaking against #FBISurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/brcPW #myNYPDfile

#FF @ThankYou @nytopinion for speaking against #FBISurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/brcTV #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @farhanakhera for working to end #FBISurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/br2ma #myNYPDfile

 

Those Working on Hassan v. The City of New York:

#FF #ThankYou @MSAnational @MuslimAdvocates for working to end #FBISurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/br5PG  #myNYPDfile

#FF #ThankYou @ACLU for working to end #FBISurveillance of American #Muslims: http://ow.ly/br2HI #myNYPDfile

Please feel free to share and tweak—just remember that #FF & #ThankYou are crucial hashtags. AltMuslim is getting in on the fun, too!

Thank you for your support and involvement—and happy tweeting!

Fatemeh Fakhraie (@fatemehf)

Zeba Iqbal (@zeba369)

Hind Makki (@hindmakki)

Wajahat Ali (@wajahatali)

Hussein Rashid (@islamoyankee)

Aziz Poonawalla (@azizhp)

Haroon Moghul (@hmoghul)

Michigan State University’s Migrations of Islam

I’m excited to be a part of Michigan State University’s “Migrations of Islam” symposium. The theme is on Muslim American Cultural Expression in the 21st century, and I’ll be presenting on–what else?–American Muslim women and the media!

I’ll be presenting along with a lot of wonderful speakers and writers, and Arab-American comedian Dean Obeidallah will be performing, as well! If you’re in town, stop by and check us all out!