Over at the I Love Dar al Hijrah site, there are some great pics of the first ever national forum focusing on Muslim and African Americans (hat tip to Tariq Nelson). Yesterday, the Congressional Black Caucus held a panel titled, “African-American/Muslim-American Dialogue: Building an Interfaith Movement.” Representative Keith Ellison sponsored and moderated the panel and the panelists included Representative Andre Carson, Mahdi Bray, Reverend Jesse Jackson, and Dawud Walid. I am very pleased to hear about this type of dialog and we need more of this on a local, state, and national level. It is especially pertinent with this upcoming election.
Here’s some information about the Congressional Black Caucus foundation
In January 1969, newly elected African American representatives of the 77th Congress joined six incumbents to form the “Democratic Select Committee. The Committee was renamed the Congressional Black Caucus and the CBC was born in 1971. Founding Members were Representatives Shirley Chisholm, William Clay, George Collins, John Conyers, Ronald Dellums, Charles Diggs, Augustus Hawkins, Ralph Metcalfe, Parren Mitchell, Robert Nix, Charles Rangel, Louis Stokes, and DC Delegate Walter Fauntroy. Their goals were to positively influence the course of events pertinent to African Americans and others of similar experience and situation, and to achieve greater equity for persons of African descent in the design and content of domestic and international programs and services. While the CBC has been primarily focused on the concerns of African Americans, the Caucus has also been at the forefront of legislative campaigns for human and civil rights for all citizens.
For more information visit the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. I encourage every to visit Dawud Walid’s blog for the audio of this timely panel. I was only able to listen to a portion of it, but I’d love to hear back from participants, commentators, and audience members. What are your thoughts? What are some of the ideas and plans going forward? How are we going to make sure that this country moves in a more positive direction for the next four years.
Margari Aziza 
As-Salaamu `Alaykum,
Tariq Nelson and Abdur-Rahman (the corner) are two bloggers, who were in the audience. I’m sure that they’ll be blogging about their perspectives.
One thing that I’ll say is that:
1) Non-Muslim Blackamerican leadership is behind in their perspectives or analysis of our community in a big way. They need to be brought up to speed.
2) Even the so-called liberal, mainstream religion writers, who are interfaith champions have a chauvinists view of looking at our community. This is much harder to fix and would need to address how their own personal unintended biases and white privledge have “colored” their world-view.
3) Bridging the gaps between immigrant and indigenous Muslims should take TOP priority at this point. There is just too much tension raising to the top, especially from Blackamerican Muslims. This tension, if not addressed in a constructive way, will become destructive and plan into the hands of the enemies of Islam.
Please listen to the entire audio.
Wassalaam,
Imam Dawud Walid
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As-Salaamu `Alaykum,
Correction, Abdur-Rahman, blogger of singularvoice, was there, not the corner. The other Abdur-Rahman is in the UK.
Wassalaam,
Imam Dawud Walid
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