SHAFAQNA- A group of about 60 students from Birmingham in Alabama, USA and beyond met on Sunday afternoon to begin efforts to combat “Islamophobia.”
The students said with there being so much negativity towards people of Muslim faith these days, they can’t stand by and do nothing.
The group is made up of students from two youth groups organized through the YWCA of Central Alabama. They are “Any town Alabama” and “Peace Birmingham, Alabama.”
Organizer Rebecca Harkless said the mission is to help create an inclusive society.
“Yeah, so when they walk away from here, we hope that they’ll gain the tools necessary to go out and be allies for people in the Muslim community, as well as any other communities or people that feel like they’ve been in the out group.”
“Not every Islamic person or a person that is involved in Islam faith, that doesn’t mean that they’re related to ISIL or another extreme organization,” 10th grader Brianna Braden said.
The students said they look forward to taking their knowledge from Sunday’s meeting and spreading it throughout their own communities.
“They’re just like you and me,” Braden added. “It doesn’t matter what they believe in.”
Source: IINA