Muslim American Heritage

As we move into the Fall season, and concerns about the COVID-19 Delta Variant persist, MALA is committed to finding new ways to collect, curate, and share oral histories in the socially-distanced virtual space.  Oral history work requires an immense ammount of trust, and an ability to build spaces that are safe and comfortable for individuals to share their stories, and MALA remains committed to sustaining such spaces.  As such, MALA is moving forward by hosting storytelling sessions via video conferences, which are then recorded, edited, and published accross a number of platforms to ensure that stories are being told and heard during these challenging times.  

This new approach to digital estorytelling is not without its challenges and complexities: digital storytelling requires new infrastructure, new processes, and new approaches to outreach and publishing.  MALA's staff and leadership are working hard to confront these challenges and to ensure that our storytellers feel represented, respected, and heard accross these new mediums and realities.  When you support the Muslim American Journeys project, you directly fuel these efforts: you empower MALA to empower whole communities through storytelling.  Your contribution helps MALA to finance the new and necessary storytelling infrastructure, to build the administrative capacity necessary to process and publish stories, and to provide necessary support and resources to the individuals and communities brave enough to share their stories in this moment.  

The Muslim American Journeys project has always represented a unique avenue of representation for Muslim Americans and adjascent communities, and MALA is proud to continue to innovate and expand this platform.  Your gift today helps to build representation, and to ensure all voices are heard in the American cultural narrative. 

Thank you for your continued support and compassion!

Respectfully, 

Team MALA

Links:

• Visit MALA's Website
• Check Out MALA's Youtube to See Recent Digital Stories
• Follow us on Facebook!

Good news!  So far this year, MALA has received generous institutional funding for new story production campaigns during the summer and fall of 2021.  As we continue tyo be recognized as an authority in. the storytelling and cultural exchange space, MALA is proud and honored to receive the opportunity to undertake new projects and expand our platform to spotlight an even broader spectrum of individuals and communities.  

This summer we are excited to be working on two new collections: one collection which will focus on the stories of Black Muslims in the Chicagoland area, and another that will focus on stories from Muslims of AAPI heritage.  We are honored and thrilled to be able to share the stories of these communities, and our work is cut out for us.  When you contribute to thwe Muslim American Journeys project this summer, you are helping us to not only produce these stories, but to activate them through community engagement, open dialogue, and cultural exchange.  Your support helps to actively build communities, break stereotypes, and foster important cultural connections accross the country.