Muslim American Heritage

In 2019, the Muslim American Journeys project has continued to grow and expand, representing the vibrancy and diversity of Muslim journeys in the United States. Since thebeginning of the year our story collection has grown significantly, with nearly thirty new stories; among these new storytellers are Laleh Bakhtiar, the first woman to publish an English translation of the Qur’an, along with many other unique and fascinating individuals. MALA’s story archive also includes recently-added stories from the inaugural cohort of the Young Leaders Fellowship. These are stories of dynamic and ambitious young leaders in Muslim American communities; the perspectives and thoughtfulness in their stories reflect the values that MALA is founded on.

Part of what contributes to the success and growth of the Muslim American Journeys project is MALA’s ambition to explore and engage with new communities. This year, MALA is seeking to build roots in the New Orleans community; On February 18th, MALA Hosted a discussion and book signing with historian Dr. Ibrahima Seck in honor of Black History Month. Dr. Seck is the director of research at the Whitney Plantation, and author of the new book, Bouki Fait Gombo. It was an honor to work with Dr. Seck for this event, and we were pleased to host a diverse, inquisitive, and energetic audience. In anticipation of this event MALA received a letter of recognition from the office of LaToya Cantrell, the Mayor of New Orleans praising the organization’s work and welcoming MALA to the community. We are humbled by this recognition, and excited to continue to create networks of creative expression in the New Orleans area.

Currently, we are continuing the important work of expanding the Muslim American Journeysproject to share our platform with new communities and individuals across the country. In order to do this, it is crucial that MALA has the resources to source, collect, process, and publish the stories of Muslims in America. Your contributions help us to reach new communities, offer better resources, and continue to bring creative and accessible programming to American Muslims nationwide.