Schools
AACC Launches Muslim Oral History Project to Counter Islamophobia
Anne Arundel Community College hopes to educate people about Muslims and Arabs by telling real life stories.
A new project at (AACC) aims to deal with issues of diversity and to counter Islamophobia by educating the community about Muslims and Arabs.
A reception on Tuesday celebrated the Muslim Oral History Project that features the stories of people who study and work at AACC. The presentation was timely, given the extensive media coverage this week of a foiled plot by Iran to kill a Saudi envoy in Washington, DC.
Attendees were greeted by project participant, author and former PBS-TV host Lailee McNair Bakhtiar, who offered gift copies of her novel Harem Letters and a single poem. In addition to Bakhtiar, other participants included:
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- Tooba Roshan, a graduate of Howard University with a degree in interior design and an Eastern Shore resident who operates an architectural firm with her husband
- Khaled Sayed, who is from Cairo, Egypt, and an AACC professor of world languages who teaches Spanish and Arabic
- Muzammal Mustafa, who came to the United States from Pakistan when he was 9 years old and studied at AACC where he started the Muslim Student Association; today, at age 25, he works for AACC as a public safety officer.
After viewing a video portion of each participant's story, there was commentary on how each dealt with adjusting to American culture and gaining acceptance. All four participants have acquired more than a superficial understanding of Americans after becoming acclimated, and all said they have found acceptance.
Although their observance of the Muslim faith varied from devout to moderate (and even one Christian), they each emphasized that Islam is a good faith that should not be feared.
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In response to an audience question about wearing the hijab, Mustafa described it as a covering of respect within Muslim culture. He said that dressing modestly shows respect for others and for oneself.
One fundamental element stressed was that all Muslims are not alike but come from different cultures, and generally are peaceful people who should not be stereotyped as terrorists.
A second session with guest speakers, discussions and cultural immersion titled “Unveiling the Mystique of the American Muslim Woman” will be held Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at AACC. (See PDF attached to this article for additional information.)