Muslim-Americans in Mainstream America
by: Nihad Awad
February - March
2000
The Link - Volume 33, Issue 1
Page 11
CAIR has grown since its humble beginnings in 1994 to represent the diversity that is the Muslim community in the United States. Now the nation’s leading Muslim advocacy and civil rights group, it is a multi-ethnic American organization serving a wide range of people. Workers at CAIR come from diverse groups, including but not limited to Arab, Pakistani, African-American, European-American, Iranian, Chinese, Kenyan and Malaysian heritages.
CAIR’s constituency represents an even broader base. Many Muslims turn to it for help when facing job or religious discrimination
CAIR also has a mandate to explain Islamic perspectives on important issues to the American public. It provides information on Islamic religious beliefs, practices and culture to news media, government officials, private industry, and other interested parties.
At present CAIR has 19 full-time employees in its national office and it has six regional offices. Dozens of chapters are located across the country, with volunteers in 2,000 mosques coast to coast.
CAIR receives more than 1,000 requests for help every year from its constituency. It sometimes involves the community by organizing a public response, and this in turn raises the community's political consciousnesss. These campaigns and their positive results then lead more people to become involved.
This growing sense of optimism is helping CAIR to reach another of its goals: to create a healthy environment in which Muslims can thrive and take up their rightful places in American society. Their wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and experiences means that they have much to offer in the national dialogue. We look forward to a vibrant exchange of ideas.
CAIR's membership is open to anyone sharing its goals and mission. I invite you to learn more about CAIR through its publications, available from CAIR's national office (453 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, D.C. 20003-2604) or by visiting us at . We can be reached by phone at 202-659-2247, by fax at 202-659-2254, or by e-mail at .
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