An Exploration of Faith and Civic Engagement
A travel diary from the 2024 Engaging Muslims, Countering Islamophobia immersion experience
To be a peacemaker in today’s world requires an openness to learning about histories, cultures, and identities different from your own. One way to engage in such experiential learning is through domestic immersion programs, such as our Engaging Muslims, Countering Islamophobia immersion.
First offered in 2017 as an alternative spring break program, we reimagined this year’s immersion trip to fit within fall break due to Ramadan overlapping with Marquette’s spring break for the past few — and likely the next few — years. As the recap of this year’s experience shows, you don’t have to travel far to engage with diverse histories, cultures, and identities.
Day 1: Departure / Arrival
With mid-terms complete, a group of Marquette students, faculty, and staff departed campus for Dearborn, MI — home to the largest concentrated population of Muslims in the United States. It didn’t take us long to trade the stress and fatigue of midterms week for the excitement and intrigue of the immersion experience.
We arrived in Dearborn just in time for a planned orientation dinner at Malek Al Kabob restaurant for the first of many delicious meals on the trip.
Day 2: Setting the Foundation
Driving Tour of Detroit Metro Area
We started the morning with an informal driving tour, navigating our way through the streets of Dearborn and downtown Detroit. We saw storefronts with signs written in both Arabic and English, remnants of old Ford factories, the downtown entertainment district, and the glistening Detroit River along the U.S.-Canada border.
This was a great way to get a first glimpse of the area, showing us a preview of a variety of neighborhoods, before diving in deeper.
Meeting with the Dawa Committee
Back in Dearborn, we visited the mosque of the Dawa Committee, also known as the American Moslem Society. Dawa is a Sunni mosque, and it is the oldest mosque in Michigan. Although the mosque was built by Lebanese immigrants, its current congregation is mostly Yemeni.
Our hosts were excited to meet with us, share about their journeys to Islam, tell us about the mosque, and answer any questions we had about Islam. They shared about the five pillars of Islam as well as Islamic prayer practices, which gave us a strong foundation for the rest of the trip.
Meeting at the Mayor’s Office in Dearborn
Abdullah Hammoud is the first Arab American and Muslim mayor of Dearborn. While we have met with him on previous trips (when he was a State Representative), on this trip we met with his Chief of Staff, Zaineb Hussein, and the city’s IT Coordinator, Mansour Sharha.
It was inspiring to hear about their plans for the community and how they connect with Dearborn residents. In particular, they shared about the importance of gaining the trust of their constituents through cultural representation in government. We also appreciated their vulnerability in sharing about some of the challenges and discrimination they face as Arab Americans and Muslims working in the public sector. They provided us with an important perspective and vision as we continued to explore the area.
Lunch at New Yasmeen Bakery
Eating at delicious restaurants was one of the many highlights. While the Arab world shares similar cuisines, each country prepares dishes in unique ways.
At New Yasmeen Bakery, we enjoyed Lebanese style spinach and cheese pies as well as chicken shawarma sandwiches.
Meeting at Islamic Center of Detroit
We were grateful to meet with members of the Islamic Center of Detroit and be invited to observe a prayer service during our visit. We also enjoyed the time we spent with the imam of the masjid, Imran Salha, who is a former Wisconsinite.
He shared with us that mental health and asking for help are highly stigmatized in many Muslim cultures. Yet, when this mosque saw a need to encourage and even provide support beyond spiritual guidance to its members, they opened a free mental health clinic. This allows their members to access religiously- and culturally informed counseling in a familiar and safe environment.
“I am very thankful for having the opportunity to converse with leading members of the community in Metro Detroit which opened my mind up to the ways that Islam is involved in shaping the future of America, much like it has in the past.” — Connor
Tour of Islamic Center of America
Our next stop was a tour of the largest mosque in the United States, the Islamic Center of America. It can accommodate up to 1,000 people at prayer time.
Among the mosque’s most striking decorations are the names of Shia prophets illustrated in calligraphy along the top of the walls, and a breathtaking chandelier hangs from the center of the dome that illuminates the prayer room.
Our guide shared about the intricacies of Shia prayer with us. They showed us a Turbah (meaning ‘soil’ in Arabic), which is a piece of clay used for praying. According to the Shiite tradition, when the Prophet Mohammed would prostrate for prayer, he did so on solid earth rather than on a carpet. Thus, praying with a Turbah is an homage to the Prophet Muhammed.
The mosque also included spaces that are often used for marriage celebrations, and community gatherings. Unfortunately, due to the current conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza, the spaces have mostly been used for funerals. It served as a somber reminder of the cost of violence and war.
Dinner at La Pita with Dr. Awad
We ended the day with dinner at La Pita restaurant, where we met with Dr. Germine (Gigi) Awad, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. While passing hummus and falafel around the table, we learned about her research, which focuses on the psychological impacts of discrimination on Arab Americans, especially regarding their perception of belonging.
Day 3: Centering Identity and Activism
Volunteering and Tour at Zaman International
Our first activity of the day was a service project at Zaman International, a non-profit organization that empowers women and children to break the cycle of poverty. The orientation mapped out how Zaman works with clients locally to meet their basic needs and support education and professional development, as well as internationally to address poverty and support crisis relief.
Our service activity was to sort winter coats that had been donated to Zaman’s Good Deeds Resale Shop. Similar to a Goodwill store, Good Deeds Resale Shop provides quality items at a low cost, and all of the proceeds support Zaman’s other programs.
“After going on this trip, I want to support more organizations in the community who are dedicated to creating spaces that support Muslim students and open opportunities for non-Muslims to interact with them.” — Fatima
Lunch at Al-Chabab with Rana Elmir
Over lunch, we met with Rana Elmir, program director of the RISE Together Fund. She shared about her current role in which she works with grantors and grantees on initiatives that promote inclusive democracy and combat anti-Muslim bigotry. We also learned about her work as a journalist and with the ACLU on initiatives focused on upholding the civil rights of Arab Americans in post-9/11 America. She helped us see how discrimination against Muslim Americans is embedded into institutions, and subsequently how important it is to call out such inequalities.
Al-Chabab is known for their delicious Syrian dishes. One of our favorites was the Aleppo cherry kebab, which is lamb cooked in a thick, bittersweet cherry jam.
Meeting with ACCESS
Next, we met with two representatives from ACCESS, the largest Arab American service organization in the country. We learned about the history of the organization and how ACCESS provides comprehensive services (health, economic, social, and cultural) and works with clients to overcome cultural stigmas about accepting the services ACCESS offers.
Adding to the uniqueness of our experience, this area was a highly contested part of a key swing state just weeks before the presidential election. ACCESS was one of many organizations that pushed voter registration initiatives in an effort to activate the Arab American electorate.
Deserts at Shatila Sweets
On our way to the Arab American National Museum, we had to stop at the world-famous Shatila Sweets shop to get some baklava.
Guided Tour of the Arab American National Museum
The Arab American National Museum is the only museum in the United States dedicated to the story and plight of Arab Americans. The four permanent exhibits are: 1) Contributions from the Arab World, 2) Coming to America, 3) Living in America, and 4) Making an Impact.
The exhibits are fascinating and consist almost entirely of artifacts, artwork, and contributions donated by Arab immigrants and local community members. Some of the items that stood out the most to us were shoes from the 1800s, modern-day soccer jerseys, and voice recordings of Arab American immigrants telling their own stories.
Palestine on Paper Event
Our visit to the museum coincided with a public program titled Palestine on Paper. The panel discussion covered a number of topics, notably the release of Visualizing Palestine: A Chronicle of Colonialism and the Struggle for Liberation and the launch of a special exhibition of the late Rajie Cook’s work titled “Waiting for Peace.”
The panelists shared harrowing stories and statistics of Palestinians’ suffering in Gaza. Overall, the event impressed upon us the importance to be informed global citizens, to adhere to international human rights law, and to advocate for anti-war policies.
Day 4: The World in Two Square Miles
Driving Tour of Hamtramck with Razi Jafri
Our Saturday morning started at a quaint coffee shop and bookstore in Hamtramck, where we met Razi Jafri, director of the documentary Hamtramck, USA. Before setting out on our tour, we had the opportunity to meet and chat with the owners of the coffee shop and State Representative Abraham Ayash.
Hamtramck’s population is mostly Yemeni and Bengali, but it was once a Polish-majority city. The ways different cultures and faiths merge in Hamtramck felt like walking through several cities at the same time. Our street-level tour, paired with Razi’s narrated people’s history of the area, helped to observe and appreciate how the different cultures, religions, and traditions intersected in businesses, murals, and historical landmarks.
“Hamtramck was my favorite city out of all three because it reflected a lot of the beliefs of the ethnic communities that reside there and can be seen through the writings in Bangla and the Yemeni cultural clothing worn proudly on the streets.” — Fatima
Lunch at Yemen Cafe
Following the tour, we enjoyed lunch at Yemen Café, where we tried traditional Yemeni flatbread and bubbling stews served in Yemeni maglas, or stone pots.
Visit to Islamic Organization of North America
At the Islamic Organization of North America, we were invited to attend prayer and to witness a young Muslim girl perform the Shahada, a rite of passage and declaration of faith in Islam. The room erupted in applause after she recited the final line.
Following the ceremony, we had a conversation with the Imam, Mustafa Elturk, and a few members of the congregation. Our discussion touched on the creation of the universe, what calls people to a greater purpose, and the role God plays in our lives.
Meeting with Dream of Detroit
Dream of Detroit is a Muslim neighborhood revitalization organization that renovates abandoned homes throughout Detroit and turns them into affordable houses. We met with the organization’s executive director, Mark Crain, who was eager to show us around the neighborhood that DREAM was in the process of rebuilding.
As we walked through the neighborhood, he shared how each home renovation helped strengthen bonds between members of the community. The stark differences between the newly renovated homes and adjacent overgrowth made visible in a visceral way the histories of racial segregation, redlining, and housing policy in Detroit.
Day 5: Endings / Beginnings
All of our participants decided to participate in an optional Sunday morning activity: mass at a Christian church. Some of the participants were especially excited because they had never visited a church or attended Christian mass before.
After mass, we departed Michigan for Milwaukee. We talked the whole drive back. About the most powerful moments of the immersion. About our favorite meetings. About what it means to build an inclusive democracy, culturally diverse cities, interreligious relationships. About our commitments to counter Islamophobia. About our callings to be peacemakers.
“My experience on the Engaging Muslims, Countering Islamophobia immersion trip has given me a deeper understanding of the diversity and strength within Muslim communities and the damaging effects of stereotypes. In my everyday life, I will use this knowledge to challenge misconceptions about Islam by sharing what I’ve learned with others and addressing Islamophobic remarks when I hear them.” — Noor
