Al Enteshar Newspaper Spearheads Groundbreaking “Stop Hate Together” Event
By: Fatmeh Atieh Bakhit
On July 20, 2024, Al Enteshar Newspaper hosted an impactful community event in Buena Park, California facilitated by Dahlia Taha, Project Coordinator, and Fatmeh Attia Bakhit, Editor-in-Chief. This significant gathering, part of the “Stop Hate Together” series, specifically targeted the Orange County and San Diego communities. It aimed to address and combat Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate while fostering a sense of understanding and solidarity within these regions.
The event attracted over 100 attendees in person and more than 60 participants virtually, demonstrating a strong commitment from the community towards addressing these crucial issues. The forum provided a robust platform for discussing the pervasive impact of Islamophobia on politics, academia, daily life, and the broader societal implications.
Dahlia Taha opened the event by highlighting the purpose behind these gatherings: “Al Enteshar Al Arabi Newspaper decided to start our “Stop Hate Together” initiative with the purpose of combating Islamophobia and helping find resources for Arab and Muslim communities throughout Southern California. Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate can affect everyone, from the older generation to children. It’s essential that Muslims and Arabs around this country, especially in this state, have the resources and know about them. We have guest speakers from the realms of politics, academia, and grassroots organizing to shine a light on Islamophobia and its profound impact on our educational institutions, our communities, and the broader societal fabric of California.”
Fatmeh Atieh, Editor-in-Chief at Al Enteshar Al Arabi Newspaper, also spoke, emphasizing community and solidarity: “Today, we’re here together surrounded by both our Orange County and San Diego community members, united by a strong purpose. We want to make our communities better places by fighting against discrimination and hate. We’re here to support each other, learn from one another, and take a stand for what’s right. Our mission is clear—through resource sharing and raising our collective voices, we strive to combat Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate. These are not just words; these are actions rooted in the deepest values of community solidarity and justice.”
The primary objective of the “Stop Hate Together” event was to educate and activate the community against the backdrop of rising Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiment. Organizers aimed to create a conducive environment for open dialogue, where practical strategies could be developed to address hate crimes, discrimination, and systemic biases affecting the Arab and Muslim communities.
Insights from Distinguished Guest Speakers
Mayor Farrah Khan of Irvine delved deeper into the mechanics of hate crime reporting and the significant gaps in the system due to underreporting. She detailed initiatives her office has undertaken, such as community outreach programs designed to build trust between minority communities and local government. Mayor Khan discussed the importance of these programs in fostering a proactive approach to incident reporting, which is crucial for effective policy-making and resource allocation.
“In Irvine, we created an online hate Reporting portal in seven different languages, allowing people to report from the comfort of their homes and the comfort of their language, uploading pictures and videos. And within one month of launching that system, we were told the year before, we had 13 Hague incidents reported. One month after that portal went live, 333 incidents were reported. You see the difference. And so we want to make sure that while we’re in our city, continue to make efforts to make it easier for people to report and let us know what they’re experiencing. I want all of you to go to your city councils and ask them to do the same. What’s stopping them from creating an online, paid Reporting portal in languages of their communities?” Mayor Khan explained.
Dr. William Robinson from UC Santa Barbara expanded on his experiences within the academic world, discussing specific instances where academic freedom was curtailed in response to discussions on Middle Eastern politics. He provided a nuanced analysis of the institutional pressures that discourage open dialogue on sensitive topics, suggesting reforms in university policies to protect free speech and encourage scholarly independence.
During his presentation, Dr. Robinson included important statistics and recent findings, “79% of anti-Palestinian prejudice is prevalent on our campuses. 73% said that Islamophobia is rampant on our campuses and 83% more than eight out of every 10. Scholars in the survey explained that they must self-censor in criticizing Israel for fear of reprisals discipline, by administrators or by outside so called advocacy groups”
Tazheen Nizam, MBA, Executive Director of CAIR San Diego, highlighted the ongoing struggles against structural discrimination faced by Muslim communities. She provided examples of legal battles and advocacy efforts that CAIR has been involved in, aimed at protecting civil liberties and promoting justice. Nizam also discussed the psychological impact of Islamophobia on young Muslims and the importance of supportive educational environments.
“Standing up and going to protests and rallies, that’s such an important act to you know, activate the communities and stand up in support of our students, our faculty, and our different levels of government officials that are being targeted because of their beliefs. But advocacy, my friends, for our community members is a powerful tool that each one of you have. Show up to your school board meetings, find out what’s happening.” Nizam encouraged.
Estee Chandler, Board Chair for Jewish Voice for Peace, provided an in-depth look at her organization’s efforts to combat systemic biases and promote a more nuanced understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She spoke about Jewish Voice for Peace’s educational campaigns, legislative advocacy, and community outreach, which aim to dismantle misconceptions and foster intercommunity solidarity.
“My education about Israel really began in 2008. The year I spent organizing in my congressional district for the Obama for America presidential campaign. It was my first experience with the Israel lobby. And quite naively, I was shocked by how much racism I was experiencing toward my candidate from people who were supporters of Israel, but not because he was black because they weren’t hearing and chose to believe that he was secretly Muslim. Needless to say, I came away from that year, realizing that I needed to learn a lot more about Israel. Its founding its history, and things that I had never heard about, like Palestinians, occupation and Zionism. At the end of the campaign, field organizers, trainers, volunteers, all of us, we were encouraged to become community organizers. And as my friends founded organizations and started working on the issues.”
Deepening the Conversation with Workshops and Panels
Workshops focused on practical measures individuals and organizations could take to combat Islamophobia and Anti- Arab Hate. These included training sessions on legal rights, how to safely intervene in hate-based incidents, and using social media as a tool for positive change. Panel discussions addressed the global rise of nationalist movements and their impact on racial and religious minorities, drawing parallels with historical events to better understand current trends.
Interactive Sessions and Community Engagement
The event also featured interactive sessions where attendees could engage directly with speakers and discuss personal experiences with discrimination. These sessions fostered a sense of community and shared purpose, with participants expressing a renewed commitment to combat hate through informed action and solidarity.
Exploring Broader Implications and Societal Impact
Discussions explored the broader societal implications of Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate, examining how pervasive negative stereotypes and systemic discrimination affect aspects of public life, including employment, education, and access to services. Speakers emphasized the importance of comprehensive strategies that include educational reform, policy changes, and community engagement to effectively address these challenges.
Looking Forward
As the event concluded, the message was clear: unity and informed action are essential in effectively combating Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate. The “Stop Hate Together” series plans to extend its reach, organizing more events and workshops to ensure that every voice is heard and every community member feels empowered to act against discrimination.
The Al Enteshar Newspaper remains committed to its role as a catalyst for change, using its platform to educate, inform, and mobilize communities against hate. By fostering an environment of dialogue and action, the newspaper hopes to contribute to a more inclusive and just society.
This event not only highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Arab and Muslim communities but also demonstrated the powerful impact of collective efforts in addressing and overcoming these issues. Moving forward, the Al Enteshar Newspaper and its partners will continue to work tirelessly to eradicate hate and foster lasting peace and understanding across all communities.
The “Stop Hate Together” event in Buena Park marked a significant step forward in the fight against Islamophobia and provided a blueprint for future actions. With over 160 attendees engaging deeply with the issues at hand, the event underscored the community’s readiness to tackle these challenges head-on. As participants left the event, they carried with them not only a deeper understanding of the complexities of Islamophobia but also practical tools and renewed vigor to effect change within their respective spheres of influence
This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California,
administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of
Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs
as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go
to CA vs Hate
