Newsletter (August 2023): NJ Indian Independence Day Parade; Parliament of World’s Religions; Annual Convention (and more)
We are delighted to bring you the highlights of IAMC’s August 2023 newsletter, which showcases the achievements of IAMC National and its chapters.
Before you dive into the exciting updates, we want to draw your attention to IAMC’s upcoming Annual Convention, scheduled from October 13-15 in Texas. Join us for a powerful and uplifting gathering of like-minded, passionate Muslims who are eager to make a positive change in the world.
Key Activities:
- IAMC showed our national pride at the NJ Indian Independence Day Parade
- Held two panels at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago
- Met Congressman Ro Khanna ahead of his India visit to emphasize the importance of human rights discussions
- And led an international coalition in a new campaign calling on Reuters news agency to cut ties with Islamophobic ANI Agency.
Keep scrolling to learn more about each of these activities in detail.
INDIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE IN EDISON, NJ
One year after the shocking display of a bulldozer at the Indian Business Association’s Indian Independence Day Parade in New Jersey, our NJ chapter flooded the 2023 parade with Indian Muslim pride, bringing much-needed diversity to the celebration alongside other diaspora groups.
Chapter members – including families and children – marched through Edison while holding an IAMC banner and waving Indian flags. The IBA also welcomed IAMC to the MC podium for a photo op, introducing our group as “guided by a passionate commitment to justice, civil rights, and harmony.”
MEETING WITH RO KHANNA
Ahead of Congressman Ro Khanna’s India visit, IAMC joined a coalition of Indian American civil society organizations to meet with the Congressman and urge him to prioritize human rights and minority issues during his visit.
Our coalition’s policy asks from him included advocating for visa bans against individuals accused of human rights, integrating human rights considerations into the security analysis of the US-India relationship, combatting casteism, disassociating from Hindu extremists, and more.
PARLIAMENT OF WORLD’S RELIGIONS
At the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, IAMC hosted two panels calling attention to the threat of Hindutva and ongoing human rights violations in India. One panel featured interfaith guests like Father Cedric Prakash, Rajinder Singh Mago, John Prabhudoss, Javeed Akhter, and IAMC Advocacy Director Ajit Sahi.
The second session was a roundtable discussion, featuring Father Cedric Prakash, prominent journalist Raqib Hameed Naik, IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed, IAMC Advocacy Director Ajit Sahi, and North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA) co-founder Florence Lowe. The discussion was moderated by IAMC Advocacy Associate Husnaa Vhora.
REUTERS CAMPAIGN WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
IAMC spearheaded a new campaign calling on the British news agency Thomson-Reuters to terminate its partnership and investment in the Asian News Agency (ANI) due to ANI’s blatant role in spreading anti-Muslim hatred and fake news. IAMC is leading a coalition of over 35 civil rights and interfaith organizations in the United States, UK, Australia, Canada and India in this urgent call.
Read the letter our coalition wrote to Reuters here.
IAMC MEDIA TEAM
IAMC’s media team was on fire last month, putting out pieces in both US and Indian media. Check out and share all of our August op-eds:
- Vivek Ramaswamy’s Embrace of Hindu Nationalism for Progressive Magazine
- Indian Americans in NJ must stand against harassment of Muslim and other groups for NJ Spotlight
- Will the bulldozer be back in the Edison parade? for NJ.com
- Ten Years After the Muzaffarnagar Riots, Survivors are Still Suffering, But India Remains Unmoved for American Kahani
IAMC was also mentioned in 10 articles across 9 different American and international media outlets. Check out our growing influence in these pieces:
- Congressman Ro Khanna slammed for meeting Hindutva ideologue on India visit | Al Jazeera
- Hindu leader removed from Parliament of World’s Religions after far-right links exposed | Middle East Eye
- Canadian civil society urges Trudeau to act on human rights violations in India | Middle East Eye
- Critics slam US Congressman Ro Khanna for meeting Hindutva ideologue on India visit | The Business Standard
- Disruption at Edison’s India Day Parade rattles Muslim participants | NorthJersey.com
- After over 250 churches were burned in India, local religious leaders stage protest | Dallas Morning News
- Biden a weight for NJ Democrats? | Politico
- Hindu Militant Group Disrupts Edison’s Annual India Day Parade | Daily Voice
- Muslim Group Condemns ‘Hateful Display’ Of Flag At Edison Parade | Patch
- Ro Khanna slammed for one meeting in India: ‘I stand for pluralism’ | Hindustan Times
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
Our chapters continue to trailblaze in their local communities through various events and initiatives. Here’s what they’ve been up to in detail:
New Jersey
- Marched in Edison’s Indian Independence Day parade
- Condemned and raised awareness about the flaunting of Bajrang Dal flags at the parade
Atlanta
- Held a protest and vigil to raise awareness about ongoing violence in Manipur
- Invited Georgia Senator Sheikh Rahman to join the event, where he shared his support and encouraged protesters to keep up the fight for human rights
Upcoming: IAMC Annual Convention
IAMC is gearing up for a smashing Annual Convention at the Plano Event Center in Dallas, Texas from October 13-15, featuring major Indian Muslim activists, big-name journalists, and our own rising stars from IAMC National.
We encourage all chapter leadership and volunteers to block off these dates and join us for three days of networking, informational sessions, team building, and learning how to become even more impactful as advocates for this cause.
For more information, visit here
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