Over fifty women activists and leaders from all over metropolitan Chicago attended the Muslim Women Leaders reception hosted by the Council on Sunday, voicing their concerns and suggestions. Council chairperson, Abdul Malik Mujahid, began the evening with a brief talk on women in leadership positions, declaring, “sisters must be in charge of the vehicle of change themselves.”

Mumtaz Champsi of the Hyde Park Muslim Committee began the discussion with a heartfelt “we need to be heard,” which was to be the prevailing sentiment of the evening. Laila El-Amin of Aqsa School thanked the Council for the opportunity to speak about these issues. She felt that women’s leadership was only symbolic in many of the mosques and communities and sensitive decision-making positions are almost always held by men. She concluded with urging women to take their rights since they will not be handed to them. Dr. Seema Imam of the Muslim Civil Rights Center also shared Mrs. El-Amin’s views, saying that there are many “token Muslim women on many boards.”

Dalila Benameur, a teacher at Universal School and a board member of the Maghreb Association of North America felt that getting women themselves to participate in leadership roles is a major problem and that lack of funding was a major issue. Zubaydah Madyun of the International Muslim Women’s League deplored the racism within the Muslim community, saying, “If we’re not united as sisters then how can we be united at all? We are all the same.” Tahera Ahmed of the Muslim Community Center offered some suggestions. “There needs to be a formal meeting system between the [Muslim] leaders. There should be consistent periodic involvement [by the Council leadership],” Ahmed said.

The evening concluded with voting on the various topics discussed to determine which were the most important to those who attended the reception, including the creation of a Muslim women’s caucus in Chicago and promoting equal spaces for women in mosques.