Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) brought together a diverse crowd on January 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and to renew his vision for a beloved community. Hundreds of people gathered to listen to testimonies and were treated to musical performances from musicians Phenom, Frank Waln and Quinto Imperio before Jay Electronica capped off the show. Among the sponsors and attendees of the event were CIOGC Chair Bassam Osman and Vice Chair Syed Shahnawaz Khan. Dr. Bassam joined dozens of organizations on stage to recite a pledge to stand united with communities in this new period for our country.
Emphasizing the theme of the event, Native American Sicangu Lakota hip hop artist and producer, Frank Waln commended the attendees and how the unity and power he felt “is a testament to the love and strength we all inherited from our ancestors and those who stood before us.” Waln also encouraged minority and Indigenous groups to stand together to unite and support each other, “Amplifying indigenous voices, whenever possible is necessary because we’re all living on stolen indigenous land.”