The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) applauds and commends the efforts of its member organizations and the greater American Muslim community for upholding the values of democracy and fulfilling their civic duty of voting in this year’s general election. With nearly half a million Muslims from diverse ethnic backgrounds in the Chicagoland area, CIOGC continues to focus on unifying and empowering the Muslim community by amplifying their voices through this year’s election and beyond.
As a record-breaking one million Muslims nationwide cast their ballots in the 2016 election, the American Muslim community was effectively heard at the local, state, and federal level. According to the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), over 86% of Muslim registered voters voted in this year’s election which nearly doubles the amount of Muslim voters since the last general election. With a significant Muslim population in key swing states including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, the Muslim electorate was also pivotal in deciding many offices up for election.
Through civic education programs, registration drives and workshops, the American Muslim community mobilized on a mass scale to get out the vote in this year’s general election. Those initiatives will be key to promoting a united future for not just the Muslim community but the broader society. With President-Elect Donald Trump calling for national unity, CIOGC strongly encourages increased active participation in our constitutional democracy, which will continue to civically empower the Muslim community with the purpose of promoting an inclusive and united future for all.
Please join us as we continue to build community power on November 17 for DuPage United’s “We the People – Solidarity with Muslims” campaign. This event began with an unforgettable launch in early 2016 that brought together over 850 friends and neighbors for a one-to-one conversation with their fellow American Muslims. Since then, thousands of people of all faiths have created opportunities and participated in events to continue these conversations. The event on November 17 will focus on refugee organizing strategies, welcoming new neighbors, community crisis diversion centers, and police diversion strategies.
Sign up today to participate in this post-election conversation at the Islamic Center of Naperville (ICN) from 7:00pm-8:30pm. We strongly encourage members of any and all Chicagoland communities to attend!
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2016
Time: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Location: Islamic Center of Naperville (ICN), 2844 W Ogden Ave, Naperville, IL 60540
Doors open at 6:45pm for check in.
Photo courtesy of Religion News Service