On Friday, November 27, CIOGC Director of Youth Programs, Gihad Ali, presented at the 8th Annual American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) Conference, “Reclaiming Our Narrative.” The conference, which is the largest gathering for Palestine in the country, drew 4,000 people this year. The purpose of the conference is to educate and also help Muslims recognize and understand the heritage in Palestine. During the Friday Night Live segment of the Youth Track, Ali facilitated “Plugged Into Personal Safety: Internet & Social Media Smarts,” a presentation for youth and parents that raises awareness about Internet privacy and safety issues.
Over 50 high school youth attended the session, which was eye-opening for the audience. These youth-oriented presentations focus on the many ways youth are “plugged in” and the types of language, behaviors and online “friends” to avoid in the virtual world. Additionally, the presentations expose many ways that our online “privacy” is far from private. An emphasis is placed on the red flags to look out for and the different kinds of online predators that are specifically targeting Muslim youth.
Ali has facilitated these presentations at over a dozen locations, including schools and mosques. Thus far, over 850 youth have benefited from these workshops. The response from parents, youth and staff at over a dozen institutions has been overwhelmingly positive.
To schedule a presentation at your school or masjid, please contact youth@ciogc.org.