ALL MY RELATIONS: UNITING MUSLIM AND INDIGENOUS VOICES:
Canadian Roots Exchange, a national not-for-profit organization, is committed to building bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth. In 2017 they organized United Muslim and Indigenous Voices, the first of a series of events focusing on solidarity and reconciliation in response to religious and racially-motivated attacks.Events are curated to discuss racism, colonialism and Islamophobia from Indigenous and Islamic perspectives, which fits into the organization’s mission to facilitate dialogue and strengthen relationships through leadership programs.
Faith leaders and community activists gathered in Toronto to discuss on strengthening the bond between the Muslim and Indigenous communities. The Toronto Foundation and the Inspirit Foundation served as supporting partners, following a report released last year outlining the ongoing discrimination Muslim youth face and the prevailing sentiment that it is only expected to further increase. The panel discussed the importance of educating ourselves about the ’ injustices we face and confronting our own prejudices as part of the decolonization process: “In order to activate yourself, educate yourself.”
The audience discussed meaningful forms of solidarity, and the importance of making incremental progress towards fostering friendships, not just between Indigenous and Muslim communities, but between all Canadians. “Solidarity to me looks more like friendship,” said panelist Zainab Amadahy as she recounted a personal experience. It can be small or it can be grand. But at the end of the day, it’s about responsibility, and a meaningful connection to one another.