FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 16, 2018
Contact: Fatima Tayebi
313-720-8290
ftayebi@amlcusa.org
Historic Conference Inaugurated by the Detroit Muslim Community
Almost 2000 people attended the inaugural Reconnect Conference held at the Edwards Convention Center in Dearborn, MI on Saturday Oct. 13. Residents from across the state, Ohio, and even Canada participated in a day-long event organized by the American Midwest Leadership Council (AMLC) in partnership with MY-ICD (Muslim Youth of the Islamic Center of Detroit) as well as in collaboration with several faith centers, civic leaders and youth organizations.
This year the conference focused on reconnecting, “through positive change.” With an amazing line up of nationally and internationally renowned Muslim speakers, the conference aimed to inspire and mobilize the Detroit Muslim community by addressing pertinent and contemporary topics through lectures, discussions, and interactive workshops.
Conferences such as Reconnect are popular events for American Muslims across the country. It provides a safe space where people can share ideas, discuss relevant issues, and partake in cultural entertainment. Perhaps the greatest attraction is the opportunity to learn directly from the best speakers and scholars from across the nation.
Despite having the highest concentration of Muslims in the U.S. there has never been a large-scale convention organized in Detroit. Most people attend the popular MAS-ICNA convention in Chicago, or the Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) convention in Toronto. However, a significant portion of the Detroit’s Muslim community cannot attend either of those events due to financial and logistical limitations.
The Reconnect conference is the first of its kind in the Detroit Metro area. This collaborative effort took the initiative of bringing many of those speakers, to Detroit, so the community here can benefit from their knowledge and intellect.
“We have over 600,000 Muslims in Michigan. We don’t have to go to Texas, or Chicago, or Toronto for a conference. We should be able to create our convention for our own community, and we proved that we could do that,” said Abdallah Sheik, President of AMLC.
What stood out in the crowd of attendees is the impressive number of youth in attendance. Organizers of the conference said they focused on reaching out to marginalized demographics within the Muslim community, specifically women and youth.
Topics addressed during the conference included character development, identity, social activism, mental health, and leadership. Many of the contemporary subjects discussed were framed by the violent socio-political environment American Muslims must navigate in their daily lives. At a time where many Americans challenge or even oppose the existence of Muslims in this country, uncertainty and doubt run high amongst many Muslims. Speakers such as former gubernatorial candidate, Abdul El-Sayed helped shed light on some of those misgivings and offered solutions,
“Now if you want to answer questions about why it is that we [Muslims] belong. I’ll tell you, actions speak louder than words. If we make ourselves about solving the injustices that everybody faces, when we join into fights that have nothing to do with us because it is right. And our faith teaches us to stand for what is right. If we are willing to advocate for the young, for the old, for those who don’t have, we will have answered any question that people ask about whether we belong or whether we understand America, and what it is. Our responsibility is to justice. Not just, us,” he said.
Despite false allegations and xenophobic remarks directed towards the conference, its speakers, and its organizers, the event was a phenomenal success that proved their words wrong. This convention did not damage the Michigan Muslim community, rather it strengthened bonds and inspired people to change for the better personally, spiritually, or socially.
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Youth from Michigan & Ohio came together to organize a conference that addresses relationships that are most important to us faith, family and community. The feedback from our community was a clear sign the purpose of the conference was attained. We are looking forward for Reconnect 2019
," said Khaled Saleh, director of Muslim Youth of ICD and head of the Reconnect Conference Committee.
By giving Detroit’s Muslim community access to speakers and resources that were previously inaccessible, Reconnect sparked the fire of engagement in all those that were present. It rejuvenated attendees and renewed willpower to face the issues their communities are struggling with. Most of the volunteers for the conference were youth—many of them female— giving them the opportunity to create an event they envisioned to attend. It allowed them to believe in themselves, and to trust in their abilities to organize and execute an event for the benefit of their community. Reconnect did not settle for merely inspiring people, it gave them the tools to put that inspiration to action.
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