Chaya Blog

Al-Shifa Clinic Auction and Dinner

Join Al-Shifa in an event to show your undying love to improving the accessibility of healthcare to the underserved population. Help them start a FREE HEALTH CLINIC for underserved populations in Seattle.

WHAT: Al-Shifa Clinic (non-profit health clinic) Auction and Dinner
WHEN: February 15th, 2008
WHERE: South Campus Center, Room 316
WHY: To make a difference !!

Bring your friends and family to an evening of great food, great company and a great cause. Come see what students are doing RIGHT NOW to make a tangible difference in combating the country's healthcare
inequities. Learn about the Al-Shifa Clinic and its mission of providing health screenings and services to those that need it the most.

Hear keynote speaker Dr. Johnson, Director of New Initiatives at Health Alliance International, speak about her experience working with marginalized populations in both the US and throughout the world. See how her dedication to her work with such communities has taken her from Mozambique to Chile to Haiti and India, amongst many other countries.

Other speakers include Dr. Carey of the Institute for Sufi Studies and Janice Tufte of the Interface Council on Ending Homelessness as well as a video address from Governor Christine Gregoire.

Forget the chocolates and the flowers… this Valentine's Day make an IMPACT!

Friday, February 15, 2008
5:30 - 6:30: silent auction
7:00 – 9:00pm: dinner, live auction and program

South Campus Center Room 316
University of Washington
Free parking provided in S1 parking lot

PLEASE RSVP by: February 9, 2008

Price: $50/person NON-students
         $25/person students

All tickets are tax deductible dinner tickets (receipt will be provided)

To reserve your seat visit the Al-Shifa website at alshifaclinic.org or email Ngoc Thien
Nguyen, Director of Undergraduate & Volunteer Services at nthien3@u.washington.edu or Tipu Khan, Board President and Clinic Director at tipukhan@u.washington.edu.

Garments for One Another: Ending Domestic Violence in Muslim Families

Faithtrust Institute presents an important new resource for mosques, religious leaders, social workers, community groups and shelter staff who offer help to Muslim women who currently experience violence in the home. This complete package offers solutions to prevent future violence within the context of the Islamic faith. Includes interviews with survivors, religious leaders, and community advocates.

 

What does this resource offer? 

• Interviews with survivors, religious leaders and community advocates
• Safety and healing for Muslim survivors of domestic violence
• Information for religious leaders about how to respond to domestic violence and become involved in prevention
• A special feature of scholars and imams speaking in depth on Qur'an verse 4:34

 

Who is this for?

• Imams and religious leaders
• Community advocates and other professionals
• Community groups, task forces, and organizations addressing religion and domestic violence
• Support groups for Muslim survivors of domestic violence

 
Package Includes

• Three video segments 
  • Understanding Domestic Violence (32 minutes) 
  • Islamic Perspective on Domestic Violence (31 minutes) 
  • What We Can Do to End Domestic Violence (29 minutes)
• Comprehensive study guide 
• CD with masters of 11 handouts to be used in training 
• Includes 25 Peaceful Families audience brochures

DVD Order # DVD-310, Price $159

To purchase, or fore more information, please visit the Faithtrust Institute website.

“Garments for One Another beautifully illustrates how Islam can be used as a tool to prevent domestic violence. I am eager to have this DVD to use when training Muslim women and men.”

    Salma Abugideiri
    Peaceful Families Project
    Leadership Team, FaithTrust Institute

 

 

“I am inspired by the many scholars and activists who have participated in producing this wonderful DVD that addresses domestic violence in Muslim families.”

    Imam Mohamed Magid
    All Dulles Area Muslim Society
    Board Member, FaithTrust Institute

 

Communities engaged in resisting violence

The Women & Girls Collective Action Network is a center for consciousness-raising, training, dialogue and action around issues that matter to women and girls. We strengthen connections across communities to promote collective action. We provide resources and support to create safe spaces for girls and women to develop as leaders, learn from one another, and take action to promote social justice. Read report.

Peaceful Families Conference 2007- A Success!

Assalaam Alaykum and Greetings,

As Chaya rejoices with members of the community and volunteers on the success of the Peaceful Families Conference held October 27, 2007 at the IMAN Center, we think back and reflect on all that happened:

- We were very lucky to see a diverse set of Muslims attending the conference. We had representation from East African, South Asian, American, Irani, and Arab Muslims at this conference. This beautiful diversity proved to bring a dynamic discussion to our day. We were also blessed to have Muslims representing various sects of the Ummah attending to address the very significant issue of domestic violence in our community. Throughout the day, we were able to serve 70 community members at this conference. This exceeded our goal by 20 people.

- Our service provider panelists were amazing! We had a mix of both Muslim and non-Muslim service providers who spoke about the services they provided and their accessibility for community members. There was a lively discussion that followed the service panel, and as a result the conference time was extended. Because the service panel was the last presentation of the day, the audience reduced to around 25 community members leaving an intimate group of people participating in the discussion and networking with the 8 service providers. In addition, service providers in the audience shared additional resources and information.

- The Islamic Law vs. Washington State Family Law debate created a lot of discussion and opportunities for community members to reflect on the similarities in both sets of decree. The Q&A for both Imam Joban representing his perspective on Islamic Law and Shahzad Qadri Esq. representing his experiences in the legal field proved to be extremely rousing and stimulating.

- Sister Salma Abugideiri presented refreshing perspectives on domestic violence and the Islamic context by speaking on the wisdom of the Holy Quran and through looking at Prophet Muhammed’s (PBUH) experiences in life. A highlight and treat for the audience in her presentations was having the opportunity to view exclusive footage of the soon to be released film that Sister Salma worked on in conjunction with The Faith Trust Institute. (Read more on the The Peaceful Families Project.)

- Lastly, it was a true testament to the togetherness of the community to see so many volunteers serving in child-care, food service and set-up, accommodations, etc. We would like to especially thank Sister Salma who came from Virginia to share her expertise and bring our community together.

We hope that this conference generated as much energy for you as it did for Chaya staff and the Peaceful Families Taskforce. Please look out for updates of future Peaceful Families events and meetings. Come be a part of a community movement!

Special Thanks To:

Abbas Walji- for coordinating site and being so flexible

Abbas Rizvi- for being the liaison between Chaya and IMAN and for facilitating

Jawad Khaki- for your graciousness and Dua’s

Sahar, Sharleen, and Farida for leading and facilitating our conference

To all Chaya Staff

and

To present board members for all of their support!

--Natasha

Filmi Chakkar - TASVEER

Tasveer holds its 4th Annual Independent South Asian Film Festival!  This year's festival is FREE and runs from October 3-7 at Broadway Performance Hall. 

Opening the festival will be Salman Ahmed of Junoon fame, Pakistani rock-star, filmmaker and peace activist who's dared to take on politicians and mullahs, and address taboos and hypocrisies.  The films come from various South Asian countries and the issues they address span from sexuality and identity, to faith and war, to comedy and human relationships.  The festival includes post-film discussions with filmmakers,  receptions, and a documentary workshop.  The festival has really grown in the last few years and Chaya extends its heartiest congratulations to Tasveer.  Don't miss it people, it will be great!  Check out the schedule.

Chaya is the proud sponsor of View From a Grain of Sand, showcasing the voices of three Afghan women, each dramatically affected by the different regimes of the last twenty-five years, and The Widow Colony, a film that looks into the lives of the widows of the Sikh men who were killed in the anti-Sikh massacre of November, 1984.

Check back in after the festival for reviews and discussions.  See you there!

The Struggle Goes On

The insult hurled at the women on the Rutgers basketball team is an example of how sex in various manifestations is the last refuge of racially bigoted and anti-woman scoundrels.  Take a team of women who, just a few decades ago, would not have been allowed on a college basketball team; might not have been admitted to a prestigious university.  Before the most recent Civil Rights Movement they would have been the wrong race.  Before the most recent Women’s Movement – and Title 9 -- they would have been the wrong gender.

"It is our way"

Sweet sixteen in Karachi, and everyone got on my nerves. Top contender: my driver, Miskeen. An arrogant young alpha-male Pathan, he was quick to pick fights and behaved more like an over-protective older brother than an employee. He personified chauvinism, and I hated him. When he swaggered back to his village to marry a girl a year younger than me that his parents had chosen, I was at once relieved to lose his menacing scrutiny over my budding love life, and sympathetic toward his unfortunate child-bride.