UNITY RALLY next Sunday Jan 22
PRESS RELEASE
Rockford, Illinois, January 9, 2017: Unity in Diversity will hold a rally on Sunday January 22nd from 2:00 PM until 3:30 PM at the Muslim Community Center Gymnasium at 5921 Darlene Drive, Rockford, IL 61109.
The rally is an opportunity for people of all races, religions, and ethnicities in Rockford to come together in a show of solidarity. At a time when polarization in the United States is increasing, we want to show unity across our community's diverse population. President Obama challenged us to reach out past our own bubbles whether in our neighborhoods, or on college campuses, or places of worship..
Jews, Christians who are Black, White and Hispanic, Muslims and people with no affiliation to organized religion all getting out of their silos to come together in a show of unity. Join with others who are willing to have your back and will appreciate you having their back. WE WILL NOT BE DIVIDED. We will stand up to the forces that seek to sow divisiveness.
The rally will feature speakers from our community and Poet and Spoken Word Artist Christopher D. Sims.
According to The New Yorker Magazine (Nov. 2016), there has been a sixty-seven-per-cent increase in hate crimes against Muslims nationally. Our focus is to defeat discrimination against minorities, with particular attention to Islamophobia and misinformation about Muslims.
America is great because of our diversity and respect for each other. The Rally is meant to show support for all groups that feel threatened and to send a message that not only is this unacceptable, but our community will stand up strongly against hate. We stand together regardless of race, creed, orientation, citizenship status, or disability.
"This is a time when several groups within our community feel threatened by the social climate in our country. This Rally is a way we can show support for our people and celebrate our own diversity" said Kathryn Shihadah, the group's organizer.
"We want to send the clear message that we, as a community, will take a stand against hate and violence. We will stand together, indivisible, against forces that try to make us adversaries," said Mrs. Shihadah.
Magdy Kamil, President of the Muslim Association of Greater Rockford, has lived in Rockford for over thirty years. He states that "Muslims have always lived in peace and harmony in this beautiful city."
Come and enjoy the diversity and friendliness of Rockford's great people. Be inspired, make new friends, and join in the vision of our region as a place of justice, equality, and peace!
Visit us at Facebook