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The ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice is proud to launch the 21-Day Practice on Creating Inclusive Spaces and Combating Islamophobia. The current movement for equality in America provides an opportunity for us to consider how we — as individuals, as lawyers, and as a Section — are meeting this moment. Are we moving on with our daily lives, or are we willing to grow in our knowledge and understanding to help shape our profession? What responsibility do we bear? It is with these thoughts in mind that the Section is sharing some resources and an opportunity for members to participate in a 21-Day Practice on Creating Inclusive Spaces and Combating Islamophobia. The “21- Day Challenge©” was conceived several years ago by diversity expert Eddie Moore, Jr. to advance deeper understandings of the intersections of race, power, privilege, supremacy and oppression. Other ABA groups have undertaken similar 21-Day Challenges, including the  Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council, the Labor & Employment Law Section, and the Judicial Division.

Thank you to our co-sponsors: the ABA Coalition on Racial and Ethnic Justice and the ABA Business Law Section's Young Lawyers Committee

The Goal of the Practice

The goal of the 21-Day Practice is for each of us to augment our awareness, empathy, compassion and determination to stand for religious freedom. It transcends our roles as lawyers. Non-lawyers are also welcome to participate.

How it Works

It is, of course, completely voluntary to do, and participation in the Practice shall not be construed as agreement with every word of every assignment nor a commitment by any person to a particular professional position or strategy. Further, participants are free to opt-out of participating along the way. There is no grade at the end of the Practice. While it is not the intention of the Practice to cause offense, some participants may be offended by some language or images used in the lessons.

The Practice invites participants to complete a syllabus of 21 daily, short assignments (typically taking 15-30 minutes), over 21 consecutive days, that includes readings, videos, or podcasts. The assignments seek to expose participants to perspectives on elements of the Muslim American experience, including perspectives on Muslim history, identity and culture, and the experience of anti-Muslim bias in America, there are assignments that focus on the unique experience of Muslim lawyers in America, as well as assignments that explore how lawyers of all races can and must share in the work of bringing greater racial equity to the legal profession. This syllabus is but an introduction to what we hope will be a rewarding journey that extends far beyond the limits of this project.

Access the Syllabus

See a day-by-day breakdown of the Syllabus below, or you can access the full syllabus, including reflection/discussion questions, additional links from ABA entities, and ABA entity-recommended resources at this link.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in these resources are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the American Bar Association or Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice. The resources listed in this syllabus and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the American Bar Association or Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice. Content Warning: Videos and podcasts may include strong language and may not be suitable for some viewers. Viewer and listener discretion is advised.

21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge is the registered copyright of America & Moore, LLC. 2014.  

Sign Up to Join the Practice!

  • If you would like to pledge to join the Practice, click here. (ABA affiliation is not required to participate). 

Come back regularly to check new discussion questions and Additional Resources! 

Day 1 

  1.  What can lawyers, law students and judges do to recognize and intervene when they encounter Islamophobia?
  2. What are the negative repercussions of Islamophobia?

Day 2

  1. How is Islamophobia similar to white supremacy?

  2. How does Islamophobia impact the lived experience of American Muslims?

Day 3

  1. Why did the U.S. Founding Fathers advocate for Muslims’ religious freedoms, but actively ignore Muslim slaves in their presence?

  2. What were the long term impacts of how white slave owners racialized prominent enslaved Black African Muslims as Arab/Moorish on account of their literacy and class background disrupt notions of American Blackness?

  3. How do race and religious identity today impact who is eligible for constitutional protections such as religious freedom?

Day 4

  1. How does Islamophobic bullying Muslim students in schools?

  2. How are Muslim students, who wear hijab, impacted when their hijab is tugged, pulled, or offensively touched?

  3. How can schools and workplaces improve their responses to Islamophobia monitoring?

Day 5

  1. How can employers and co-workers encourage Muslim collegaues and students to be more of their authentic selves?

  2. In what ways does the increased visibility of Muslims in Hollywood encourage more representation of Muslims on screen? And how does that impact public perceptions of Muslims to be considered more mainstream members of society?

  3. What are fears of Islamophobia that impact Muslims in the United States and across the world?

Day 6

  1. What are some of the distressing trends related to Islamphobia that impact discriminiation, racism and xenophobia?
  2. How can workplaces, law firms, law schools, and corporations work to create more inclusive spaces for Muslims?

Day 7

  1. What are some of the negative impacts of Islamophobia on economic activity and commercial enterprises?
  2. What are ways to increase the sense of belongings for Muslims?

Day 8

  1. How do media perceptions of Muslims contribute to Islamophobia?
  2. In what ways are depictions of Islamophobia rooted in historical constructions of racism and xenophobia?

Day 9

  1. What tactics can be deployed to prevent racially motivated attacks on Muslims?
  2. How can social exclusion and social alienation experienced by Muslims impact others in the law firm, law school, and workplace settings?

Day 10

  1. In what ways to perceptions of victimhood stigmatize Muslim women?
  2. What strategies can be deployed to eliminate bias to empower Muslim women?

Day 11

  1. How can public perceptions impact how Muslim practice their faith in public?
  2. What are examples of workplace and school harassment that Muslim face based on nationality, race, religion, gender, etc?

Day 12

  1. How can employers encourage recruiters to be intentional about avoiding bias in hiring?
  2. How are Muslims negatively impacted on the job market because of their Muslim indentity? How do other groups experience this same or similar type of workplace hiring discriminiation?

Day 13

  1. In what ways is the discrimination that Muslims face same or similar to those of other religious groups or protected classes?
  2. How is discriminiation that Muslims face different from other groups?

Day 14

  1. How can educators, lawyers, law students, and legal practitioners understand Islamophobia as both a type of bullying and a consequence of bias and of misinformation?
  2. What are ways to speak up and stand up for Muslim peers?

Day 15

  1. How does the Islamophobia industry contribute to misleading narratives, propaganda, and local policies that vilify Muslims?
  2. What are ways to correct misinformation and disinformation about Islam and Muslims?

Day 16

  1. How has racial and religious resentment contributed to the ostracization of Muslims?
  2. How does the marginalization of Muslim women impact other women and identity politics?

Day 17

  1. How did enslavement and heavily restricted mobility impact the early Muslims in the Americas?
  2. How have immigration reforms impacted American Muslims?

Day 18

  1. What are the long term impacts of police surveillance and mass policing on American Muslim communities?
  2. How do concepts of radical self-care and self-compassion work to overcome the psychological wear and tear on Muslims as result of daily Islamophobic macro and microaggressions?

Day 19

  1. What can be done to combat hate speech and hate crimes targeting Muslims by lawyers, law firms, law schools, and judges?
  2. What are steps that can be taken to reverse anti-Muslim bias incidents?

Day 20

  1. How does the Black Muslim experience in the United States show internal diversity within Islam?
  2. In what ways has slavery shaped Islam among African American Muslims?

Day 21

  1. What workplace practices can be used to accommodate Muslims during the month of Ramadan?
  2. What ways can lawyers, law students, and other legal practitioners work to honor and respect Muslim faith traditions?

Additional reading

Become a Section Member

The Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice (CRSJ) is the only ABA membership entity dedicated to the advancement of human rights, civil liberties, and social justice. Through its activities and publications, the Section nurtures a sense of responsibility on the part of lawyers, both personally and professionally, to help ensure equality of justice for all. Whatever your area of specialization, CRSJ has a place for you. By joining us today, you can help ensure that the world’s largest voluntary professional association continues to uphold the Bill of Rights and the ideals it embodies.