By Humaira Afzal, Engage Minnesota

Minnesota is global: We neither live nor work in an insular society. We are instead part of a growing and competitive economy that demands companies be more creative and more open to diversity. Our state’s Somali population, the largest in the nation, helps give Minnesota a competitive edge.

Accommodating and capitalizing on our state’s Somali workers is one important way local companies can compete harder in world markets.

Moreover, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibit employers from discriminating against individuals based on their religion. Employers are required to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of their employees or prospective employees unless a real “undue hardship” would prevent them from doing so. The Founding Fathers implemented religious freedom as one of the basic tenets of our Constitution and our American way of life. Religious freedom of expression and religious accommodation are not new concepts. They are what our country is built on.

The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) works with employers and workers to help reach practical solutions. CAIR-MN stresses the importance of working together and mediating disputes in a collegial manner.

If an employer is unwilling to accommodate workers’ religious beliefs and an agreement cannot be reached between the two parties, then the employees have the right to reach one through the legal process. An example is the recent settlement in a class-action lawsuit by Muslim workers against St. Cloud-based Gold’n Plump. Under the terms of the settlement, the employers have agreed not to demand its Muslims employees handle pork products, and to provide a ten minute break for religious prayer.

This is a landmark case that will become the foundation for settlements nationwide.

Another case involved Eagan-based Old Country Buffet, which refused to interview a Muslim teenager due to her religious headscarf. The hiring manager told the teenager that her headscarf violated the company’s uniform regulations and that she could reschedule if she decided to take off the scarf. After CAIR-MN got involved and asked the company to review the issue, the teenager was given a second interview and was hired by the restaurant.

Success Story: Macy’s

The most recent case CAIR-MN has resolved was an issue with the Macy’s department store at Edina’s Southdale Mall. The store had adopted a new “English only” policy and the Muslim employees were allegedly threatened with termination if they spoke a word of Somali. These workers are merchandise processors who have no contact with customers. They were also not given the opportunity to rectify the situation and were informed of the new policy during a meeting. The employees tried to resolve the matter by themselves through proper channels but were unsuccessful.

Recently, CAIR-MN directly involved itself with senior Macy’s personnel who quickly launched an investigation; they determined that a low-level manager gave incorrect information to the Muslim employees.

“Federal law and the Minnesota Human Rights Acts state that employers are not allowed to discriminate against employees based on national origin, which includes ‘English only’ policies in the workplace,” says CAIR-MN Civil Rights Director Taneeza Islam. “We applaud Macy’s for its prompt and professional handling of this case and we encourage all corporations to follow Macy’s example and demonstrate a strong commitment to racial, ethnic and religious diversity.”

Discrimination Complaints Double

Muslims’ complaints of religious discrimination to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have doubled in the last decade. In 1997, there were 398 complaints from Muslim workers. In 2007, there were 909. There are pages on the EEOC website that are dedicated to the workplace rights of Muslims, yet the complaints keep increasing. We need to increase education and hold more inter-faith dialogue if we want to see these complaints decrease, and finally disappear.

Diversity is defined as acknowledging and accepting differences among people with respect to ethnicity, class, religion, and gender. Somalis are becoming an important and vibrant thread in our Minnesota culture. Companies need to celebrate these differences and look for ways to become inclusive because diversity has the potential of yielding greater productivity and competitive advantages.

Minnesota cannot afford to ignore such an important asset.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Humaira Afzal is a board member of CAIR-MN. She is actively involved in the American Muslim community and has written many articles on the importance of Inter-faith dialogue.

]]> http://engagemn.com/2008/09/13/inside-look-at-ramadancair-annual-ramadan-dinner/ Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:47:26 +0000 engagemn http://engagemn.com/2008/09/13/inside-look-at-ramadancair-annual-ramadan-dinner/

Kashif Saroya, board member of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) was on Fox9 this early Saturday morning discussing Ramadan. To view the Fox9 program click here.

Later tonight is their 2nd Annual Ramadan Dinner. The program this year is titled, “American Muslims: Partners for Peace and Justice.” Speakers include: Mohamed Dini, Ibrahim Hooper, and Congressman Keith Ellison.

The program will include a tribute to the late Imam W.D. Mohammed. John L. Esposito, professor of religion, international affairs and Islamic studies at Georgetown University said of Muhammad: “W.D. Mohammed became a prominent figure in inter-religious affairs. He was the first Muslim to give an invocation in the U.S. Senate and in 1993, he offered the prayer during the first Inaugural Interfaith Prayer Service of President Bill Clinton. On September 11, as Americans commemorate the attacks and tragedy of 9/11, Warith Deen Mohammed will be buried. His passing and the memory of his accomplishments are a witness and fittingly a reminder of the heart of Islam and the vast majority of its followers.” Click here for the whole article.
 
Where:
Banquet Hall, New Brighton Community Center
400 10th Street NW, New Brighton, 55112

Cost: 
Tickets are $10/person.

All are welcome to attend. On-site babysitting will be available for young children and basketball and other games available for older children.

By Asma Lori Saroya, Engage Minnesota

Flood damage at the Mother Mosque.

On our first visit to the Mother Mosque of America, my family and I were greeted by an eager imam. He came outside to welcome us.

Imam Taha Tawil, Executive Director of the Mother Mosque, showed great passion for history and for the American Muslim identity as he gave us a two-hour tour of the tiny mosque. We were presented with stories, history lessons, photos, documents, and other artifacts from–with the exception of the slave trade–some of the earliest Muslim immigrants to America.

We returned, many times. My family and I attended monthly halaqas there and, as a teenager, I always found that Imam Taha boldly fielded my questions. I attended meetings in the Mother Mosque with Muslim youth from across the state.

I gave tours to visitors, who watched us pray in shifts in the small prayer area. I got married there.

The Mother Mosque of America in Cedar Rapids, completed in 1934, was one of the first permanent structures built specifically to serve as a mosque in the United States. Construction began in 1925, a project both Muslim and Christian Arabs undertook together. It remained the main place of worship for the Cedar Rapids Muslim community until 1971, when a larger mosque was built to accommodate the growing community.

The Mother Mosque is listed on both the Iowa State Historical Register and the National Register of Historic Places as an “essential piece of American religious history, which symbolizes tolerance and acceptance of Islam and Muslims in the United States.”

Early last week, I was driving back to Minnesota after visiting my family in Iowa. When I approached Cedar Rapids, I saw a sign announcing, “Flooding in Waterloo. Highway 218 Closed.” Less than 24 hours later, Cedar Rapids would close all of its highways and interstates due to flooding, and the city would come to a halt. The Mother Mosque would not be spared.

The mosque had just completed a renovation project last year. Now it must start a new one.

Documents inside the mosque, including the photos and artifacts I viewed on my first tour, were destroyed by the flood. Nothing, except a photo or two, is salvageable.

On Monday, CAIR-MN asked Muslims to donate to help restore the mosque and to assist flood victims of all faiths throughout the region. To donate, visit mothermosque.org and redcross.org.

It is not a loss only for Muslims. Damage to an American historic landmark is a loss for the entire community.

A community clean-up effort of the Mother Mosque is set to take place on Saturday, June 21 at 11 a.m. at the Mother Mosque of America, 1335 9th St SW in Cedar Rapids. All members of the community are invited to participate.

Asma Lori Saroya is a Crime Victim Services Coordinator in Minneapolis. She is a graduate of the College of St. Catherine and lives in Blaine with her husband. In her spare time, Asma volunteers with the Muslim Youth of Minnesota and the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American–Islamic Relations. She also teaches English at the Cedar-Riverside Adult Education Collaborative.