“Muslim Day at the Capitol” will be virtual this year.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations-Oklahoma chapter will host the seventh annual event beginning at 6 p.m. Friday via Facebook Live. The event will include a keynote address by Abrar Omeish, an advocacy training session and a panel discussion with a bipartisan group of of Oklahoma legislators.
Adam Soltani, CAIR-OK’s executive director, said Omeish, at age 24, is the youngest person and the first Muslim elected to public office in the state of Virginia. She serves on the Fairfax County School Board.
The second session of the online event will continue with an advocacy training and legislator panel is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, via Zoom.
Soltani said this year’s theme for “Muslim Day at the Capitol” is “Bridging the Virtual Divide.” The event is being conducted online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“In our seventh year, the Oklahoma Muslim Day at the Capitol has proven to be one of the most important events for the Muslim community in our state, providing us with an opportunity to ensure that our voices are heard, and our presence is felt by the Legislature,” Soltani said in a statement.
“This year, we are pivoting to a virtual event and hope that the recent election of the first Muslim to the Oklahoma House of Representatives (Mauree Turner) and the involvement of a bipartisan group of lawmakers will further motivate the Oklahoma Muslim community to stay engaged with their elected officials and advocate for issues important to themselves and their families.”
CAIR-OK debuted Muslim Day at the Capitol in 2015.
Over the years, the event has drawn hundreds of Oklahoma Muslims to the state Capitol for a day of educational workshops, keynote speakers, and connection with state, local, and federal elected leaders.
The inaugural “Muslim Day at the Capitol” drew anti-Muslim protestors to the state Capitol. The numbers of protestors dwindled over the years and in 2020, there were none.
Countering anti-Muslim protestors, members of the interfaith community formed a “corridor of support” each year to greet Muslims with signs of welcome as they arrived at the Capitol.
The keynote address may be viewed via Facebook at www.facebook.com/cairoklahoma.
People wishing to participate in Saturday’s panel discussion are asked to register at www.cairoklahoma.com/event/mdac2021.