An Update From The Muslim Resource Centre on the Strong Together Fund
An Update From The Muslim Resource Centre on the Strong Together Fund
Written by Yasmin Hussain,
Manager, Public Education and Community Programs at the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support & Integration
The horrific and deadly attack on Our London Family June 6th, 2021, an act of deliberate hate-motivated violence that Judge Pomerance ruled an act of terrorism on February 22, 2024, profoundly devastated and forever changed a family, the local Muslim community, and the wider London community. A commitment to combat Islamophobia, address the depth of collective harm and trauma within Muslim communities and work towards safety and healing served as the heart of the generous Strong Together Fund donation to the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration (MRCSSI) by the London Community Foundation.
In total, $122,203.48 was granted to the MRCSSI to respond to the collective trauma impacts of the terror attack and anti-Muslim hate, address realities of Islamophobia through community dialogue, relationships building and education strategies, and to nurture strategies that foster community-based healing and resilience.
Grief & Healing Support
The Strong Together Fund supported the provision of trauma and culture informed counselling services and supports to individuals impacted by the terror attack and Islamophobia. These supports helped individuals navigate through grief pain, fear, and concerns for their safety. Along with individualized support, the MRCSSI also facilitated healing-focused workshops and group spaces. Some spaces were specifically tailored to provide support to parents on how to talk about anti-Muslim violence with their children and to support their children in processing difficult feelings, questions, and fears. Sessions specifically for Muslim girls and women, in English and Arabic, created safe spaces to share their grief and pain and to name the lack of safety and fear they feel, especially as visibly Muslim women. Group spaces provided important spaces to be seen, heard, validated, and cared for collectively; they provided important ways to acknowledge the collective pain and facilitate moments of collective care.
The Strong Together Fund also provided some funding to help support a Healing Retreat organized by Abd Alfatah Twakkal and his wife in late September and early October 2023.This weekend retreat allowed family members and close friends directly impacted by the attacks in Quebec City in 2017 and London in 2021 to come together in a shared experience of grief and to nurture each other’s strength.
Combatting Islamophobia: Community Engagement & Education
In June 2022 and 2023, the MRCSSI organized and delivered various workshops addressing Islamophobia through awareness and dialogue with members of the public, staff from the social service sector, educators, and law enforcement officers. On June 8th and 9th, 2022 four sessions were held as part of the Defeating Hate Through Knowledge and Compassion workshop series for the public, social service sector and educators. In June 2023 two workshops, Combatting Islamophobia Together and Impacts of Hate Crimes & Islamophobia were held. These day-long or half-day workshops provided information about Islam, promoted awareness of the realities of Islamophobia and its impacts, shared strategies for fostering community safety through allyship and bystander intervention, and explored community perspectives on hate crimes. All workshops provided valuable spaces for dialogue and learning and the MRCSSI is committed to delivering workshops addressing Islamophobia and working towards community solidarity and safety.
Defeating Hate with Knowledge and Compassion Workshops, June 8 & 9, 2022
Youth Projects
Young women with Amira Elghawaby, Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia of Canada at the Reclaiming Our Safety Retreat in March 2023
In August 2021, the MRCSSI initiated a project called Not In Our Backyard: Reclaiming Our Safety. This project was developed together with a group of young Muslim women for Muslim young women and girls (ages 16-24) and has included various strategies, such as holding expressive healing workshops, exploring realities of gendered Islamophobia using arts-based strategies, creating a collective digital mural together with social artist Melanie Schambach, and working on a racial trauma informed healing zine/journal for young Muslim women (which we hope to publish this year!).
The Strong Together Funds also provided some support to initiatives led by other community groups in 2022 leading up to the community vigil in remembrance of Our London Family one year later. This included supporting the process of working with youth to create the Honouring Their Legacy mural on Hyde Park Road and South Carriage Road, and poetry workshops for youth with spoken word artist Timaj Garad organized through the Youth Coalition Combatting Islamophobia (YCCI).
Looking Forward
Looking forward, the MRCSSI continues to build on the foundation of services, strategies and projects fostered by the Strong Together Fund. With funding provided by an Innovation Grant through the City of London, the MRCSSI continues to work collaboratively with Muslim girls and women to foster spaces of healing from and action on gendered Islamophobia and will raise awareness on gendered Islamophobia through community workshops. The MRCSSI also continues to provide healing support counselling services to individuals impacted by Islamophobia and racial violence, offer workshops and group healing spaces and address Islamophobia through community awareness workshops.
The MRCSSI thanks the London Community Foundation and donors to the Strong Together Fund for their tremendous community care and commitment. The Strong Together Fund supported the MRCSSI to better support our community with a range of services and initiatives. The MRCSSI extends deep gratitude to the London Community Foundation for collaborating in the essential work of combatting Islamophobia and working towards healing and safety for all in our city.