Outreach Department 2016 Annual Report

Over the past fifteen years, the Dar al Hijrah Outreach Department has developed a variety of programs providing Muslims, elected officials, the general public, and the media with opportunities to build relationships and create stronger communities. This past year, the Outreach Department expanded from one to three full-time personnel, growing our government relations, advocacy, and interfaith work. We organized advocacy wins related to affordable housing and public safety, educated our community about the political process, generated job opportunities for rising leaders, and forged new partnerships and service learning opportunities with various faith communities.

In 2016, we:

• Strengthened our relationships with White House personnel through multiple meetings with top Administration officials at the DOJ, DOE, and met with President Obama in a private meeting during his historic visit to the Islamic Society of Baltimore
• Hosted the Attorney General of Virginia, local Delegates, and other partners for our “Forging Forward Together” event, generating a commitment to protecting our country’s civil rights and the safety of minority communities
• Honored our local law enforcement officials through an awards ceremony for their service to our community during a security-related incident that threatened our community
• Increased our participation with VOICE, holding over 50 relational meetings with Dar Al-Hijrah community leaders in order to survey top issue areas, analyze community dynamics, expand overall capacity, and create a culture of power organizing at every level within the community
• Expanded our participation in VOICE, bringing over 90 people to VOICE’s annual action, training over 15 DAH leaders, and creating a core team working on a variety of issues
• Organized a VOICE-led team at Skyline Plaza; team demanded condo policy changes related to a bus stop and received their request
• Facilitated a Do Not Stand Idly By VOICE team to gather signatures from top law enforcement officials on gun safety technology. NOVA law enforcement leaders and the Attorney General of VA signed on to the letter
• Contributed to advocacy efforts that led to U.S. Department of Justice implicit bias training requirement of over 23,000 personnel at the FBI, DEA, ATF, and USMS, as well as 5,800 lawyers working in 94 US Attorney’s Offices around the country
• Were interviewed over 100 times, and featured in over 30 news stories via TV, radio, or print, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters, CNN, Al Jazeera, Voice of America, and other local and foreign news outlets
• • Expanded our interfaith partnerships with dozens of faith institutions in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland, including Temple Rodof Shalom, Washington Hebrew Congregation, Unitarian Universalist in Bethesda, and many more
• Organized and participated in interfaith programming that strengthened our community’s relationships–Spread Hummus Not Hate, Operation Understanding, Bring a Friend Iftars, Community of Kindness, a Cup of Tea, and the Unity Walk
• Increased our community service opportunities and participated in Interfaith Conference of Washington MLK Day of Service, Safe Haven, Hypothermia Shelter, Halal Turkey Giveaway, Culmore Community Cleanup, Justice for Juniors Mentorship Program, DAH Community Shelter for Women, The Family Care Committee, Convert Care, Organ Donation and Transplant, The Speakers Bureau, and the Hospital Visitation Program
• Served on multiple interfaith commissions, providing important Muslim perspectives on a variety of issues:  Multicultural Action Committee (Fairfax County Department of Public Health), Mayor’s Interfaith Committee, Interfaith of Greater Washington Committee, Washington Interfaith Response Committee, Fairfax Community and Interfaith Association, Faces of Our Children Sickle Cell Disease Foundation,