Deputy Director Speaks at Chicago Universities

On January 25, CAIR-Chicago Deputy Director Sufyan Sohel spoke at two Chicago Universities about civil rights, Islamophobia, and the issues facing the American Muslim Community.

The University of Chicago Law School hosted Sohel along with Civil Rights Attorney, Jonathan Lubin, as the discussed how the forms of discrimination and bigotry against Jewish and Muslim communities intersect and what civil rights lawyers and community organizations are doing to combat hate in the communities.

That evening, DePaul University hosted Sohel on a panel titled “Sanctuaries in Practice”.  DePaul University, through its Critical Ethnic Studies Department, began the evening discussing how In the wake of the election and a rising tide of exclusionary and white supremacist politics, the University take seriously very real threats to the undocumented, Muslims, LGBTQ people, and more broadly all women and people of color.

Along with representatives of distinguished advocacy groups, Sohel spoke on the threat of civil rights that all communities face and how vital it is for threatened populations to have safe and secure communities.  “The safety and security of all of our communities is of the upmost importance. We have Muslims and other minority groups targeted for their race, sex, religion, etc.  It is time for all people, from all communities, to stand up together, for each other, against hate” says Sohel.

“I am encouraged by the fact that students are so angry, that they realize that something is wrong with all of this hateful rhetoric that has become mainstream.  It gives me hope that they will continue to fight for what is right.