CAIR-Chicago and Muslim Students Salute Newly Installed Judges of Cook County

CAIR-Chicago joined members of the greater Chicago Muslim community this week to witness the installation of 26 new Cook County Circuit Court judges. Over 60 students from Universal and Aqsa Schools of Bridgeview and MECCA attended the event. Other representatives of the Muslim community included Community Builders. The guests were invited by the Honorable William Haddad, judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County and an adjunct faculty member at the John Marshall School of Law. The Muslim students were participants in the 2008 Get Out The Vote(GOTV) campaign, which, in part, assisted in the election of the 26 new judges. "I am proud of these students," says Anam Eljabali, a CAIR-Chicago volunteer activist who was also a part of the GOTV effort in greater Chicago. "It's important for them to witness this event as a way of learning, instilling hopes and dreams, and increasing aspirations for success." Eljabali recalls how many of these students stressed to eligible voters that they are representing the voice of the youth who are too young to vote.

Eljabali attended the installation along with Gerald Hankerson, CAIR-Chicago's Outreach Coordinator. In addition to the morning ceremony, Hankerson and Eljabali were special guests of Justice Sharon Johnson Coleman at her private installation ceremony and reception. Judge Coleman won the vacant seat in the 1st Judicial District of the Illinois Appellate Court. Eljabali was a volunteer for Justice Coleman's campaign, which secured over 1.2 million votes on Election Day 2008.

CAIR-Chicago was a partner in the GOTV campaign, along with the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant & Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and the Mosque Foundation of Bridgeview. The three organizations founded the New Americans Democracy Project (NADP) whose fellow, Nadia Abusamayah, spearheaded the GOTV campaign which lead to over 1,200 new registered voters and a record number of Muslims turning out to vote this year.

Copyright © 2008 CAIR-Chicago