Thanks for making the Taste of Ramadan a success!
This Wednesday, over 300 people shared a Ramadan iftar at CAIR-Chicago's new downtown office. The night included an international menu that was seemingly endless – biryani, pierogis, dolma, hummus, samosas, tostadas, noodle and rice dishes, pastas, and a wide array of delectable desserts were all served. It was all delicious, and it all went fast.
SEE: Pictures from the 2013 "Taste of Ramadan"
What was reflected on Wednesday, however, was the diversity in not just the dishes that were served but, in particular, in the guests that attended the event. Attendees represented individuals from various backgrounds and walks of life; many originating from the Middle East, East and South Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and South America. Individuals from many faiths were represented including Catholics, Lutherans, Jews, Buddhists, Methodists, among others. There were also community leaders and many young people who attended.
WBEZ food blogger Louisa Chu also joined us for the evening to capture pictures of the delicious array of food options. Listen here for WBEZ's interview with Outreach Coordinator Gerald Hankerson about the event on Afternoon Effects. Yahala Voice also covered the event, interviewing staff members about Ramadan and the Chicago Muslim community more broadly.
In addition, Voice of America-Bahasa Indonesia published a post covering CAIR-Chicago’s annual ‘Taste of Ramadan’. Read the entire article here.
Seeing such a diverse group of people meeting, conversing, and sharing food together highlights the flourishing Muslim community in Chicagoland, but also the growing number of community members who have become part of a greater network - a family that is diverse in its backgrounds, but held together by the common thread as being ambassadors for achieving social justice.
The “Taste of Ramadan” is an event that essentially speaks to the work that CAIR-Chicago does as an organization. Yes, we defend the constitutional rights of American Muslims, but we understand that we need events like these that unify broader communities in order to successfully challenge and ultimately overcome the injustices in our world that affect all of us.
There will always be more similarities in our struggles than differences.
When we think about the significance of Ramadan, many Muslims believe it is a time for reflection, humility, appreciation, sharing, giving, and growth as individuals, families, and communities. It is a time we can all look introspectively to think about – and act on - how we can become better people - as individuals and as a community.
Reaching our goal of being able to share Ramadan with the Chicago-land community and to provide the opportunity for our broader community to grow, is to us, the true success of this event.
Without you, our event wouldn't have been such a tremendous achievement. Thank you sharing such a special night with us, and we look forward to bringing the “Taste of Ramadan” to you even bigger and better next year.
Finally, we would like to extend tremendous gratitude and appreciation to our sponsors for their kindness and generosity in providing meals to the staff, interns and attendees of the event.
Please give back to these businesses for their gracious offerings to all the guests at the “Taste of Ramadan.”
Thanks again for joining us for our 5th Annual "Taste of Ramadan" iftar and cook-off. We can't wait for next year!