Earlier this week, CAIR-Chicago, as part of the Jewish-Muslim Community Building Initiative (JMCBI), co-hosted the first Café Finjan of 2009. The event featured an art galleria that included artwork, short films, and music.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham attended a citizenship interview with a man who has been waiting five years for citizenship.

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham represented a man in an appeal hearing for his application for citizenship before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

We wish to thank you for making our 5th Annual Banquet a record-breaking banquet on many levels, and a memorable experience at that.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham spoke to a group of over 40 students at Kent Law School as part of a panel last Wednesday. At the event, titled "Human Rights in Gaza: What is Happening Now, and What Can Change for Tomorrow," Abraham discussed Israel’s actions in Gaza within the context of international law.

This week CAIR-Chicago's Outreach Coordinator Gerald Hankerson attended the first ever Michigan Avenue Forum. The event took place at the Fourth Presbyterian Church in partnership with the Downtown Islamic Center (DIC). The keynote address was given by Eboo Patel, Founder and Director of the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) and author of "Acts of Faith."

CAIR-Chicago’s Government Affairs Coordinator, Reema Ahmad, along with over 1,200 Pro-Immigrant groups, issued a letter to President Barack Obama this month requesting that he enact immigration policy reforms. The letter addresses the abuses that have been committed by the Department of Homeland Security against immigrants during the past 8 years.

The spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. was alive and well in Chicago this January as volunteers honored the legacy of Dr. King by acting to strengthen their local communities.

CAIR Chicago’s staff attorney, Kevin Vodak, led a “Know Your Rights” presentation at the Muslim Community Center (MCC) this Tuesday.

This past Friday members of CAIR-Chicago attended a mass protest against Israel’s attacks on Gaza. Nearly 7,000 protesters participated in the rally which began with a press conference at Daley Plaza, followed by a march, and ended in front of the Israeli Consulate of Chicago.

Despite the frigid temperature, over 4,000 gathered from across Illinois and neighboring states on Friday, January 2nd to protest the brutal killings of innocent civilians in Gaza by Israel. Protesters called for a stop to Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, the restoration of the cease-fire and the initiation of peace negotiations in the Middle East during the coming year.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham is headed to the Philippines this January as a part of a delegation sponsored by the state department. The delegates were chosen for their respective expertise in methods for constructive civic engagement.

CAIR-Chicago attorneys Kevin Vodak and Rima Kapitan settled two employment discrimination cases last month involving Muslim women and their right to wear the traditional headscarf, also known as the hijab.

Last week, CAIR-Chicago Board Member Yaser Tabbara and I travelled to Glasgow to speak at the Scottish Islamic Foundation’s (SIF) annual national conference, entitled “Scottish Muslim Futures.”

CAIR-Chicago and the Muslim Youth Leadership Symposium (MYLS) will participate in coalition with several organizations in the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) National Day of Service 2009. Many of the organizations feature youth programs and an interreligious engagement focus within their community outreach and advocacy. Both events will coincide with the national observance of the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Monday, January 19, 2009.

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.

American history is riddled with incidents of institutionalized discrimination and policies that marginalized minorities. While the federal government had come to regret such episodes, the current administration is repeating some of these mistakes.

Two senior members from the Council on American Islamic Relations will be touring Scotland in advance of their appearance at the Scottish Muslim Futures conference in Glasgow.

On November 4th the CAIR-Chicago office was closed as staff members volunteered at the Mosque Foundation of Bridgeview, headquarters of the New American Democracy Project's "Get Out The Vote" (GOTV) Campaign.

CAIR-Chicago, Mosque, Foundation, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and refugee rights (ICIRR) joined forces this year to promote voter participation in the upcoming election through a fellowship program entitled the New American Democracy Project (NADP). The program has been a resounding success, managing to register over 1,200 new voters in the just the Chicago-land area.