AUM's Muslim Student Association speaks out to promote tolerance

AUM's new Muslim Student Association was recently spoke about their new organization and experiences at a ONE Montgomery meeting.

ONE Montgomery is a civic organization founded to promote tolerance and trust between people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Over breakfast, the vice president of the student group, Aya Zaied, spoke about the group’s purpose and the circumstances that served as a catalyst to its beginnings.

"The media after 9/11 created a stereotype of Muslims as terrorists and extremists which has meant many hardships for Muslims everywhere, men and women, young and old,” said Zaied. “We hope to use the guiding principles of our organization - sincerity, knowledge, humility, truthfulness, moderation, tolerance, forgiveness, patience and gratitude - as the means by which we hope to change the way we are perceived as a group."

Zaied also spoke about Muslims' positive and negative experiences in Montgomery and said she hopes the chapter will work hand in hand with AUM's Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and civic organizations, such as ONE Montgomery, to promote tolerance and enhance diversity both on AUM's campus and across the city of Montgomery.

ONE Montgomery co-chairman Andrew Dawkins invited the Muslim Student Association to share their experiences and explain how the city could contribute to an openly diverse community.

Zaied felt the presentation was well accepted and ONE Montgomery members were enthusiastic in offering to support the mission of the association.

Also eager to help Muslim students at AUM was Dr.Yaw-Chin Ho, special assistant to the chancellor for international affairs.

Ho asked the members of ONE Montgomery to support AUM's international programs and to help spread the message of diversity throughout the city so that people from different backgrounds would not be treated to the same reception he got as a young man coming to this country.

"Spreading tolerance and bridging wide communication gaps are hard tasks for any one organization to tackle, but we believe that together, with the support of others that believe in the same ideals as we and hope as we do to bring change, that we will succeed," said Zaied.

July 30, 2009