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For Immediate Release
Contact:

CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com

CAIR: Muslims to Urge Dems to Focus on Civil Rights, Refugees, Policing Reforms at Philadelphia Convention

WASHINGTON

On Monday, July 25, the Council on American-Islamic (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, will hold a news conference with local Muslim and interfaith leaders near the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia to urge convention attendees to focus on promoting civil rights, assisting refugees fleeing conflicts and seeking policing reforms designed to decrease racial profiling.

At the news conference, CAIR will also announce the release of a new animated television commercial for its 'ISLAMOPHOBIN' public awareness campaign to challenge anti-Muslim bigotry.

WHAT: CAIR News Conference at Democratic National Convention
WHEN: Monday, July 25, 10 a.m.
WHERE: The Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
CONTACT: CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Jacob Bender, 917-660-3805; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com

[MEDIA NOTE: The CAIR news conference and the Islamophobia town hall described below will both be live-streamed on CAIR's Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational/ ]

On July 24, the day before the CAIR news conference and the opening of Democratic National Convention, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Jewish Voice for Peace and CAIR's Philadelphia chapter will host a town hall meeting on "Countering Islamophobia."

Speakers at the town hall meeting will include Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN); CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad; Linda Sarsour, executive director of the Arab American Association of New York; Kameelah M. Rashad, Muslim chaplain at UPENN; Raed Jarrar, government relations manager at American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); Donna Nevel of the Network Against Islamophobia, Jewish Voice for Peace; and Rev. Dr. David D. Grafton of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

View the Town Hall Flier

WHAT: Countering Islamophobia Town Hall Meeting
WHEN: Sunday, July 24, 6-9 p.m.
WHERE: The Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
CONTACT: CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Jacob Bender, 917-660-3805; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com

CAIR recently held a news conference at the site of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, to challenge the anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim stance of the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump and of other party officials and representatives.

Full Video:CAIR News Conference at Cleveland RNC Convention Challenges GOP Islamophobia

At that press conference, CAIR distributed free packets of "ISLAMOPHOBIN," a mock-medicine designed to "cure" Islamophobia. (NOTE: ISLAMOPHOBIN is actually sugar-free-chewing gum.)

SEE:CAIR Launches Satirical 'ISLAMOPHOBIN' Public Awareness Campaign to Challenge Anti-Muslim Bigotry

CAIR has reported an unprecedented spike in Islamophobic rhetoric and anti-Muslim incidents nationwide in recent months, attributed at least in part to statements and policy proposals made by public figures like GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and others.

The Washington-based Muslim civil rights group is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: https://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

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