In a rushed, far from transparent process, the Indiana House and Senate approved new maps for Congressional, state senate and house districts. On October 4, 2021, Governor Holcomb signed the redistricting bill into law. While the supermajority touted the process as “fair and transparent,” All IN for Democracy coalition members, activists and Hoosiers were extremely disappointed. Their requests of holding public hearings across the state, giving Hoosiers more time to analyze the maps drawn by the legislature, and adopting the maps drawn by the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission were ignored. Also, the amendment by Senator Fady Qaddoura to HB 1581 that required maps to be redrawn by an independent citizens commission in 2031 was rejected. 
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​With new maps that “continue to give outsized influence to rural interests, even as the state’s population shifts to urban areas,” the GOP is tightening its grip on once-competitive races. Slicing the City of Fort Wayne into four senate districts is an example of how the new maps can promote political partisanship. Given that Democrats had a stronghold of Fort Wayne since 2020, the state senate districts were redrawn to split communities of interest and muffle the voices of voters. The redrawn 50 state senate districts are opening the door for Democrats to consider the possibility of a legal challenge. 

With the spike of Hate crimes in our nation, a new initiative led by the Marion County Prosecutor Office is a step in the right direction for eradicating hate crimes in our state. The new Hate Crimes Hotline will connect Hoosiers with a trained social worker and victim advocate who will document the incident and provide support to the caller. Tracking the number of hate crimes across the state will inform policy makers of the magnitude of the problem and help them pass laws to address the issue. 

On September 21, 2021, Prosecutor Ryan Mears, IMAN Associates Executive Director, Hiba Alami, and Imam Ahmed Alamine of Masjid Alfajr discussed how hate crimes remain a real threat to the safety of the Muslim community, the difference between hate crimes and hate speech, the Indiana hate crimes law and other related points. 

"According to the recent FBI hate crimes report, race ranks as the top bias that motivates hate crimes, followed by religion. Given that the Muslim community is racially diverse, our community is more likely to be the target of hate crimes than any other minority group," said Hiba Alami, IMAN Associates Executive Director.  

​We are grateful for the Marion County Prosecutors' new initiative, the Hate Crimes Hotline, that will provide Hoosiers a safe space to report hate crimes. Please call this number 317-327-5314 if you see a hate crime or are faced with one. For additional information about the hotline, you can visit this page and follow the Marion County Prosecutor Office on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. 

Our sincere thanks go to MOTW Cafe and Pastries for hosting the event.

Redistricting Reform has been one of the hot button issues lately. Redrawing the maps happens once every 10 years using the census data, and determines how congressional and legislative districts will look for the next decade. Indiana is growing more racially diverse, and the redrawn maps should encourage representation in the statehouse that looks more like Hoosiers. Our democracy is at stake, especially if partisan gerrymandering took hold of the process. 

All IN for Democracy, a Redistricting Reform coalition comprised of community and faith-based organizations including IMAN Associates, has been demanding the Indiana General Assembly to draw fair maps, hold public testimonies and run a transparent process. Hearings have been scheduled for the next couple of weeks and we urge our members to attend and testify in favor of fair maps. Here is the schedule: ​

The All IN 4 Democracy coalition is ramping up its advocacy efforts in anticipation of the upcoming redistricting process. In the past few months, and with the help of the Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission, the coalition has been educating Hoosiers on the ramifications of gerrymandered districts and its negative impact on our democracy. 
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Our friends at Women 4 Change Indiana, under the leadership of Executive Director Rima Shahid, have commissioned Dr. Christopher Warshaw, a tenured associate professor of political science at George Washington University, to analyze "Indiana's 2011 legislative and congressional maps based on 50 years of state and national data and on several accepted metrics for fairness." The study found that Indiana's maps are "more biased towards one party than 95% of all U.S. districting plans for which data is available enacted over the last 50 years." 

If you feel Hoosiers deserve FAIR MAPS, you can urge the Indiana General Assembly to conduct a fair and transparent redistricting process. Here are two ways for you to get involved: 
1. Sign IMAN Associates' petition to demand Indiana lawmakers to draw fair maps. We need competitive legislative districts that prioritize communities of interest together. 
2. Participate in All IN 4 Democracy "Gerrymander Meander Votercade" tomorrow, July 17th, at 2pm. Participants will meet at North United Methodist Church, 3808 N. Meridian, in the parking lot. We’ll drive in a caravan up Meridian Street, by the Governor’s residence, to St. Luke’s United Methodist Church on 86th Street, where we’ll celebrate with birthday cake and ice cream.
The father, and namesake of gerrymandering, former Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry was born on July 17th so this votercade is a public event calling for an end to the practice he originated. It is one way to keep the pressure on for fair redistricting and remind our fellow citizens that redistricting still has to happen this year. RSVP now! 

On June 7th, IMAN Associates, a member of the All IN for Democracy coalition for redistricting reform, joined other organizations in holding “Prayer for Democracy: Bringing Faith Communities into the Redistricting Conversation.” 
Common Cause Indiana, Faith in Indiana, League of Women Voters Indiana, Citizens Action Coalition, the Indiana Friends Committee on Legislation and IMAN associates held the virtual webinar to bring attention among Indiana faith communities to the upcoming redistricting process. Our Public Policy Advisor, Hazem Bata, participated in the event and urged attendees to take action on the issue. 
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This report from the Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission underscores that Hoosiers want more competitive legislative districts that prioritize communities of interest together. As our lawmakers prepare to draw the district maps for the next decade of elections, we must demand that they draw fair maps. Will you add your voice to our petition?

On the heels of the horrific Fedex shooting that took place on the early hours of April 16, IMAN Associates, with the Central Indiana mosques and Islamic organizations, issued a joint statement condemning such a heart rendering crime and calling on the Indiana General Assembly to pass common sense gun control legislation that ban automatic assault weapons, as well as improve gun safety laws that protect Hoosiers and stand in the way of losing more lives. 
We stand in solidarity and grief with the Sikh community and the families who lost loved ones. If you want to take action and support the families of the victims, please visit Indianapolis Fedex Shooting Fundraisers.

One of the bills that has been on IMAN Associates’ watch list is Senate Bill353. This bill is currently pending in the House Committee on Election and Apportionment. It is on schedule to be heard on April 6, 2021.
We rise in opposition to this bill because it restricts Hoosier's ability to vote and does not withstand even modest scrutiny. SB353 (among other things) requires Hoosiers to present proof of citizenship when voting. On the surface this seems reasonable; after all, only citizens are allowed to vote. However, proof of citizenship is already required when registering to vote. Requiring proof of citizenship again when voting has been shown to disproportionately decrease voting among the poor and ethnic minorities. This is unacceptable.
SB353 is a solution in search of a problem. There is no evidence of significant voting-fraud in Indiana or any other state for that matter. SB353 needlessly and unfairly restricts voting and does not pass scrutiny.
IMAN Associates Public Policy Advisor, Hazem Bata, will testify against it during the committee hearing. You too can take action. Contact your legislator today and urge them to vote NO on this bill.

On March 23, 2021, Hoosier Action held an interfaith vigil and a call to action at the Indiana Statehouse. “Reclaim Our Future” event provided a space for Hoosiers to grieve the loss of their loved ones to the pandemic in the past year, and to urge legislators to pass legislation that helps them recover from this crisis.
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State Senator Fady Qaddoura attended the event to “stand with all Hoosiers in mourning for those we have lost and in solidarity for those who are struggling.”
IMAN Associates supported this event and reached out to Imam Michael Saahir, Imam of Nur-Allah Islamic Center, to uplift the voice of the Muslim community during the event. Featured on the Indy Star, WLFI and WishTV, Imam Saahir participated in the interfaith vigil and shared comforting words that reflect the Islamic tradition. We thank Hoosier Action for bringing Hoosiers together safely and Imam Michael Saahir for taking part in the event.

On Tuesday, March 9, 2021, Hazem Bata, IMAN Associates Public Policy Advisor, testified in support of HB1006, which requires de-escalation training and aims at mending the relationship between the public and law enforcement.

​Alongside IMAN Associates, the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Indianapolis Urban League, and the Indiana Black Expo noted their support for the bill during the Senate committee hearing. The Statehouse File quoted Br. Hazem's testimony in their report on the bill.

Touted as historic, the bill garnered bipartisan support and passed the House and the Senate chambers with unanimous approval. It headed to the Governor’s desk for his approval.
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We are grateful for the opportunity to support a bill that galvanized many organizations, individuals and law enforcement officers across the state to work together to advance justice reform in Indiana.

On the heels of the incivility that took place in the flour chamber on February 18, 2021, the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus has organized Call to Action Days at the Statehouse, where supporters joined the caucus members in solidarity with them.
On March 9, 2021, Hiba Alami, IMAN Associates Executive Director, and Hazem Bata, IMAN Associates Public Policy Advisor, participated in the "Call to Action" alongside NAACP, the Indiana Minority Health Coalition and other organizations and citizens from around the state. IMAN Associates, and the other present organizations, were recognized by Rep. Cherrish Pryor on Facebook.
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You can also take action and show your support to the IBLC by signing this petition.

On March 13, 2021, IMAN Associates, in collaboration with Indianapolis Muslim Community Association and Masjid Al-Mumineen, hosted a community event to address “Evictions and Housing Disparities: A Crisis in the Works.”Attendees heard from Amy Nelson, Executive Director of Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, about the housing challenges faced by Hoosiers on a daily basis, and how the pandemic has led to a sky high number of eviction filings and aggravated the existing housing disparities. Also, they heard from Imam Ismail Abdul-Aleem and Imam Ahmed Alamine on the importance of housing and how Indiana Muslims need to prioritize this issue and get involved in legislative advocacy to improve the housing scene in Indiana. Our Executive Director, Hiba Alami, concluded the event with a list of resources available to help Hoosiers with rental and utility assistance.
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Missed the event? You can watch the recording on our facebook page.

March 23rd marks the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdown in our state and the beginning of one of the hardest years any of us can remember. In the past year, we’ve lost nearly 13,000 lives, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and so much more. Join Hoosier Action, IMAN Associates and other organizations for a socially-distanced vigil on the Statehouse lawn to mourn everyone and everything we lost and call on Indiana General Assembly to ensure that all Hoosiers are able to recover from this crisis.
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The program will include an interfaith vigil, in which Imam Michael Saahir, Imam of Nur-Allah Islamic Center, will participate and uplift the voice of the Muslim community. A press conference will follow and feature Hoosier Action leaders sharing their stories and calling on the Indiana General Assembly to honor our losses and legislate on our behalf.

The 2021 legislative session has witnessed a number of bills that aim at negatively impacting the existing oversight structures for local police departments. An example is Senate Bill 311, which gives police officers almost complete discretion in using force, including deadly force. It also allows them to ignore department policy on how much force to use. Further, the bill prevents departments, cities and counties from restricting an officer's discretion on the use of force.
We believe this bill is bad for the people of Indiana because it goes against our system of checks and balances. Checks and balances are essential to a free society. This bill is out of balance because it removes most checks on an officer's discretion to use force. Even the officer's own police department would not be able to enforce protocol on the use of force in many cases.
Fortunately the troublesome language was removed from the bill at its last hearing on February 16. Hazem Bata, IMAN Associates Policy Advisor, attended the hearing to testify in opposition to the bill. However, since the harmful language was removed our position was neutral.

On February 18, 2021, Rep. Greg Porter and Rep. Vernon Smith, two members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, were booed by fellow legislators while speaking against bill HB1367, which would allow residents to leave the racially diverse South Bend school system and become part of a mostly white neighboring district. The bill narrowly passed with 52-43 votes.
Adorned by his African garb to celebrate the Black History month on that day, Rep. Smith shared afterwards that “The legislature is known for its institutional racism.” The IBLC came out strong and issued a statement condemning the disrespectful behavior from Republican members. In a press conference, Rep. Robin Shackleford, the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC) chair, asked House Speaker Todd Huston for all legislators to receive Implicit Bias Training. In fact, the IBLC has started a petition “urging accountability for the mistreatment of Black legislators.” Also, Caucus members are organizing a “Call to Action” days at the Indiana Statehouse, where supporters can show up in solidarity with them. Call to Action days started last week and will continue throughout the next week.

IMAN Associates has issued a statement denouncing the lack of decorum and civility in the statehouse, and urging legislators to rediscover respect for the diverse perspectives of all members of the Indiana General Assembly. We urge our members to support the members of the IBLC and sign the petition.

While our nation has been reeling for the last year from the pandemic, Asian Americans have been the victims of hateful incidents across the U.S., including the Indiana Asian American community members. They have been the target of xenophobic attacks, ranging from “verbal bullying and micro aggressions to outright assaults and lethal violence.”
The Indiana chapter of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) is launching a campaign to speak out against the spike of violent attacks and urge Governor Holcomb to take official action to condemn the bigotry. Please sign this petition in solidarity with the Asian American community and share it with others.

A global health and economic crisis has numerous repercussions on an already challenged housing scene in Indiana. To that point, IMAN Associates, in collaboration with IMCA and Masjid Al-Mumineen, is hosting “Evictions and Housing Disparities: A Crisis in the Works” on March 13, 2021 at 2PM.
We will hear from Amy Nelson, the executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, about the unfolding situation of housing insecurity and disparities in Indiana, and the resources currently available to help Hoosiers navigate the housing challenges.
The event is free but registration is required. Register here.