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.

The 2021 legislative session is wrapping up its 6th week, with a number of committees rushing to schedule the hearings of their assigned bills before the session’s midpoint. Deadline for bills to receive its 3rd reading is the 2/22 in the House chamber and the 2/23 in the Senate chamber. Bills that don’t receive their 3rd reading are considered dead for this session.
The majority of the bills that IMAN Associates were monitoring didn’t get a hearing and most likely they are dead for this session. HB1185: Anti-bullying bill (Porter) didn’t receive its 2nd hearing in the House Committee on Education. Rep. Greg Porter, a champion for anti-bullying legislation, “filed an amendment to add language to HB1005 (Behning) requiring charter and voucher schools to adopt anti-bullying practices. The amendment was voted down in committee.” We plan to work closely with Rep. Porter and provide needed support to bring this bill back in 2022.

​However, we identified two bills that can negatively impact Indiana Muslims, communities of color and Hoosiers at large if passed.
SB311: Use of Force (Baldwin) gives police officers full discretion in using deadly force. The bill prevents city and county officials, even the officer's own police department, from enforcing protocol or standards on the use of deadly force.
SB353: Various Election Law Matters (Houchin) requires a proof of citizenship when registering to vote. We oppose this bill since it leads to voter suppression, and disenfranchisement of communities of color, immigrants and refugees. The cost associated with obtaining a birth certificate or a proof of citizenship will place a barrier for low income voters to exercise their civic duty. It also impedes our grassroots organizing, especially when we hold voter registration drives in mosques and community centers.

We need your help! Contact committee chairs and let them know you oppose those bills.

SB311: Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law Chair: Sen. Michael Young

Copy and paste the following text and send it to Sen. Young’s legislative Assistant at Madalynn.Conner@iga.in.gov. Give him a call at 317-232-9517 and urge him to vote NO on SB311.

Dear Senator Michael Young,

In the wake of the police brutality that our nation witnessed recently, I am appalled to see a bill like SB311 proposed in the Indiana General Assembly. The bill gives police officers full discretion in using deadly force. It allows police officers to use deadly force whenever the officer felt it justified and no individual or agency could tell the officer otherwise. Communities of color, who are consistently the victims of racial profiling, will suffer the most if this bill passes.
Also, the bill strips away the process of checks and balances, which is central to our democracy. Every official or branch of government is kept in check by another. However, SB311 removes any checks from an officer's use of deadly force and therefore puts our legal system out of balance. Local officials and police departments should be able to create protocol on the use of deadly force. To prevent them from doing so is a danger to the public.

I urge you to vote NO on SB311.

Sincerely,
<Your Name>
<Your Address>

SB353: Senate Committee on Elections Chair: Sen. Jon Ford

​Copy and paste the following text and email it to Sen. Jon Ford at Senator.Ford@iga.in.gov. Give him a call at 317-232-9400 and let him know you oppose SB353.

Dear Senator Jon Ford,
I’m deeply concerned about SB353 and the unnecessary barriers it creates. The cost associated with obtaining a birth certificate or a proof of citizenship will hinder many low-income voters from exercising their civic duty. It can lead to the disenfranchisement of communities of color and the elderly. When Indiana consistently ranks in the bottom ten in voting, I expect the Indiana General Assembly to enact laws that increase voter turnout and not further suppress it.
I join other Hoosiers in their opposition to SB 353. I urge you to vote NO on this bill.
Sincerely,
<Your name>
<Your address>

In an unexpected move, the Hendricks County Commissioners rejected the recommendations of the Hendricks County Area Plan Commission to rezone Clermont Village in the 2/9/2021 public hearing. The Commissioners voted 3-0 to deny the application, citing environmental concerns.
The Commissioners’ decision was shocking to Elizabeth Link, the owner’s developer, especially after spending the last few months working hard to address the commissioners’ outstanding concerns.
Matt Callahan, Muslim Advocates senior staff attorney who has been providing guidance and support to Alhussnain Seminary leadership, condemned the decision and warned Hendricks County of an “expensive and unnecessary religious discrimination lawsuit.”
Local media, including Indystar and WRTV, covered this story.

​Masjid E Noor, located on 5355 Lafayette Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46254, is looking for a new home for its seminary, Alhussnain, in Clermont Village, Brownsburg, IN. The proposed project will offer a safe, walkable community where all people can live, work, worship and study freely. Given that a very anti-Muslim petition has sprung up to oppose the project, IMAN Associates has joined forces with Muslim Advocates to ensure that Muslim Hoosiers receive a fair and impartial evaluation of their application.

​The weekend prior to the public hearing, IMAN Associates sent a blast text to Hendricks County residents to garner their support. We also reached out to Brownsburg residents on social media and rallied them behind the cause. Our efforts have resulted in over 700 letters in support to be sent to the Hendricks County Board of Zoning Appeals. Furthermore, we lined up faith leaders and members to testify at the hearing. Both letters and testimonies echoes welcoming sentiments from Brownsburg residents who believed that Clermont Village will enrich Brownsburg’s religious diversity and build its tax base.

The Hendricks County Area Plan Commission voted to recommend the rezoning application be approved with a 4-3 vote sending the proposal to the county commissioners. Local media outlets, including IndyStar, WFYI, WishTV, WTHR13, and WRTV, covered the story. We want to thank everyone who sent a letter, testified in the hearing, shared our social media posts, and stood in solidarity with Muslim Hoosiers.

Convening a general assembly during a pandemic can be challenging! The 2021 legislative session started on January 4 with legislators attending sessions in-person. However, members of the public testifying on a bill must do so in person at the Capital building. They can testify on the floor or from a separate room via video.
As the second week of the session has come to an end, roughly 580 bills have been proposed in the House, and 420 bills have been proposed in the Senate. Here is a quick run down of the bills we are monitoring this legislative session:
A. HB1131 - BIAS MOTIVATED CRIMES (BOY, P)
B. HB1185 - BULLYING (PORTER, G)
C. HB1209 - BIAS MOTIVATED CRIMES (PORTER, G)
D. SB192 - LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING (TAYLOR, G)
E. HB1440 - RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES (DELANEY, E)

​Hazem Bata, IMAN Associates Public Policy Advisor, is attending weekly meetings with the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus and Indiana Coalition for Human Services. Those weekly meetings help advocacy organizations connect and coordinate their lobbying efforts to take action on different proposed bills.

​Our heartfelt thanks go to each and every board member, volunteer, donor, event attendee, social media follower and community member who contributed to the success and helped the organization drive meaningful impact. Truly, it takes a village to bring change and we are grateful to all of you for playing an instrumental role in this journey.

The organization’s search for its first in-house lobbyist has finally come to an end! We are excited to announce that Mr. Hazem Bata has joined our team and will represent IMAN Associates and the Muslim community at the Statehouse. We are delighted to introduce Mr. Bata to you with this short bio:

Hazem Bata is the CEO of Trureal USA, a start-up company that raises funds for nonprofit organizations.
He is the former Secretary General and CEO of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the former executive director of the Counsel on American-Islamic Relations (Orlando). Hazem also started his own law firm and practiced in real estate and transactional work. He later became general counsel for Haven Trust Bank Florida and worked with Bank of America.
Concerned with the spread of the "Unmosqued" phenomenon and general lack of interest in Islam among newer generations, Hazem left his legal career and joined ISNA. He hopes to refocus the organization on strengthening mosques, making them more relevant to more Muslims, and ensuring they are an impetus for advancing the American Muslim community.
Hazem received a B.S. in mechanical engineering (with honors) and J.D. from West Virginia University. He also received an LL.M. in intellectual property from Washington University in St. Louis.
Hazem lives in Indianapolis with his super-lovely wife, Rayhana, and two adorable sons, Imran and Ibrahim.
Mr. Hazem Bata can be reached at hbata@imanadvocates.org