April 2021 Newsletter

The Indiana General Assembly takes a break

The Indiana General Assembly adjourned yesterday, only to re-convene in the fall for a special session to draw the maps. Redistricting, which uses census data, will determine the congressional, state and local districts for the next ten years. 

​From empty halls to restricted public testimonies, it was a legislative session like no other. However, your support has helped IMAN Associates team to continue its advocacy and amplify the Muslim voice on the following issues: 

• Racial Justice: IMAN Associates watched closely bills introduced to advance or hinder racial justice and took action on a number of them. Public Policy Advisor, Hazem Bata, testified in favor of HB1006 that bans chokeholds and aims at mending the relationship between law enforcement and the community. He also testified against SB311, which gives law enforcement full discretion in using deadly force and undermines the process of checks and balances. 
• Voting Rights: With your help, we were able to send 38 letters to house representatives, voicing our concern regarding SB353, which requires verifying the last four digits of the social security number or driver's license when requesting an absentee ballot. This bill can lead to voter suppression since those four digits need to match those the voters entered when they registered many years ago. Mr. Bata testified against the bill alongside Common Cause Indiana, Eli Lilly and other institutions. The bill passed the committee with amendments, but died in conference committee earlier this week. 

Thank you for your continued support during this legislative session.

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Speaking Out Against AAPI Hate

On April 15, 2021, IMAN Associates Executive Director, Hiba Alami, joined community organizations and elected officials in a Candlelit Vigil to honor the victims of the Atlanta shooting and amplify the call to stop Asian hate.

Organized by NAPAWF Indiana and Go Vote Indy, the event was held at St. Luke's United Methodist Church and was live streamed on Facebook. IndyStar captured tender moments in its coverage of the event. 

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A Statement Against the Horrific Fedex Shooting

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.