February 2022 Newsletter

Legislative Updates

With the first half of the legislative session coming to a close, it has been a busy time for us at the Statehouse.

We were primarily involved in four fights in the first half: refugee assistance, TANF/SNAP benefits,  voting rights and anti educator language. Our refugee assistance bill did not get a hearing in the House, however we are looking at bills that survived the first half to put our language in. 

While Senator Qaddoura's resolution to look at redistricting didn't get a hearing due to the short session, we have been in communication with Senator Ford and his staff to continue working on this issue over the summer and will continue to fight for fair elections. 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have been under attack this session (HB 1354 and HB 1410) and we are working with community groups like FISH to help preserve these benefits for our most at risk citizens.  We've helped blunt many of the worst parts of this legislation and will continue to work on this language as it moves to the Senate.

We've been monitoring voting rights language and will continue to make sure that all citizens have access to the ballot box and fair elections. 

Finally, we've been involved with the fight for "transparency in education" aka the anti Critical Race Theory bills that have been on the news. We successfully got the Senate to kill one bill (SB 167); however, there is still a House bill (HB 1134) for us to take care of. We believe the Senate does not have the appetite to hear the bill, and we will continue to apply pressure so they don't. Help us put pressure on your state senator by urging them to vote NO on HB1134. 

Email your state senator and urge them to vote NO on HB1134

We still have a few days left in the first half and anything can happen. We will continue to fight for your interests at the Statehouse and keep you apprised as things develop.

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"Re-imagine Public Safety" Community Event

On Saturday, January 22, 2022, IMAN Associates, in collaboration with Indianapolis Muslim Community Association (IMCA) and Faith in Indiana, hosted more than 20 Muslim community members to discuss what public safety means to our community. Participants shared personal stories and reflected on how current policies impacted their lives. Racial and religious profiling and insensitivity to the diverse culture of our community were among the many concerns shared in the meeting. The group decided that "cultural and religious sensitivity training to law enforcement" can help mitigate many of the issues faced by our community on a daily basis. 

Next Steps? The group plans to meet with the Marion County Prosecutor's office to discuss the proposal. If you are interested in attending this meeting, please contact us. ​

Email us

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Public Service at the Grassroots Level

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On Thursday, January 27, 2022, IMAN Associates held a virtual event to recruit Muslim community members to file for Precinct Committee Person and State Convention Delegate positions. Attendees asked questions about the requirement and commitment of each position. They heard from guest speaker, Senator Fady Qaddoura, how he started his involvement in politics on the grassroots level, serving as a precinct committee person. ​

Are you too interested in serving? Here is a synopsis of those two positions: 

Precinct Committee Person:
A Precinct is the smallest political unit in the country. It is made up of neighborhoods. Each Precinct requires a Committee Chair that becomes educated on the precinct maps and demographics, supports your neighbors in becoming registered to vote, participates in district and country party meetings, and recruits voters. 

State Convention Delegate: The State Conventions for Indiana’s major political parties take place every two years to nominate statewide candidates. The Indiana Democratic ​

Party will hold its 2022 convention on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at the Indiana Convention Center (Indianapolis, IN). As for the Indiana Republican Party, it will hold its 2022 Convention on the same day but at the Indiana Farmers’ Coliseum. 

The 2022 State Convention Delegates get to attend various party committee meetings and consider the Party platform during the state convention. They also get to nominate their party’s candidates for the offices of Secretary of State, State Treasurer and State Auditor.

Wondering if you qualify?  You’d be surprised!

You must live in the precinct you are representing and be a qualified voter. You are required to have previously voted in the primary for the party in which you are voting OR haven’t voted in a primary before and have declared affiliation with the party.

Muslims are underrepresented in our US politics and we at IMAN Associates would love to support you on your journey to becoming a Precinct Committee Chair and state convention delegate. Let's walk you through the filing process:
1. Identify your precinct and district (many have changed since the 2020 census). Go to Indianavoters.in.gov and click on "Register to Vote" or "Check Your Registration Status." After you log in, your voting information, including the Precinct number, will be displayed on the main page. 
2. Download CAN-37 form, and complete it with accurate information. 
3. Sign the form in front of a notary. 
4. Hand deliver the form to your County’s Clerk office before the deadline (Feb. 4, 2022 at noon). 
If you decide to run for both positions, make sure to complete two separate CAN-37 forms.

Questions? Email Us