We asked four of the most effective advocates in California how they handle the pressure and risk of being easily identified by their religious garb during this alarming increase in Islamophobia, hate crimes, and white supremacy both domestically and around the globe.

On this podcast, we interviewed Secure Justice Board Member and Council on American-Islamic Relations Senior Government Relations Coordinator Sameena Usman, Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans Deputy Director Homayra Yusufi , Chair of the Yemeni Alliance Committee Jehan Hakim, and the first Muslim Legislative Director in California history - Maheen Ahmed, about being an easily identified target in this age of increasing hate attacks, how they are perceived in the halls of power, why they believe its important to be seen, and what it’s like trying to convince community members to interact with a government actively targeting and surveilling them.

This is Part 1 of a multi-part conversation. Part 2 will focus on the impact of the Muslim Ban and extreme vetting analytics, Trump’s proposed Muslim Registry, and continue the conversation around how Muslim advocates are organizing to have a stronger voice in the political arena.

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