“You don't understand anything until you learn it more than one way," Marvin Lee Minsky. On the 17th of June the Hamden-North Haven League of Women Voters hosted our annual meeting. The annual meeting is one of the most important general membership meetings of the year. It gives its members an opportunity to direct the future of their League. During this meeting the featured keynote speaker was Shahid Abdul-Karim, New Haven Register community engagement editor, and his topic was; “Muslim Americans: Up Close and Personal.”
After having the opportunity to reflect on the LWV Annual Meeting which was held June 17th, I had to take a step back to gain some clarity regarding a much bigger subject. Countless individuals have been rejected for merely suggesting others to challenge religious dogma and question beliefs. Why? Is this not how we learn from one another? I am a firm believer that individuals are to be educated on what they do not know. Ask questions and get clarification. It is ok to disagree. It seems that some people or groups of people consider individuals an enemy or a rival simply because they do not agree. Why? Are people still afraid of what they do not understand? At the LWV we continue to bridge the gap, by raising awareness and bringing an understanding to those subjects that may be misunderstood. This is probably my favorite part of being involved with the LWV. Perhaps it's the social worker in me. Social workers have much to do with championing the rights of society's most vulnerable members and they help carry the torch for those individuals who need support to be successful in the world.
With dignity, Shahid Abdul-Karim has garnered critical acclaim for coming out to the Hamden-North Haven LWV Annual Meeting and speaking on what it means to be Muslim-American in today's society. Likewise, kudos to those that came out to listen, ask questions, challenge and most of all to LEARN. It is all of these variables that foster insight and create change.
