Contact
Anna FacciCAIR Oklahoma
405-286-6009 x 3
afacci@cair.com
2016 Muslim Day at the Captiol Schedule
8:45am-9:45am Participant check-in and breakfast
9:30am-9:50am Opening Prayer, National Anthem, Welcoming Remarks
10:00am-10:55am Session 1
1A: Oklahoma and the Public Education Crisis
From teacher shortages to budget shortfalls, the status of public education in Oklahoma is beginning to trouble many state residents. Already at extremely high levels of emergency teacher certifications in the 2015-2016 school year, State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister called the teacher shortage a crisis. The state budget for the 2016 fiscal year is facing a major shortfall, meaning schools whose funding has already been cut by nearly 24% since 2008 (OK Policy) have been cut even more and the midyear budget cuts could mean closure for some of our poorest schools. This panel will seek to answer the following questions: What is the current state of education in Oklahoma? How do we as Oklahoma Muslims stand up and advocate to improve our education system? How do we help those who are already advocating for improvements?
1B: Prescott v. Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission: the 10 Commandments, Sharia Law, and the Separation of Church and State
This session will deal with the ’10 Commandments’ case, Oklahoma’s Sharia Law ban, and the meaning of the phrase “separation of church and state.” Featuring some of the foremost legal minds who will share their experience with these landmark Oklahoma cases, this session is will address questions about the role of religion in state functions and the ways that the First Amendment limits or empowers state governments to address issues of a religious nature.
1Youth: The Largest Generation: The Importance of Millennial Civic Engagement
According to The Center for Information and Research on Civil Learning and Engagement, only 19.9 percent of those age 18-to-29-years-old voted in the 2014 midterm elections. This was the lowest number ever recorded and significantly below the 24 percent who voted in 2010. Although voting numbers are down amongst millennials, there are more than 12.4 million young voters that were registered as of 2014. This session will focus on the importance of millennial civic engagement and how being informed, engaged, and mobilized can harness the power to move an election.
11:00am-11:55am Session 2
2A: #IStandWithAhmed, #BlackLivesMatter, and #HateFreeOKC: How Social Media Organizing Helps Achieve Cultural Change
Social media is an incredibly valuable tool for advocacy and activism, particularly when used by communities of color to voice their concerns that are often over looked or unheard. This panel will seek to discuss how social media organizing helps motivate social change and how social movements can support one another.
2B: Reasonably Suspicious: Religious Profiling and What We Lose When Law Enforcement Targets American Muslims
Issues of racial, ethnic, and religious profiling have permeated conversations about law enforcement for decades. In this session, our panelists will draw on their wide variety of experiences with law enforcement to explore the meaning of profiling and the ways that it weakens the relationship between law enforcement and communities. We will also cover your rights with regards to law enforcement through the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
2Youth: Activism and Faith beyond the Classroom
The challenges of anti-Muslim bigotry, Islamophobia, and other injustices in the world can often seem overwhelming. Although many of us would like to take a greater part in promoting positive change, it can be difficult to find good information and know how we can effectively contribute. This session will feature a panel of unique community activists that will share their thoughts and advice on how young Oklahoma Muslims can be engaged activists beyond the classroom.
12:00pm-12:40pm Lunch (2nd Floor Rotunda)
1:00pm-1:45pm Keynote Speaker – Decision 2016: The Importance of Civic Engagement for the American Muslim Community
The 2016 Presidential election may be one of the most important elections for American Muslims in the history of our country. Anti-Muslim rhetoric among those running for President is at an all-time high and several candidates have called for the closing of all Mosques, banning of Muslims from the United States, profiling of Muslim citizens, and made such atrocious statements such as a ‘Muslim cannot be President of the United States.’ In this election year, it is vital for the American Muslim community to understand the importance of being civically engaged and having their voice and vote heard.
2:00pm Interfaith Jummah Prayer Service (2nd Floor Rotunda)