Virginia Muslim Civic League organizes local Muslims for civic engagement

In a meeting room at Masjid Bilal (a mosque in downtown Richmond) last fall, Charles Turner and Ali Faruk took a group of about 20 Richmond-area Muslims through what the political voting process looks like, the importance of local elections, and where then-presidential candidates Donald J. Trump and Kamala Harris stood on various issues.

As part of a series of listening sessions at Richmond-area mosques to gauge the civic and political thoughts and questions of local Muslims, they asked the following question: What are your biggest concerns as an American and a Richmonder?

From healthcare to the public school system to the price of groceries to the ongoing devastation and death in Gaza, the answers reflected the concerns of a community consumed with worry about local, national, and international issues and livelihoods.

The listening sessions were one of several initiatives introduced by the Virginia Muslim Civic League (VMCL), a Richmond-centric grassroots organization recently launched after years of community discussions among various local Muslims about how to organize and civically engage for things that are not just important to them, but to communities at large. 

As Faruk, a VMCL board member and Richmond School Board member, said, “We knew it was time for all communities to stand together and advocate for each other’s rights … to tackle the many, many problems we have - lack of affordable housing, our broken healthcare system, broken safety nets, and so on.”

As the new executive of the VMCL, Turner has several important goals to pursue as placed on him by the board, which includes hosting a monthly educational event on some aspect of civic engagement, establishing relationships with Virginia-based government agencies, coalition building with local organizations and local elected officials, and creating an internship program for Richmond-area high school and college students so “there’s a pathway for them to see what civic engagement can do for their own lives,” Turner said.

Additionally, Faruk said the overarching goal is empowerment, which includes building a list of advocates. “For me, it is really important that this be an organization that for one, while it comes from the Muslim community, is not just about protecting Muslims. It’s about justice for all. And two, [when it comes to] empowerment, this organization isn’t here to give power to one person. It’s about empowering everyone - advocating for your human rights, your civil rights.

“What are we fighting against? People of power who are trying to demonize people from solving real problems,” Faruk said. 

Turner agreed, especially with the focus on empowerment. “How can we elevate the people who are most affected?” He cited the work the VMCL did last winter in organizing community members to speak at a February 2024 Henrico County School Board meeting about establishing better policies for teaching complicated topics, how to protect minority children from bullying and discrimination, and in support of former Deep Run High School teacher Catherine Massalha, who was suspended from teaching after speaking about the war in Gaza and urging students to seek the truth. 

Chesterfield County resident Sidra Butt was in attendance that day and has supported the work of the VMCL for its efforts in community organizing and educating Richmond-area Muslims about how to civically engage. “While it would be nice to think that [Richmond-area] Muslims have held significant sway and influence, the reality is that their impact has been minimal at best. I think part of it was that people didn’t fully grasp how much influence they could have by staying engaged, even when the issues didn’t directly affect them.”

She chooses to be involved with the VMCL because “I want to ensure that, as Muslims, our voices are not only heard but also respected. We deserve the same rights as any other person living here. I feel that, too often, our community hesitates to speak up, but if just a few of us take action, it can spark growth and encourage others to engage the next time around.”

Butt hopes the VMCL becomes a powerful, collective voice for the Muslim community. “I envision us becoming a strong voting bloc, where our views and concerns are taken seriously and influence decisions,” she said, adding that connecting with other communities, building solidarity, and engaging with local leaders and policymakers in a structured way will be the key to creating “real impact.” 

“Richmond-area Muslims have the potential to affect meaningful change by coming together around shared values and goals,” Butt said. “While our communities are diverse, we can find common ground on issues like social justice, education, healthcare, and economic empowerment. By focusing on what unites us, we can build a strong, collective voice that resonates in local policy discussions. [And the VMCL] can play a crucial role in this by acting as a central hub for coordination and advocacy.”