|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Redwood City recognized April as American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month on Thursday, with city leaders highlighting the civic, cultural and economic contributions of Muslim communities and acknowledging the Islamophobia and discrimination they continue to face.
Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos issued the proclamation during a special Redwood City Council meeting, recognizing the history and contributions of Muslims communities locally, statewide and nationally.
“The city of Redwood City acknowledges the importance of local government in promoting harmony and understanding that Muslims everywhere deserve to live in peace and safety,” he said.
The mayor read excerpts from the proclamation, highlighting the value of freedom of religion and acknowledging the more than 15,000 Muslims living in San Mateo County who make “innumerable contributions” politically, culturally and economically.
He also noted the establishment of Silicon Valley’s Diyanet Ertugrul Gazi Masjid, which is an organization that serves Muslims across the Peninsula with centers for Islamic worship, education and community engagement.
Hibah Saleem, a representative with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, took to the podium.
“This proclamation is especially meaningful as our Muslim communities have faced an unprecedented and unrelenting wave of Islamophobia and discrimination over the last several years,” Saleem said.
The speaker added that “2025 saw powerful public officials try to tell Muslim Americans that American freedoms come with conditions that they must look, speak and worship in their approved ways, or they do not belong.”
Saleem thanked the council again for celebrating the civic, cultural and economic contributions of Muslims in the community, who are “woven into the fabric of Redwood City.”
