Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Religious Community Outreach topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ahmadiyya Muslim community outlines local outreach, civic engagement to Oshkosh DEI committee
Summary
Representatives from the Ahmadiyya Muslim community described their history in the Fox Valley, local programs and national humanitarian work and offered to partner on community outreach and education.
Jabad Ahmad, a representative of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, told members of the Oshkosh City Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee that his group seeks to promote civic engagement and dispel misconceptions about Islam.
Ahmad told the committee the Ahmadiyya movement emphasizes “love for all, hatred for none” and highlighted the community’s humanitarian arm, Humanity First, which he said operates in more than 70 countries and supports hospitals, schools and disaster relief. He said the U.S. community maintains a national web resource, TrueIslam.com, intended to provide information about beliefs and programs.
The presentation placed the local chapter in context. Ahmad said the Oshkosh chapter formed after an initial association with the Milwaukee chapter and that the local mosque was acquired in 2010 following open-house outreach to neighbors. He described the chapter as diverse and civic-minded, saying members participate in local parades, interfaith events and food pantry volunteering. Ahmad said the local chapter includes first- and second-generation U.S. citizens and a mix of ethnic backgrounds.
Umair Ahmed, introduced by Jabad Ahmad as vice president of the Oshkosh chapter, joined answers to committee questions about local organizing and public-health outreach. They described a leadership structure that they said allows consistent communication to members across national, regional and local levels. Ahmad and Umair said that during the COVID-19 pandemic they temporarily closed the mosque, distributed masks and sanitizer, and used national and local virtual meetings to share public-health information and practical support for members.
Committee members thanked the presenters and asked how the city committee could collaborate. Ahmad offered the chapter’s willingness to participate in outreach and education efforts, including opening the mosque for programs when public-health guidance allows. Mayor Lori Palmeri and other committee members noted prior collaborations, including interfaith iftar events and times when the mosque opened its doors to students in crisis.
The committee did not take formal action during the presentation; the visit ended with an invitation to continue contact between the city and the Ahmadiyya chapter.
The presentation provided committee members with direct contacts and practical examples of local faith-based outreach and public-health communication strategies they could reference in future planning.
