WHEREAS, Freedom of religion holds the distinction of being a cherished right and a fundamental value upon which the law and ethics of the United States are based; and

WHEREAS, Enriched by the unparalleled diversity of its residents, the State of California takes great pride in supporting individual religious freedoms and is strengthened by the diverse religious, political, and cultural traditions of its residents, including Americans who practice Islam; and

WHEREAS, The history of Islam in this country dates back to before its founding, originating with enslaved Africans who brought their Muslim beliefs with them to the Americas and who later contributed in numerous ways to the founding of the nation, and there are today millions of American Muslims, both immigrant and native born, of diverse backgrounds and beliefs. Approximately 1,000,000 American Muslims currently reside in California, the highest number of any state in the United States; and

WHEREAS, American Muslims contribute greatly to charitable organizations that help people from all faiths and backgrounds in California, the United States, and around the world by providing medical assistance, family services, scholastic supplies, before- and after-school programs, feeding the hungry, hungry and providing recuperation efforts following natural disasters; and

WHEREAS, California is home to several prominent Muslim figures who continue to make significant contributions to the State of California and the United States as business owners, legal professionals, doctors, engineers, teachers, farmers, civil rights leaders, humanitarians, athletes, and in many other great, notable capacities; and

WHEREAS, Incidences of hate continue to impact the Muslim community. Last year, the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) received 614 civil rights intakes ranging from hate crimes, mosque vandalism, school bullying, workplace and housing discrimination, and hate speech targeted at Muslims; and

WHEREAS, CAIR-CA is the largest Muslim legal services and advocacy organization in the United States and has been a valued partner organization within California on issues related to the census, emergency response, COVID-19 pandemic relief, responding to incidents of hate, and providing civil rights and immigration services to Muslim, immigrant, Black, Indigenous, Latino, and people of color communities; and

WHEREAS, Imam Muhammad Yasir Khan is the first Muslim Chaplain appointed to the California State Legislature. Over the past seven years, Imam Yasir has served as a chaplain in jails and hospitals in northern California. In 2015, Imam Yasir founded Al-Misbaah which currently serves over 10,000 people in the Muslim community by providing emergency food and rental assistance, furniture drives, and vehicle donations, as well as hosting sports tournaments for Sacramento’s refugee and asylee communities; and

WHEREAS, Al-Arqam Islamic School and College Preparatory serves as the largest K–12 Islamic school in the Sacramento Valley and Central Valley and employs a rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) high school program to produce traditionally grounded, high-achieving, and academically disciplined students year after year. Al-Arqam was founded in 1998, at the Muslim Mosque Association, with three teachers and eight students. Now, Al-Arqam serves over 450 students in its robust K–12 program; and

WHEREAS, The Folsom Educational Academy (FEA) was founded in 2013 to cultivate Islamic values that promote the social, emotional, academic, and spiritual growth of each student. FEA provides current students with a robust academic curriculum from preschool to middle school; and

WHEREAS, Tayba Foundation was founded by Shaykh Rami Nsour in 2008 to provide current and formerly incarcerated Muslim individuals with education, life skills, and reentry programs, positioning them to rehabilitate and transition to society productively. Tayba Foundation also serves the community legislatively by advocating for policy reform in the carceral system through bills, including Senate Bill 309 of the 2023–24 Regular Session of the Legislature; and

WHEREAS, In 1992, Ismahan Abdullahi and her family escaped war-torn Somalia to have a life of hope and opportunity in America. This experience has shaped her to advocate for and work on building and strengthening Muslim and refugee communities in the City of San Diego for over a decade in which she served as a board member for multiple local community-based organizations and institutions, including the Islamic School of San Diego, Islamic Center of San Diego, the Huda Community Center, and countless others. Recently, she was appointed by the Mayor of San Diego to the Board of Directors for the San Diego County Water Authority; and

WHEREAS, Ahmed Sahid is the founder and President and CEO of Somali Family Service of San Diego (SFS), a nonprofit, social service organization dedicated to improving the well-being of and creating self-sufficiency for Somali and other East African refugee and immigrant families living in the County of San Diego. SFS has been a champion in addressing gaps in health care in immigrant and refugee communities in the County of San Diego, in addressing the economic needs of the communities through economic development programs, producing future leaders through youth programs, and empowering the communities it serves with community engagement programs; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Rania Awaad, Mona Midani, and Sara Mostafavi founded Maristan. Grounded in Islamic traditions, Maristan advances holistic mental and spiritual health for Muslims. Maristan provides religiously congruent professional clinical therapy, mental health advocacy and educational programs with an international reach, and national mental health trainings. Their vision is to provide accessible and affordable mental health clinical care, education, and resources for all; and

WHEREAS, Khalil Center has nearly 20 staff across California, focusing on psychological reconstruction, behavioral reformation, and spiritual elevation. Khalil Center utilizes faith-based approaches rooted in Islamic theological concepts while integrating the science of psychology towards addressing psychological, spiritual, and communal health; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate to acknowledge and promote awareness of the myriad invaluable contributions of American Muslims in California and across the country, and extend to them the respect and camaraderie every American deserves; now, therefore, be it