Newsletter Subject

Race/Related: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Mosque

From

nytimes.com

Email Address

nytdirect@nytimes.com

Sent On

Sun, Dec 4, 2016 11:39 AM

Email Preheader Text

Join the discussion View in , which said that there’s more prejudice against Muslims than other

Join the discussion View in [Browser] | Add [nytdirect@nytimes.com] to your address book. Sunday, December 4, 2016 [The New York Times] [Join Race/Related »] [The New York Times] Sunday, December 4, 2016 [Zarqa Nawaz, center, and the cast of “Little Mosque on the Prairie.”] Zarqa Nawaz, center, and the cast of “Little Mosque on the Prairie.” CBC Still Photo Collection/Westwind Pictures Our second guest editor is [Zarqa Nawaz], the creator of “Little Mosque on the Prairie” – currently streaming on Hulu – and the author of the memoir “Laughing All the Way to the Mosque,” published by Virago Press. She was one of five showrunners, including Howard Gordon, the creator of “24,” who came to The Times recently to discuss the depiction of Muslims on TV.      I was reading a recent [study], which said that there’s more prejudice against Muslims than other groups living in America today. We’re hated even more than Asians, Blacks, Jews or Mexicans. Well, at least we finally excel at something, I said consoling myself. The comedy executives at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation felt that since we were on everyone’s minds, and not in a good way, why not exploit it? I was able to leverage that Islamophobia and create “Little Mosque on the Prairie” (2007-12), the first sitcom about a Muslim community living in the West.  When I was asked to be part of The New York Times round table discussion on why having [Muslims depicted on TV] was important – even if they were arguing about inane things like whether or not to join the curling league – I felt it was a timely discussion to have. Humor and prejudice shaped my show. The premise was that a liberal, clean-cut, and very attractive Muslim lawyer leaves his high-paying law job in Toronto to become an imam of a mosque, which has just rented space in an Anglican church. A church, which due to a dwindling congregation, was in desperate need of cash. The local radio shock jock, Fred Tupper, believes that this is the beginning of the Muslim invasion and soon we’ll all be “wearing burqas and eating figs.” Muslims fought among themselves about issues like sexism in the mosque or how to date Islamically, or can Muslims make better chili than non-Muslims. We even had Samantha Bee, pre-”Full Frontal” fame, playing a member of a SWAT team that felt that the local mosque was too boring to be a sleeper cell, which insulted the local community. After all, Muslims are called a lot of things, but boring is not one of them. People thought that Muslims in Canada would blow up the CBC for daring to poke fun at Islam. The worldwide media coverage was exhaustive. The [New York Times] had an article about the episode where Muslim women go to the public pool. Back then, burkinis were just being invented and looked like hazmat suits. Even I was starting to get nervous. Were Muslims going to freak out? Turned out they were irritated, but because people were laughing at our dirty laundry. My community was so used to being portrayed as stock villains, hijackers and terrorists, they had a hard time seeing themselves looking, well, foolish. “You’re making us look stupid on television,” said one. “So stop doing stupid things in the mosque,” I’d reply. Turns out saying things like that only make more people mad at you. But gradually over the years, Muslims realized that exposing the domestic squabbles of mosque life actually helped their non-Muslim friends bond with them over shared experiences. To be honest, I didn't think anyone would be able to relate to us because when you grow up Muslim, you believe that we are the greatest wack jobs on Earth. But the show resonated for many people who belonged to an organized community, religious or not. “We had the same fight about women in our church,” said one man. I couldn’t believe that white people had brown people problems. That was strangely a relief and yet disturbing at the same time. And then one day, CNN called me. They wanted to know my feelings about a [study] done by a Sohad Murrar, a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Participants had their level of prejudice against Muslims measured. Then one group watched six episodes of “Friends” and another watched six episodes of “Little Mosque on the Prairie.” Guess which group had a measureable decrease in negative feelings about Muslims? “Entertainment media play a critical role in shaping people’s feelings, attitudes and behaviors in intergroup contexts,” said Ms. Murrar, the lead author of the study. That would explain why right-wing commentators hated the show. It was missing important ingredients. Where were the honor killings, stonings and beheadings? Mainly on “Homeland,” I answered. (In our discussion at The Times, Howard Gordon tried to explain some of that.) Of course, even before my show, Muslims were human. By telling our stories, people got to see the mundane and ordinary side of Muslims that had never been exposed on television before. Showing non-Muslim characters paying their mortgage, going to work or raising kids may be too dull but when Muslims on TV do it, it’s revolutionary. [Zarqa Nawaz »]  Finding New Faith Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been fascinated about why people choose to convert to my faith, Islam. Given the heightened Islamophobic rhetoric, maybe they should have chosen a less reviled faith? Wiccan anyone? Islam is very close to Christianity when it comes to belief. Whenever I saw pictures of Mary, the mother of Christ, she would be wearing a scarf like mine over her hair. When I see these beautiful photographs of Hispanic women who have chosen to convert – by the Bronx-based photographer Rhynna Santos ([@rhynnasantos]) – I want to reach out and touch their heads and feel the fabrics that so many of us have in common. People are less familiar with Latina Muslims than other groups. But they remind me that Islam is a faith that reaches people like Vilma Santos in Bay Shore, NY who called it ‘magical.’ I’ve never heard someone call faith, magical but it makes perfect sense. There’s no other way to explain the unexplainable.  [] Nusaiba Martha Guerrera, of the Bronx: After her conversion to Islam, she says “now I feel like I am walking on solid ground.”  [] Bianca Krystal Sittón, of Vega Alta, P.R.: Bianca converted to the faith in April 2015.  [] Maribel Cancel, of the Bronx: “I am Latina, Boricua and Muslim,” Maribel said. “Just because we are Latina doesn’t mean we can’t be Muslim.”  [] Vilma A. Santos, of Bay Shore, N.Y.: Although many women convert to Islam due to marriage, Vilma, a single-mother, came to the religion 13 years ago while battling lupus.  Around the Web Race/Related asked me to come up with a list of recommended reading – so to catch up on all things Muslim, check out: [Azhar Usman], [Preacher Moss] and [Mo Amer] starred in the concert film, [Allah Made Me Funny]. If you’re in a city where any of them are doing stand-up, make sure you’re there. [Muslims and the Making of America] by [Prof. Amir Hussain] is a new book which tells the fascinating story about Muslim athletes, hip-hop artists and music executives who were part of the cultural mosaic of America. As Professor Hussain says in his book, “there has never been an America without Muslims.” [Sapelo Square] is named after one of the first communities of enslaved African Muslims in the United States who lived on Sapelo Island off the coast of Georgia. This website is a fantastic resource for both black Muslims in America but also for anyone who wants to understand the intersectionality of spirituality, race and human rights. I used to read the daily blogs and reflections on the Quran during Ramadan. [Hijabi Monologues] has had shows at the Kennedy Center as well as American embassies around the world. Despite the specificity of the title, the show is universal and the stories are funny and heartbreaking at the same time. [Muslim Girl] started by [Amani Al-Khatahtbeh], who just wrote her first memoir also entitled [Muslim Girl], is a great ezine written by Muslim women about issues ranging from mental illness to body issues to Donald Trump. [The Tempest] founded by [Laila Alawa]is another ezine written by “diverse millennial women” and yes, I went straight to their “Love and Sex” section. [Muslims Have Rights] was started by a group of journalists, filmmakers, activists and scholars about the ramifications of Islamophobia. My favorite video features two serious looking F.B.I. agents measuring a Sikh man’s beard who complains that he’s not even Muslim. [#GoodMuslimBad Muslim] is a monthly podcast hosted by [Tanzil 'Taz' Ahmed] and [Zahra Noorbakhsh]. It’s an irreverent show about the American Muslim female experience, not to be mistaken with the book, [Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror] by [Mahmood Mamdani], which is less funny but an important read none the less.  In The Times The Times publishes many stories that touch on race. Here are a few you shouldn’t miss, chosen by Race/Related editors.  [Adam Keefe Horovitz of the Beastie Boys speaks out against hateful graffiti found at Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn.] Christian Hansen for The New York Times This Week in Hate [Threats of an Anti-Muslim Holocaust] By THE EDITORS These hate crimes and incidents of harassment were all reported in the last two weeks. [A cellblock at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison in Ossining, N.Y., less than an hour by train from Midtown Manhattan.] Bryan Thomas for The New York Times [The Scourge of Racial Bias in New York State’s Prisons] By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ, MICHAEL WINERIP AND ROBERT GEBELOFF A New York Times investigation draws on nearly 60,000 disciplinary cases from state prisons and interviews with inmates to explore the system’s inequalities and the ripple effect these can have. [Protesters outside the National Policy Institute in Washington this month, where members of the “alt-right” movement were gathered for the annual “Become Who We Are” conference.] Al Drago/The New York Times [News Outlets Rethink Usage of the Term ‘Alt-Right’] By SYDNEY EMBER Often used to describe a far-right, white nationalist movement and criticized by some as euphemizing extreme views, the label has emerged as a linguistic flash point. Jasu Hu Opinion [Why I Left White Nationalism] By R. DEREK BLACK I grew up in a family that embraced extreme views. I’ve moved on. The country can, too. [Berfalia Martínez is in deportation proceedings and applying for asylum, but somehow her children, 3 years old and 4 months old, have ended up with separate deportation cases open in the Arlington, Va., immigration court. At a recent hearing for the 4-month-old, Damián, the judge could only urge her to make sure Damián “presents himself in all of his future hearings.”] Lexey Swall for The New York Times [Deluged Immigration Courts, Where Cases Stall for Years, Begin to Buckle] By JULIA PRESTON With a backlog of more than 520,000 cases, many have become crippled by delays and bureaucratic breakdowns, creating a major obstacle for the president-elect’s deportation plans. [The lawyer Nina L. Shaw.] Oriana Koren for The New York Times [She’s the Hollywood Power Behind Those Seeking a Voice] By MELENA RYZIK The entertainment lawyer Nina L. Shaw is adept at striking deals for those whose mission it is to be both artist and advocate. Becky Harlan for The New York Times [Museum Cafeteria Serves Black History and a Bit of Comfort] By KIM SEVERSON Sweet Home Café’s mission is a tricky one: educate and nourish visitors to the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. [Freddie Bitsoie, right, the executive chef of the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian, joked with a prep cook, Jamal Gomez, in the kitchen last week.] Al Drago/The New York Times [A Navajo Chef Looks to History in His Homage to Native Cuisine] By NOAH WEILAND The executive chef at the National Museum of the American Indian’s cafe researched oral histories to showcase indigenous food from across the Americas. [Marshall Longhorns players after a practice in October. The Longhorns and a rival organization, the Conquering Lions, were started in the past year.] Photographs by Brandon Thibodeaux for The New York Times [Tackle Football Makes a Comeback in the Heart of Texas] By KEN BELSON Two youth programs have sprung up in Marshall, where Pop Warner, Boys & Girls Club and seventh-grade tackle teams were discontinued over safety concerns. [“A lot of my work is heavily influenced by the culture of my Yoruba heritage. I like to see the world in that lens,” Laolu Senbanjo said.] Sasha Arutyunova for The New York Times [A Nigerian Artist Who Uses the Skin as His Canvas] By TAMARA BEST Laolu Senbanjo, whose collaboration with Beyoncé on “Lemonade” led to his own mainstream fame, hopes to create awareness around African artists. Patricia Wall/The New York Times Books of The Times [Kathleen Collins’s ‘Whatever Happened to Interracial Love?’] By DWIGHT GARNER This collection of newly discovered stories is part of a large body of work by this filmmaker, playwright and writer, who died young. [Trevor Noah, host of “The Daily Show,” in 2015. His memoir provides a harrowing look at life in South Africa under apartheid and then after that era.] Chad Batka for The New York Times Books of The Times [‘Born a Crime,’ Trevor Noah’s Raw Account of Life Under Apartheid] By MICHIKO KAKUTANI His memoir provides a harrowing look, through the prism of Mr. Noah’s family, at life in South Africa under apartheid, and the country’s entry into a postapartheid era. [

The composer Andrew Norman, who received the 2017 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition, which comes with $100,000, for “Play.”

] Bryan Sheffield for The New York Times [In Accepting the Grawemeyer Award, a Call for Diversity in Concert Halls] By MICHAEL COOPER Andrew Norman, winner of the prize, said he is concerned with “how to get what happens in the concert hall to reflect the diverse society that we are.” [Jacob G. Padrón, artistic director of the Sol Project, at the A.R.T./New York Theaters.] Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times [A Producer Spearheads a Collective to Help Hispanics in Theater] By LAURA COLLINS-HUGHES Jacob G. Padrón is the artistic director of the Sol Project, which has found deep pockets to finance its goal of ushering Latinos into the theater mainstream. [Princeton’s Kelsey Koelzer was selected first in the National Women’s Hockey League draft in June. “I personally don’t know that I’ve played against many African-American people growing up,” Koelzer said.] Gretchen Ertl for The New York Times [Two Black Women Embrace Their Chance to Be Hockey Role Models] By SETH BERKMAN Kelsey Koelzer of Princeton and Sarah Nurse of Wisconsin were both selected in June by teams in the National Women’s Hockey League. Koelzer was the first overall pick. [Daryl Sabara and Alexa Vega in “Spy Kids,” one of the few Hollywood family films to feature Latinos as lead characters.] Dimension Films [A Latina Disney Movie Princess? The Wait Isn’t Over] By MONICA CASTILLO “Moana” is a step toward diversifying the world of animated princesses. But it’s still exceedingly rare to see dark-skinned heroines in such films. Tiffany Ford [Where Beauty Means Bleached Skin] By HELENE COOPER A multibillion-dollar industry of skin-whitening products dominates the West African cosmetics market, creating a world of mixed messages for the women who live there. [Erykah Badu in a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Tuesday. Her jewelry includes a gold string hanging from her mouth, which she calls her Bijules.] Andre D. Wagner for The New York Times Night Out [Erykah Badu’s Beautiful Braids Take Time] By JOANNA NIKAS The host of the Soul Train Awards settles in for six hours of conversation, music and hair rejuvenation. ADVERTISEMENT  What Do You Think of This Newsletter? How are we doing? Email us at [racerelated@nytimes.com]. If you like what you’re reading, please share it with your friends on [Facebook] or [Twitter] and suggest they sign up [here].  ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW RACE/RELATED [Instagram] [Instagram] Get more [NYTimes.com newsletters »] | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps for just $0.99. [Subscribe »] ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Race/Related newsletter. [Unsubscribe] | [Manage Subscriptions] | [Change Your Email] | [Privacy Policy] | [Contact] | [Advertise] Copyright 2016 The New York Times Company | 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

Edit & Download HTML

Add To Favourites

EDM Keywords (287)

yes wrote writer would world work women wisconsin west well week website wearing way washington wants wanted want walking wait wagner voice uses used us urge university universal understand twitter tv turned tuesday train touch toronto title times time think things theater texas terrorists terror tells telling television teams system suggest study strangely stories stop starting started stand sprung specificity soon something somehow skin since signed sign shows show selected seeking see scourge scholars says santos said roots rights reported remind relief relate reflections reflect received reading read reach ramifications race quran psychology prisons prism princeton premise prejudice practice portrayed played personally people part one october newsletter never named muslims muslim mundane moved mouth mother mosque month mistaken mission minds message members member mean mary marshall many making make magical love lot longhorns lived live list like life leverage level less least laughing latina label know june join islamophobia islam irritated invented interviews intersectionality insulted inmates inequalities incidents imam humor human hulu hour host honest homeland homage history heartbreaking heart heads harassment happens hair grow groups group grew gradually goal get georgia gathered funny friends freak finance fight felt feelings feel fascinated family faith facebook fabrics exposing exposed explore exploit explain exhaustive everyone even episode entry ended emerged email editors earth dull due diversity discussion discuss discontinued describe depiction department delays daring culture criticized creator country convert conversion concerned complains community comfort comes comeback come collective collection coast close city church christianity christ chosen chance cellblock cbc catch cast cash canvas came calls called call burkinis buckle bronx boring book bit beyonc belonged believe behaviors beginning become beard backlog author asylum asked artist article arguing applying apartheid anyone answered andre america also adept across accepting able 24 2015

nytimes.com

NYTimes.com

Marketing emails from nytimes.com

View More
Sent On

08/12/2024
Sent On

08/12/2024
Sent On

07/12/2024
Sent On

07/12/2024
Sent On

07/12/2024
Sent On

07/12/2024

Email Content Statistics

Subscribe Now

Subject Line Length

Data shows that subject lines with 6 to 10 words generated 21 percent higher open rate.

Subscribe Now

Average in this category

Subscribe Now

Number of Words

The more words in the content, the more time the user will need to spend reading. Get straight to the point with catchy short phrases and interesting photos and graphics.

Subscribe Now

Average in this category

Subscribe Now

Number of Images

More images or large images might cause the email to load slower. Aim for a balance of words and images.

Subscribe Now

Average in this category

Subscribe Now

Time to Read

Longer reading time requires more attention and patience from users. Aim for short phrases and catchy keywords.

Subscribe Now

Average in this category

Subscribe Now

Predicted open rate

Subscribe Now

Spam Score

Spam score is determined by a large number of checks performed on the content of the email. For the best delivery results, it is advised to lower your spam score as much as possible.

Subscribe Now

Flesch reading score

Flesch reading score measures how complex a text is. The lower the score, the more difficult the text is to read. The Flesch readability score uses the average length of your sentences (measured by the number of words) and the average number of syllables per word in an equation to calculate the reading ease. Text with a very high Flesch reading ease score (about 100) is straightforward and easy to read, with short sentences and no words of more than two syllables. Usually, a reading ease score of 60-70 is considered acceptable/normal for web copy.

Subscribe Now

Technologies

What powers this email? Every email we receive is parsed to determine the sending ESP and any additional email technologies used.

Subscribe Now

Email Size (not include images)

Font Used

No. Font Name
Subscribe Now

Copyright © 2019–2025 SimilarMail.