Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
3. Principles of Change
28. Outreach
31 Financials
33. Acknowledgements
ABOUT
Dear IMAN Friends, THE INNER-CITY MUSLIM ACTION NETWORK
Assalamu Alaikum and Peace Be Upon You. We live in paradoxical times
where great opportunity and extraordinary challenges confront many of 2744 West 63rd Street • Chicago, Illinois 60629
us organizing and working for positive change in the community. With the TEL 773.434.4626 • FAX 773.434.0260
blessings of the Most High and the leadership and support of so many of iman@imancentral.org • www.imancentral.org
you, IMAN has done all it can to seize as much of this opportunity as we
could over these last two years.
Rami Nashashibi
Executive Director
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Intergenerational
IMAN believes in advocacy and organizing work that is
intergenerational. The dynamism and drive of young adults combined
with the wisdom and experience of elders allows for efforts that
take into consideration larger social context and historical continuity.
Within the larger Muslim community, intergeneration-driven efforts
that provide space for youth leadership, while showing deference to
cultural elders, speak to a sense of holistic community.
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Community Hero
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Clyde El Amin
Rafi Peterson
Green Reentry
IMAN’s Green Reentry Project was one of the eight recipients of
the “Community Green Jobs” funding from the City of Chicago’s
Department of Environment. This project seeks to convert vacant/
foreclosed and vandalized properties within the Chicago Lawn
Community into vibrant, environmentally sound (green) transition
housing for formerly incarcerated individuals. IMAN will use the
renovations of these homes to provide on-the-job training for
formerly incarcerated individuals, and the converted homes will
provide housing for individuals reentering society.
Community Safe Zone
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EDUCATION REFORM
IMAN and UCCRO organized community members around education
reform through a campaign called Parents and Residents Invested in
Schools and Education (PRISE). This initiative sought to mobilize people
IMAN’s Executive Director Rami Nashashibi
who are aware of the needs, goals and achievements of students. was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to
Community leaders were formally trained in effective organizing and the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty’s
working committee, Making Work Accessible.
advocating around issues specific to education policy and funding reform.
Racial tensions
These stores too often create problematic relations and dynamics
between residents and store owners.
The Muslim Run? campaign not only aims to meet the challenge of
creating alternative, socially responsible and empowering business
practices for these businesses, but it also seeks to cease the
opportunity for healing and building relationships between Arab store
owners and Black residents.
Food deserts
Food deserts are areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious
foods. Many low-income communities in Chicago are food deserts.
The Muslim Run? campaign seeks to address the issue of food deserts
in low-income communities by improving access to healthy foods in
such communities by using these immigrant-owned stores.
Growth
In 2008, ICDI moved into a larger space with an improved computer
lab, added financial management and job readiness courses, and
developed curriculum for strong vocational training programs. In
2009, ICDI successfully graduated 274 students.
Financial Management
In a community where banks use predatory policies and services
targeting working-class, low-income individuals, IMAN seeks to
empower people to take control of their financial situation through a
free six-week financial management course.
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Pillars of IMAN
Pillars of IMAN worked to empower youth into effective community
leaders, who can help to facilitate social change in our communities and
give back to the greater society through individualized mentorships and
weekly programming.
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COMMUNITY CAFÉ
Community Café, established in 2003 as a Muslim-led effort through
which socially conscious people can celebrate and engage in diverse
and creative artistic expression, expanded during the last two years.
In 2008, Community Café moved to Parkway Ballroom, a historic
ballroom located in the heart of Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood,
in order to accommodate its growing audiences. Since then, the
Café has attracted more than 400 people during each bimonthly
edition.
In June 2009, IMAN partnered with the Old Town School of Folk
Music to host a special event with Faiz Ali Faiz, a world-renowned
qawwali musician from Pakistan. In September, we partnered with
the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs to bring the
popular Iraqi oud musician Rahim Al-Hajj to the annual Chicago
World Music Festival.
IMAN PRODUCTIONS
In 2009, Leaders of the New School evolved into IMAN
Productions, and created Indigo and Soundright, two all-women
groups that perform in and around Chicago. IMAN Productions
also presented Bollywood Breaks, a three-act East-meets-West
play that premiered at the July 2009 Community Café.
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IMAN is the only Islamic organization mentioned in former In the summer of 2008 we started our first monthly newsletter
President William Clinton’s book, Giving.
“the Urban Edge.”
“Muslims are expected to remove stumbling blocks that
keep others from living a full life and to do so voluntarily
without self-promotion or earthly reward. The activities
of local groups in the United States like the Inner-City
Muslim Action Network of Chicago and the rise of modern
universities and medical research institutions in the Persian
Gulf reflect this kind of giving.”
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Outreach: $260,324
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PARTNERS
Interfaith Youth Core
Islamic Center of Naperville
Islamic Foundation
Islamic Relief
IQRA International
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
North Islamic Society of Northwest Suburbs
One Nation
Southwest Youth Collaborative
Southwest Organizing Project
TARGET Area Development Corp.
The Central Zakat Committee
The Mosque Foundation
United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations
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CONCEPT FINAL.indd 43
iman@imancentral.org • www.imancentral.org
4/14/10 3:44 PM