Moving stories from youth, clients, and community leaders left us all asking ourselves if we are truly living for the betterment of others.
By Shueib Farah, CAIR-WA Community Organizer
A room filled with laughter, heartwarming stories, extraordinary outfits, and an incredible gathering of amazing individuals from our communities. These are just a few of the factors that encapsulated the 2025 CAIR Washington banquet.
Our emcee, Sabrene Odeh, was an amazing host who kept the ship afloat the whole time. She grounded us with her powerful story about the crucial work CAIR-WA does for the Muslim community in Washington. We also had the opportunity to hear from our executive director, Imraan Siddiqi, who shared some of our achievements throughout the year. This included the Washington CAIR chapter being named the chapter of the year.
After celebrating this milestone, we had the opportunity to introduce and graciously listen to four graduates from the Muslim Youth Leadership Program. Aslan, Abdullah, Haneen, & Meera exemplified why they are future leaders of our generation. They put to shame the old narrative that young people are too young and uninformed to make a real difference in the world. It was a proud moment to witness four of our own students from the MYLP take charge of the entire room and demonstrate their rightful place in these spaces.
Following our amazing students, was another extraordinary member of the CAIR-WA ecosystem, Zayna Aarbi. We were lucky enough to have her intern for us during the summer. Zayna dedicated her time to working with the CAIR-WA team, sharing her expertise and making meaningful contributions. She shared that her experience with CAIR-WA gave her renewed hope in the power of communities to advocate for themselves and create lasting change. It also helped her grow personally as she navigates these uncertain political times, finding strength and optimism through the tireless efforts of CAIR-WA’s team to make Washington a thriving home for all Muslims.
Afterwards, we had the great opportunity to hear from our esteemed policy director, Aya, and our dedicated deputy legal director, Faiza Duale. They both shared a wealth of crucial information and insights that are specifically designed to greatly benefit our communities. Their presentations focused on key policy changes, legal developments, and practical advice, all delivered with the goal of empowering and informing our members on various issues directly impacting their lives.
We had the pleasure of hearing from Safa Suleiman, an author whose children’s book, “Hilwa’s Gifts,” sparked controversy within the Bellevue school district. The district claimed “politics” as the reason for the canceling her visit just days before it was scheduled to happen, claiming her visit would “disrupt the school environment.” This response stemmed from a blog post she wrote, detailing how US funded Israeli airstrikes led to the death of her family in Gaza. CAIR-WA was able to step in this unjust cancellation and allow Safa to host a book reading and a Q&A with the community in Bellevue.
Tasneem Amir, a Sudanese community advocate, took the stage to shed light on the tragic genocide unfolding in Sudan. The ongoing conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) military forces has plunged Sudan into an unimaginable crisis. Even before the war erupted in April 2023, the country was grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis, leaving 15.8 million people in need of assistance. Now, over two years later, the situation has dramatically worsened, with 12 million people displaced and 30.4 million in need of humanitarian support. The Sudanese people feel their pleas and cries have been ignored due to the lack of media coverage and the international community’s apparent indifference to this humanitarian crisis. Tasneem held a mirror to the audience, urging everyone to acknowledge their collective failure to address the escalating situation in Sudan long before April 2023. She received a five-minute standing ovation, tears streaming down her face as she implored the world to simply recognize what is happening in East Africa.
As the evening continued, a spirit of appreciation filled the air as we took the opportunity to acknowledge remarkable individuals from our diverse communities. These are individuals whose endless dedication and exceptional efforts have changed the lives of many. Yasmin Trudeau was honored with the Legislative Champion award, while Imam Abdullahi Jaranow received the Community Service award. Hamid Ali and Ozden Eygi Bennet, the husband and sister of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, were presented with the Courage and Resilience award.
As the night wound down, a strange energy slowly crept into the space. Whispers began to circulate. The audience was buzzing with excitement, waiting for U.S. Congressional Representative Rashida Tlaib to come on stage. After Sabrene’s excellent introduction, Rashida was invited to the stage, and the room erupted in prolonged applause and cheers. Rashida took the stage with incredible energy, immediately addressing any misconceptions about her identity. She revealed her true self, sharing details of her upbringing as the oldest of 14 siblings in Detroit, Michigan, allowing the audience to connect with her on a personal level. We were allowed to join her journey to the past as she reflected on growing up as a Palestinian in the states with immigrant parents and becoming her mother’s translator at 11 because she didn’t feel safe speaking English around ignorant people.
Rashida moved on to argue that global instability, conflicts, and unrest are not accidental but are the deliberate results of actions and policies by nations, international organizations, or influential groups. She emphasized the need for unity among people to collectively challenge leaders and external powers who exploit differences and create disunity for their own gain. She emphasized the power of collaboration, stating, “This country isn’t divided, just disconnected, and we need to show up for other communities, not just when our community is under attack.” True peace, she concluded, requires overcoming divisions and confronting those who profit from our disconnect.
She implores that “We need to be engaged and more visible and more unapologetic in our positions that we know are centered on saving lives here and abroad.” Rashida shines a light on all of us and how we truly need to hold our leaders accountable for their lack of actions to causes the people care about. “We have watched in horror for years as both Democrats and Republicans have ignored working class to carry out what, endless wars and now a genocide of the Palestinian people.” As her powerful speech came to an end, representative Rashida Tlaib left us with this powerful statement. “I know my existence is resistance right now.” This one power sentence pierces through your ego and forces you to face the ugly reality. Are you truly living for the betterment of others?
If you were able to join us at the banquet, thank you for sharing this special night. If you weren’t able to, hopefully this gives you a peek into the experience, and we hope to see you next year. Either way, as we approach the end of 2025, please include CAIR-WA in your giving plans. Support us at cairwa.org/donate.
All photos by Patty Tang.