Black Muslim
Psychology
Conference
"Honored to give the #BMPC2017 keynote speech today. We must lead with compassion & advocate for wellness within the black activist community. It’s truly an honor to be at the 3rd annual Black Muslim Psychology Conference. How amazing is it that we have such an event? We have a great opportunity before us: Discussing this idea of leading with compassion. I feel blessed to have that conversation with all of you. Now, more than ever, we need honest conversation rooted in community and healing. And we have that today thanks to the Muslim Wellness Foundation. MWF does such important work with education, trainings, community conversations, and events like these. It’s so inspiring to see an organization dedicated to mental health advocacy for this community."
-MN State Representative Ilhan Omar
#BMPC2017 Reflections
We love hearing from our BMPC family about their thoughts, emotions, and overall experiences attending our annual gathering. It is with joy and gratitude that we create this opportunity which gives Black Muslims (and their allies) space and permission to heal from racial trauma and violence. Check out what our attendees have to say about what they discovered and learned this year!
If YOU attended BMPC2017, we would love to hear from you as well! Submit your feedback and reflections HERE:
Keziah Ridgeway - Black Muslim Psychology Conference Experience
by Keziah Ridgeway via BlackMuslimWomenMatters Blog
July 24, 2017
This past weekend, I attended the Black Muslim Psychology Conference founded by a stalwart of the Philadelphia Muslim community and someone I consider a friend Kameelah Rashad. The Black Muslim Psychology Conference started out as an idea that Kameelah developed, spurred from the pain of the continual murder of unarmed and innocent Black Men and Women by the hands of those sworn to protect and serve. She knew that the community needed hope and love and community and psychological healing. What better way to do that than a conference for us, by us.
US Black Muslim Psychology Conference, Leading with Compassion
by Layla Abdullah-Poulos via Patheos Muslim
July 27, 2017
The third annual convening of the Black Muslim Psychology Conference (BMPC), organized by the Muslim Wellness Foundation, focused on the importance compassionate leadership, community well-being and healing justice. With a new larger venue, the conference hosted double the attendees as last year. Workshops and panels centered on the BMPC theme Leading with Compassion: In Search of Healing Justice & Collective Well-Being. The conference is the vision of Kameelah Rashad, founder and president of the Muslim Wellness foundation. About Islam asked Rashad how it felt to see another successful year of the conference and hear so many praises about it.
Imam Roundtable Highlights Black Muslim Psychology Conference
by Jehron Muhammad via Final Call
August 03, 2017
Malcolm X said in 1964 that the problems facing Black people are “bigger than all other personal or organizational differences.” He went on to encourage Blacks to stop worrying about threats they think they pose to each other and concentrate on united efforts toward solving their unending hurt. This summed up the focus of the recent 3rd annual Black Muslim Psychology Conference held July 21-22. Not only did the two-day event, held just north of Philadelphia, Pa., encourage the over 400 participants to overcome maladies that have traditionally hindered progress, it also focused on resolving differences and gave detailed accounts of what is the root causes of much of the trauma faced by Black Muslims in the western hemisphere.
Black Muslim Psychology Conference: On Islamophobia and Anti-Blackness
by Kristin Garrity Sekerci via Bridge Intiative
August 04, 2017
A panel of a dozen Black Muslim college students discussed what it’s like being Black and Muslim in U.S. universities today. The responses were unanimous – being a Muslim university student is challenging, but being a Black Muslim university student is significantly more challenging. The students explained that this is a result of living in the margins of two communities, and never feeling that they fully belong to either. Multiple marginalized identities – such as being Muslim and being Black – compound discrimination.
Dr. Su'ad Abdul-Khabeer - Black Muslim Psychology Conference (BMPC) 2017
by Dr. Su'ad Abdul-Khabeer via Facebook
August 05, 2017
Black Muslim Psychology Conference (BMPC) 2017
Two weeks ago today I was on my way home from the 3rd annual Black Muslim Psychology Conference. If you follow some of the US Muslim community’s greatest minds and activists you already know the conference was one for the ages. BMPC was in a word, incredible. I have a few more words about the conference, which I am sharing to spread the good news and encourage everyone to support this effort. https://www.youcaring.com/muslimwellnessfoundation-852118
In The Warm Arms of Blackness: How I Found Healing At BMPC2017
by Kiah Glenn via WeBeenHere Blog
August 05, 2017
It has been about two weeks since I was in Philly for the Muslim Wellness Foundation: Black Muslim Psychology Conference. I have battled with my self as to how I wanted to write this. Do I write a love letter; thanking Sister Kameelah, and all the others who put together this conference? Do I do a long, long, post about every single thing I saw and heard and felt that weekend? What do I say, and how to say how much I got from the Black Muslim Psychology Conference? I guess I should apologize to those who want to know about sessions. Especially about the Imam Session or others that I may have tweeted on Twitter. I may do another post about individual things later. For now, I just want to reflect on the essence of BMPC 2017
“Social Invisibility” of African-American Muslims Leads to Psychological Trauma, Suffering
Hena Zuberi, The Muslim Link
August 19, 2017
The intent of the conference is to address the erasure of Black Muslim experiences and perspectives from the lens of psychology, counseling and emotional well being.
With a broad cross-section of speakers, the Black Muslim Psychology Conference is interdisciplinary, with lawyers, spiritual leaders, anthropologist, therapists all coming together.
“Until we as people have healed from racial wounds, we will not be as effective as a people,” says Mu’min Rashad.
Back home from Philly & reflecting on my amazing weekend. Thanks to #BMPC2017 for such an uplifting experience & these beautiful new friends. @KameelahRashad thank you + your whole team for your amazing work. #BMPC2017 is hands down one of the best experiences of my life! As young Black Muslims we felt represented, loved, and cared for, which is so important. May Allah reward you all for your tireless efforts!
-Tesay Yusuf, Undergraduate Student, Stanford University; Ethiopian-American
A bunch of somali american young people from around the country convened at the Black Muslim Psychology Conference in Philly and presented on the somali american experience, successful models of community organizing, and were recognized as emerging leaders for protecting their hometowns. we were dope. don't sleep on the youth, there's so much talent and brilliance. all this blackness and genius mixing to give y'all life. give all of your mashallahs. send duas to protect the people doing the work to remember the most marginalized in an already vulnerable community. #BMPC2017 #BlackandMuslim
-Yasmin Yousof, Somali American
I attended the 2017 Black Muslim Psychology Conference, and felt proud and moved to be in a space with other Black Muslims who are unapologetic about their love for Islam and to hear on several occasions, "I love being Black!" This kind of affirmation is much needed and deserved. #beingblackandmuslim
-Sajdah Nubee, Pharmaceutical Associate, Black American
There is so much that I was given at the Black Muslim Psychology conference, it's hard to put it all into words. What I can't stop thinking about today after returning home from the conference is how Black Muslims are completely unapologetic and self-actualized. Growing up in a predominantly South Asian Muslim community, I was made to feel like Black Muslims needed our pity. I've always felt that was wrong, but now I'm seeing how it was wrong on so many levels.
Black Muslims are proud of themselves and their Muslim identity in a way I've never seen from any other Muslim community. Many times at this conference people proudly proclaimed "I love being Muslim." I can honestly say I have never heard that said in non-Black Muslim spaces, let alone said with so much confidence and conviction. Many non-Black Muslim communities and spaces I've been in are more concerned with appealing to the masses and white-washing themselves than really embracing their Muslim and cultural identities. Going to this conference, I got to see what it looks like to be 100 percent yourself while fully embracing Islam.
One of the most impressive sessions at the conference was a panel of collegiate youth. These young Muslims were so self-aware and comfortable in their own skin and, from my perspective, years ahead of non-Black Muslim youth in accepting and loving themselves.
South Asian, Arab and other non-Black Muslim communities have for years separated themselves from Black Muslim communities, probably thinking that they're better off. But I think what those communities, my own included, don't realize is that by separating and disassociating from Black Muslims they have deprived themselves of learning how to be wholly Muslim and connected to Islam in America. #BlackMuslimPsychology #BMPC2017
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Disclaimer: I'm not writing this to be self-hating or hate on non-Black Muslim communities. These are simply my honest and sincere reflections.
-Aysha Jamali, South Asian Muslim woman
I love this sister (Kameelah Rashad) dearly. Please, please make dua for her and her family. She spent countless hours, days, months and sacrificed so much to make her idea become a reality. The first year she started Black Muslim Psychology Conference in 2015 there were around 75 attendees. This year there were over 300! As her hubby said, this is our ISNA, this is our ICNA. Our community is seeing the value and need of this conference and we showed up and showed out (we definitely know how to dress lol). This conference was everything I could have imagined and more. I met so many Beautiful Strong and Incredible Black Women and Men. I also met beautiful allies from other ethnic backgrounds. I felt so empowered, welcomed and loved. I cried, I laughed, I was angry, I was emotional and I loved. This is what the sessions do to you. They were real, direct and no sugar coating. This is how we do. We face things head on and then try to find solutions. This is the only way we can grow and enable change. I love my people. We also had healing sessions for people who may have become triggered and needed comfort and closure.
The theme of this year's conference was "Leading with Compassion." What I heard and saw caused me to reflect, think about how I am currently doing things in regards to my work and everyday affairs. I realized I am losing that mercy, that compassion, that RAHMA, which is what I named my organization after. It's time to work towards getting that back. We can't have Rahma towards others if we don't start with ourselves. I look forward to building with all the beautiful people I met. Only together we can make things happen. Please stay in touch y'all.
Please keep Sr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad and her family in your prayers. She is what our community has been waiting for. She loves her people and it shows so so much. She has become a mentor and a big sister to so many, including me. Love you sis, May Allah reward you. Please say ameen. If you haven't met her or attended #BMPC before, you betta start making plans. #NotUpForDebate You have a whole year, no excuses :). I know many of you can agree <3. #BMPC2017 #BlackMuslimPsychology #ILoveBeingBlack
-Khadijah Abdullah, Black American, Founder & President of RAHMA
It has been an honor and privilege to attend the 2017 Black Muslim Psychology Conference, led and organized by the incomparable and inspiring Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad.
It's an interesting experience to be a racial minority. It's uncomfortable. I encourage all white folks to experience this.
It's an interesting experience to learn more about Islam and Muslim's lives. It's different. I encourage all Jewish folks to experience this.
It's a beautiful experience to bear witness to marginalized individuals living joyously, loudly, and proudly in their community. I wish for more representation of their strength, not just their sorrow.
The more we learn, the more we open our minds, the more we open our hearts, the closer we are to healing and peace.
-Mira Shore, Jewish-American, PhD Student Clinical Psychology
Every non-Black Muslim I spoke with this weekend has told me this is the best Muslim conference they ever attended. I agree. #BMPC2017.
-Hind Makki, Sudanese-American Interfaith Activist, Founder, SideEntrance
Thank you @KameelahRashad for #BMPC2017. As a nonBlack Muslim this was critical for me and did more for me than you might imagine.
-Suroor Raheemullah, Muslim Women’s Alliance, Chicago, IL
“It's a huge family reunion. The MOST affirming space I've ever been in. It's a beautiful gathering of people who are unapologetically Black, Muslim, and who are openly celebrating and loving each other. The sense of community is what will bring me back each year. Also, the Imam Roundtable/Fishbowl was historic, incredible, and we need more of that. What a phenomenal idea!
-Anonymous
“I loved the intergenerational participation on all levels (volunteers, presenters and attendees). I loved the convenience of the location (PA is close to home). Also...the people (organizers, presenters AND attendees) were amazing. It's not uncommon to see organizers' frustration (rushing around frantically, getting snippy with each other and/or attendees); I'm happy I didn't witness any of that during this conference. Everyone exuded warmth and sincerity. The presenters were knowledgeable and well-prepared. The workshops and topics were amazing. The Imam Roundtable was extraordinary and so necessary (as exemplified by many of the responses); overall, the Imams handled that experience with more grace and courage than I anticipated. Attention to details such as the istinja bottles in the restroom.
-Anonymous
I made it my business to "be in the moment" this entire weekend! Not a bunch of pics and Facebook posts....but lots of listening, reflections, conversations, and brother/sisterhood being built. The Black Muslim Psychology Conference was an EXPERIENCE! It was Healing, Relevant, Raw, Inspiring and the passion and love this conference was created with was felt! Each session carefully chosen, each of the presenters carefully chosen! Every detail of the conference down to the breakfast, lunch and snack set up was felt.... you felt the countless hours of preparation and thought put into this conference and it was A-1! I left feeling hopeful in positive change and forward progression! Thank you Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad for your vision and for this conference! Thank you Halim Naeem for everything you put into orchestrating the Michigan crew (we rolled deep lol)! Thank you Asha Mohamood Noor and Fatima Kébé for coordinating the rooms and transportation for the sisters. Thank you to the entire team who created the conference and thanks to the entire group for supporting each other the entire trip! #BMPC2017 #JustThankYou #NothingShortOfAmazing #LotsToBeGratefulFor #Alhamdulillah
-Tariqah Abdur-Rasheed, Black American, Detroit, MI