The panel series, “We Need To Talk: Conversations on Racism for a More Resilient Las Vegas,” returns Sept. 6 for a discussion with Muslims of Southern Nevada. The event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. inside the Greenspun Hall Auditorium on UNLV’s campus. It will also be livestreamed.
“We Need to Talk” is an educational series sponsored by the UNLV Libraries and the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs that examines systemic racism in our community and steps communities and individuals can take to affect positive change.
The post-9/11 generation has grown up familiar with anti-Muslim political rhetoric, federal immigration restrictions referred to as “Muslim travel bans,” and other forms of discrimination.
While this fear, prejudice, and hatred of Muslims can lead to hostility and intolerance, there are individuals and groups working to break down these barriers and build community in Southern Nevada.
As the Muslim population in America has increased, Muslims have reported encountering more discrimination. In 2017 about 48 percent of Muslim American adults said they had experienced some form of discrimination because of their religion in the previous year.
This We Need To Talk discussion will examine this history of Islamophobia and share the experiences of several Muslim-Americans who are working to dismantle stereotypes, advocate for justice, and build mutual understanding.
Claytee White, director of the UNLV Oral History Research Center, will moderate the discussion. Panelists include:
- Ahlam Hamdan, ('23, UNLV College of Education, Clinical Mental Health Counseling) Founder of LV Community of Hope
- Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nevada
- Fateen Seifullah, Imam, Masjid As-Sabur, North Las Vegas
Event Details
“We Need to Talk With Muslims of Southern Nevada,” is scheduled from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 6. at UNLV’s Greenspun Hall Auditorium, First Floor. It will also be livestreamed on the UNLV Libraries' website and on YouTube.
Educators can download material from the UNLV Libraries’ companion guide, which offers research, relevant links and statistics about Muslims in Nevada and the U.S.
About the Series
“We Need to Talk” is an educational series which examines how multiple aspects of systemic racism impact our community. The goal is to propose steps communities and individuals can take to affect positive change. The series features Southern Nevada community members, UNLV alumni, and researchers surrounding issues of race and systemic racism. Archived episodes from September 2020 to January 2023 are available on the UNLV Libraries website.
