By Syeda R. Noshin & Farhana Begum ICNA CSJ Interns Picture this. Two hijabis covered from head to toe strolling through DC during a code orange weather warning (one of them dumb enough to wear heels). Why, might you ask? For a cause that represents a foundational (yet often overlooked) pillar of our faith. In Islam, zakat–or alms–giving to the poor–is …
Addressing the Elephant in the Room: The Role of Racism in Poverty
By Syeda R. Noshin ICNA CSJ Intern Science has long since identified melanin as the source of differences in skin, hair, and eye color between people, confirming that it has no relation to intellect, capability, or anything inherent about a person’s personality (1). And yet, society still refuses to relinquish its white-knuckled grip on the idea that assumptions can be …
Poverty in America: Why Can’t We End It?
Source: NY Times By Peter Edelman RONALD REAGAN famously said, “We fought a war on poverty and poverty won.” With 46 million Americans — 15 percent of the population — now counted as poor, it’s tempting to think he may have been right. Look a little deeper and the temptation grows. The lowest percentage in poverty since we started counting …
