Organizing Ourselves as a Latino Muslim Community: Part 1

By: Yusuf Rios

There are two major concerns that need to be addressed in the whole of the Muslim Community and they are internal disorder and struggles for leadership. The issue is not only lack of manpower, but lack of community will; a failure to be supportive in a substantial way and to act collaboratively.

The Latino community needs to determine where it stands in this regard. There are too many disturbances within the Muslim Community that stem from disunity, and, specifically in the Latino community, when we judge by the standards of collaborative effort. The least point of focus is community development, while it should be a priority, and the trend is personal advancement, while this is not characteristic of true Islamic leadership and values. The standard is the lack of adequate resources and a willingness to accept second class status for personal survival within the existing organizations targeting the Latino community. There is also the problem of split loyalties due to affiliation and commitments, so once again the reality of collaboration or rather the lack of it and where we stand becomes clear.

We fail to invest in ourselves. Ultimately, there must be serious soul-searching occurring when we consider ethnic unity and Islamic orientation. The restoration of community, specifically in convert circles needs to come with a program that provides orientation on how to live as a collective whole with an emphasis on the understanding of unity. This does not come automatically, especially in the case of a group that has historically been torn apart on many levels by result of systemic dismantling or complicit action, and even unconscious participation.

Community, at the level that we need, and is commanded by Islam, does not come naturally. It takes conscious and painstaking effort. This is because the orientation many of us have is towards individualism, promoted in the very society in which we live. Commitment to family is a driving force for progress, however, it is still very much about self-preservation rather than nation-building.

The flag is not enough to carry us. Taking the example of the recent events in Puerto Rico which exposed the unjust colonial system still at play, the weak infrastructure on the island, and a very corrupt government, it was evident that Puerto Ricans need nation building, yet it is the last orientation Puerto Ricans generally have. The discussion of where we are headed really needs to be focused on self-renewal and where work can be done in a practical sense. The whole relief effort came with a fight; organizing ourselves was like herding cats. The most organization came about through working on the ground with groups that were hard-pressed and trained to work collaboratively.

Most of the strength had to do with having resources, but really the question comes back to where we stand with little to no resources. How do we work under those conditions? The challenge is not in how we function better when we have the resources, but rather what we can achieve without them.

To be continued... (insha'Allah)