Concept Cue:
If you are able to register to vote, please do so at vote.utah.gov. Once registered, please respond to the following questions: What is the act of voting? Why is it important to vote? What can you do to extend suffrage (the right to vote)? Now, please encourage three to five more people (friends, family, and classmates) to register to vote. Please upload appropriate multimedia onto your e-portfolio along with your responses.
Voting is one of the essential ways we can practice civic engagement. Suffrage determines your ability to take part in the decision making for your community, at a local level and national level. I've recently realized just how important it is to participate in voting in as much as possible and not just every four years. Becoming educated on local policies and local representation was not something I was really taught the value of until later in life. Working in homeless services specifically has opened my eyes to the power lower level political figures have to determine how our communities operate. Homelessness is always a hot button topic politically and its more important now than ever to be educated on who we are voting for and the policies and approaches they support. Counter-productive narratives and approaches are being pushed right now with homelessness becoming increasingly criminalized on a legislative level. Attending the annual state homelessness conferences where the elected homeless persons' council, our governor, reps from the state homelessness division, shelter operators, etc. gather to discuss the current state of homelessness and plans for addressing it was the catalyst for me to look more into local political representation and now I encourage my friends and family to stay informed so they can vote effectively. People marched and protested for our right to suffrage (at least as a woman) so we should take advantage of the little power voting affords us.
Community Organization Report:
What is the name of the community organization?
What is the organization's mission?
What societal issues are they providing resources to?
The pathway for this module is Policy and Governance; how is this approach explored by the community organization?
I first heard about the Emerald Project about a year ago when SLUG magazine released their February 2024 edition which focused on local leadership. There was a spread on the Project's co-founder, Nora Abu-Don that I really enjoyed reading, especially given the context of the Palestinian genocide, which at that time was reaching new heights. The Emerald Project began in Salt Lake City in February of 2017, shortly after the controversial “Muslim Ban” ignited widespread discussions about Islam and Muslims. This "ban" was codified into law via President Trump's executive order 13769, necessitating the need for "a safe space where people could engage in honest conversations about Islam and the Muslim community," according to their website. They go on to further explain, "Over the years, the Emerald Project has grown significantly, reaching a diverse audience that includes the FBI, Salt Lake Community College, individuals from various faiths and backgrounds, and lawmakers. Our conversations have expanded beyond addressing Islamophobia, diving deeper into the complexities surrounding Islam and Muslims, while also embracing the broader nuances of culture and identity." The Emerald Project's mission has evolved with them and the growing needs of our communities and is now focused, "on the development and empowerment of young people, particularly those in marginalized or misunderstood communities."
This organization provides creative approaches to myth-busting negative stereotypes of the Islam community through outreach and education. Being active in the community is one of the core beliefs of the project and each member volunteers a minimum of 2 hours a month to aid other community partners. They are also involved in Utah's art scene with an exhibit titled Ummah at The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), which presents, "a collaborative and community-focused installation dedicated to celebrating Utah’s Muslim community and educating the public about the Islamic way of life. Ummah, the Arabic word for community, refers to a collective of Islamic peoples transcending the boundaries of nations and can also mean a community with any common history—a title that successfully reflects the intentions of this exhibition."
The pathway of policy and governance is evident in the creation of the Emerald Project as a response to Executive Order 13769. The discriminatory basis of the policy exasperated misconceptions about Muslims which have been prevalent especially since the events of 9/11. One of the Emerald Project's featured posts on their website discusses the fifth anniversary of the Muslim Ban explaining, "In an effort to inform our community on the pain and injustice reinforced by Executive Order 13769, we kindly welcome you to share your experience-." Gathering testimonies of those affected by these government policies helps the community to make more informed decisions when exorcising their civic duty of voting in the future. The Emerald Project is a testament of the harmful effects policy and governance can have when false narratives and discriminatory believes guide our legal decision-making.