Exclusion of black Muslims is routine practice at mainstream Muslim events.

Evidence

The events in Toronto, which spurred a firestorm of criticism and debate within the Muslim American community, were foreshadowed by another instance of black Muslim erasure at the 2016 Islamic Society of North America conference in Chicago, an annual gathering of approximately 50,000 Muslim Americans featuring panels on culture, faith, politics, and advocacy. After speaking on a panel addressing poverty, racism, and surveillance within the Muslim American community, a prominent Egyptian American Muslim activist told me about “a secret meeting for Muslim American leaders” to be held in the hotel that Saturday evening. Unsure who would be attending and uncertain about the meaning of “Muslim American leader,” I asked him about the roster of invitees. He reeled off a series of names; I was familiar with some and did not recognize others. I did realize, however, that none of the African American Muslim individuals I knew and routinely worked with were on the list of invitees. I made some phone calls and sent some texts; ultimately it was revealed that none of the African American Muslim activists and leaders I knew were invited to this secret meeting of “Muslim American leaders” at one of the most important Muslim American gatherings of the year. — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 447

Categorization

• XREF: Concrete instance of the reader’s interest in gatekeeping: ‘gatekeepers in prominent Muslim advocacy institutions’ from [442] play out in this anecdote. — connects to: Non-black Muslims perform anti-black racism to claim proximity to whiteness. — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 442; Anti-black racism and Islamophobia fuse to intensify policing of black Muslims. — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 453; Institutions exploit black Muslims through erasure, demonization, and delegitimization — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 437 (+2 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 447

Broader Connections

• Anti-black racism within Muslim American communities remains unaddressed #exemplifies (0.75) — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 436
• Institutions exploit black Muslims through erasure, demonization, and delegitimization #expands (0.65) — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 437
• Anti-black racism and Islamophobia fuse to intensify policing of black Muslims. #expands (0.60) — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 453
• Muslims in the United States endure discrimination in their everyday lives #expands (0.50) — Evelyn Alsultany, Antisemitism and Islamophobia The…, 32