Texas Impact Welcomes First Muslim Member Organization
At its September meeting, the Texas Impact board of directors welcomed Texas Impact’s first Muslim member organization, the Freedom and Justice Foundation. The Freedom and Justice Foundation was established in 2002 in Dallas as a nonpartisan, grassroots citizen advocacy organization for the Texas Muslim community. The group’s first legislative success was passage of the Texas Halal Food Law in 2003, making Texas the sixth state to enact Halal food legislation.
Texas Impact board president Reverend Mel Caraway of Lancaster said the addition of the Freedom and Justice Foundation to Texas Impact’s organizational membership is an important step. "“It is important in today’s divisive and acrimonious political scene that all voices of the faith community be brought together to the table and heard,” said Caraway. “We at Texas Impact have the unique opportunity to bring together voices in the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities to speak out on issues of justice from a common understanding.”
Mohamed Elibiary, Freedom and Justice Foundation president, said Texas Muslims, like Muslims across the country, are following an established pattern of citizenship development in joining Texas Impact. “Like other immigrant groups, Muslims started out mostly concerned with economic security and maintaining their cultural identity,” Elibiary said. “But for new generations of Muslims who have been born in the U.S., educated in American schools and brought up in American culture, citizen participation in the democratic process and coalition-building are the norms. We are increasingly working with people of other faiths on issues of common concern.”
Texas Impact board member Fred Lewis of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries said building interfaith partnerships has strengthened the religious community at the local level tremendously. “I’m delighted that Texas Impact is able to bring the same interfaith strength to state level justice issues,” said Lewis. “I’m excited to be working with F&J.”
To learn more about Texas Impact, visit them online at http://www.texasimpact.com
Members of Texas Impact:
Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
Southwest Region
Bluebonnet Area
Central Area
Coastal Plains Area
North Texas Area
Trinity-Brazos Area
Episcopal Church
Diocese of West Texas
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Northern TX-Northern LA Synod
TXLA Gulf Coast Synod
Southwestern Texas Synod
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Grace Presbytery
Mission Presbytery
New Covenant Presbytery
Palo Duro Presbytery
Tres Rios Presbytery
United Methodist Church
Central Texas Conference
North Texas Conference
Northwest Texas Conference
Southwest Texas Conference
Texas Conference
United Church of Christ
South Central Conference
Society of Friends
South Central Yearly Meeting
The Freedom and Justice Foundation (F&J)
American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Congress
Jewish Federation of Dallas
Arlington Ministerial Association
Austin Area Interreligious Ministries
San Antonio Community of Churches
Tarrant Area Community of Churches
Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston
Greater Dallas Community of Churches
Interfaith Coalition for Environmental Justice
United Methodist Women
Church Women United in Texas