Fri05182012

Last update 05/06/12 12:30:37 AM

Internships
Back About us
  • PDF
 

CAIR's Mission

CAIR's mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims,and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.


What is CAIR-WA?

CAIR-Washington the local Washington state chapter of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) serving the neighboring Northwest. CAIR is the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group.

CAIR-Washington is a not-for-profit organization registered in Washington. Though it leverages the resources, expertise, and knowledgebase of CAIR (based in Washington D.C.), it functions as an independent organization that sets its own strategy and goals.


CAIR-WA Aspires To Be:
About Us | CAIR-Washington State

Credible

Gain the trust and respect of all involved.

Consistent

Our level of motivation and productivity should not waiver with time. The attention given to the various areas of our work should be even.

Proactive

Create programs that predict and preemptively challenge potential problems.

Omnipresent

Our presence and our programs should enjoy high exposure both with members of the Muslim community, the general public, the media, and government.

Focused

Well-defined problem areas and solutions.

Transparent

What you see is what you get.

Efficient

No redundancies. Putting the right people in the right place at the right time.

Egalitarian/Fair-minded

Reach out to support non-Muslims who face similar grievances as our own, or who see similar values to our own being challenged.

Accessible

Easy to find and reach whether by members of our community, or by members of the media.

Sincere

What fuels our work is not personal ego or a hidden agenda, but a genuine desire to effectuate positive change.

What Does CAIR-WA Do?

Our work at CAIR-Washington spans four different areas.

Civil rights issues

Firstly, we deal with civil rights issues, taking up complaints ranging from bigoted gestures to official discrimination against Muslims. We create logs for incidents and pursue the appropriate remedying measures which can range from cultural sensitivity training for the perpetrating party to all out legal measures. We also record every case and release reports to educate the public about the civil rights plight of Muslims.

Political Empowerment

Secondly, we are involved in political empowerment helping community members understand and utilize the political system to work for them. Projects include voter registration drives, community workshops, “know your rights” educational campaigns, and training of mosques and Muslim centers on how to contact local and national politicians.

Media Monitoring

Thirdly, we are involved in media monitoring. We monitor the local media closely and flag bias against Muslims. We respond accordingly to editors and producers with letters, phone calls, or meetings. We mobilize the community in letter writing campaigns to reinforce feedback sent to the media.

Community Outreach

Lastly, we are involved in community outreach. We forge mutually beneficial partnerships with local and national institutions whose activities overlap with CAIR-Seattle in order to maximize efficiency. We work to empower the Muslim community and to foster an understanding between Seattle’s Muslim and non-Muslim communities via public education, and to serve the needs of the greater Seattle community via public service.

What Others Say About Us

White House
President George W. Bush, September 17, 2001
To view a picture of President Bush's visit to a mosque with CAIR officials click here.

White House
Field Office of the FBI, Washington D.C.
The Washington Field Office of the FBI praises CAIR’s dedication in representing the heart of the Muslim American community.

White House
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Director of the Shalom Center
. ..CAIR speaks out strongly against terrorist attacks by Muslims...
 

Last Updated on Monday, 09 January 2012 15:30