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Amazon Removes Quranic Verse Bath Mats

CAIR-WA thanked Amazon's legal counsel and its PR team for being so responsive and further reported that they are working with the company to manually remove other offensive items from the website.

Our December Newsletter is Here!

Check out our December newsletter featuring: internship opportunities with our media, advocacy, and policy departments, and ways to give back and support the work that CAIR-WA does.

Tracking Anti-Muslim Bullying in Washington

A recent CAIR survey showed that 53% of Muslim students in California have experienced religious bullying and many fear that bullying is on the rise in an increasingly Islamophobic climate.

Harassed, attacked or threatened? Here are 3 simple steps to take

Click here to read the 3 simple steps to take if you or someone you know is physically or verbally attacked, harassed, or threatened.

Bullied at school? Here are 3 simple steps to take

Click here to read the 3 simple steps to take if you or someone you know is bullied in school.

Contacted by FBI? Here are 3 simple steps to take

Click here to read the 3 simple steps to take if you or someone you know is contacted by an FBI agent.

Bystander Intervention Training

Find out how CAIR-WA can help you host a Bystander Intervention Training at your company or organization by emailing us at info@cairwa.org! Check out The Seattle Times for more on our trainings!

Visit our ‘Allies’ page

Get facts and information as well as concrete ways in which you can be a public and vocal ally and promote understanding of American Muslims’ lives.

Visit a Mosque Near You

Find a mosque to visit at www.islamicfinder.org

Research: American Muslims are Model U.S. Citizens

A new survey by the ISPU found that American Muslims are among the most religious and patriotic citizens. 85% of American Muslims "have a strong American identity," just like 84% of Protestants. They are also just as likely as other Americans to identify strongly with their faith — 89% of Muslims, 84% of Jews, and 95% of Catholics and Protestants shared the sentiment. Read the full survey report at: www.ispu.org/poll

1 in 18 Medical Doctors in U.S. is American Muslim

A new report by ISPU estimated the number of American Muslim physicians in the U.S. to be about 50,000. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the total number of active medical doctors across the U.S. is about 914,000. Click here to read the full ISPU report.

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Loaded News Coverage, Commentary Can Fuel Hate, Prejudice

Research by U. of Hawaii, U. of Exeter & National Hispanic Media Coalition indicates that media content can have a direct effect on hate and prejudice against minority groups. Accurate language can inform readers, while ethnically and religiously loaded language misleads readers and fuels hate and prejudice.

Presentation at Amazon

In May, CAIR-WA will be presenting to employees at Amazon to discuss Ramadan and religious accommodations in the workplace.

Seattle Public Schools

Throughout May 2018, CAIR-WA will present to educators in Seattle Public Schools on Ramadan, Eid, and how educators can support Muslim students in the classroom.

Click here for more information.

Bystander Intervention Training

I learned valuable information on de-escalating troublesome situations." - Bystander Intervention Training participant.

Want to learn what to do if you see someone being harassed? We have two more Bystander Intervention Trainings coming in June!

Click here for more information.

The Letters to the Editor section is one of the most-read sections of any newspaper.  It is a quick and easy way to respond to both positive and negative coverage, as well as to bring awareness to an issue not receiving coverage.  Letters are extremely important because they allow you to reach a large audience, are often monitored by elected officials as well as editors to gauge “public opinion” on an issue and can bring up information not addressed in a news article.

Click here to write a letter to the editor to your local paper

Tips for writing letters to the editor

Keep it short and on one subject
Letters to the editor are designed to express just one idea and should be no more than 150-250 words. Given this brief amount of text you should pick one main thought and resist the temptation to include other points. Address the letter to “The Letters Editor.” Most newspapers have websites that include instructions for submitting your letter electronically.  There are several ways in which to use letters to the editor: reacting to negative coverage, reacting to a negative editorial, providing a different angle on news of the day, and offering a viewpoint from a particular segment of the population.

Personalize your message
Many editors receive hundreds of letters everyday so want your letter stand out.  If you have a personal story that shows how this issue affects you, your family, or the community, share it- briefly. 

Be polite
You can be critical of the paper or author, but it must always be written in a civil tone.  Papers will never publish insulting or vulgar letters.  When sending the letter it’s always good to personalize the approach, so take the time to find the name of the editor and always make it clear that you are receptive to any edits and revisions.

Proofread
Any typo or grammatical error in a letter will significantly diminish you chances of being published.  Always double-check your work and have an additional party review it before submitting the letter.

Be sure to include your contact information
Many newspapers will print a letter to the editor only after calling the author to verify his or her identity and address. Newspapers will not give out that information, and will usually print only your name and city should your letter be published.

Increase your legitimacy
-Submit your piece to only one publication at a time.  Consistently submitting to several at once will hurt your reputation among editors.

-Send any published pieces to your elected officials’ offices that are responsible for the issue you covered.  This will help build your reputation as a credible source on the issue.

To increase your chances of publication

  • React quickly to news of the day or negative coverage.  If possible, have the letter in the hands of an editor on the same day in which the news or negative editorial appears.
  • Be authoritative.  Speak on behalf of an organization, when possible.

Click here to write a letter to the editor to your local paper