By Grace Lawson and Andrew Miller
Founded in 2010 amid an increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric in the national sphere, Executive Director Nina Fernando described how the Shoulder to Shoulder campaign was created after a meeting of national religious leaders in response to outrage toward a mosque being built near Ground Zero in New York.
With partners locally and across the nation, Shoulder to Shoulder continually works to combat misinformation and polarizing political rhetoric, including negative media coverage of Muslims and Islam in the United States.
A resource meant to help start conversations through outreach in workshops, Shoulder to Shoulder held one such workshop at Long Beach State on Nov. 20.
The event titled, “What is Islamophobia: Understanding & Countering Anti-Muslim Discrimination in the U.S.,” was hosted by The Office of Belonging and Inclusion in response to the Oct. 7 attacks which saw an uptick in Islamophobia and anti-Muslim rhetoric directed toward Arab, Muslim and Palestinian citizens.
At the event, Fernando said Shoulder to Shoulder’s campaign goals are focused on three main pillars: connect, equip and mobilize. Fernando said she wants to create bridges with communities from different backgrounds and to gather and connect with new ideas.
She described equipping as a method of providing tools, workshops and resources to people. Mobilizing refers to calls to action, writing op-eds and sharing information about different stories in the media.
Assistant Director of the Men’s Success Initiative, Noah Gordon, mentioned steps that could be taken to educate people on Islamophobia and the harmful stereotypes that play into it.
“I think the biggest stereotype is associating religion with terrorism,” Gordon said. “Growing up, I grew up around a lot of Muslim people. A lot of people in my family are Muslim.”
Gordon discussed President-elect Donald J. Trump’s “Muslim Ban” during his first presidential term and its effect on him.
“He kind of associated the religion with terrorism, and it affected me a lot because I knew a lot of people in my family that are Muslim. To me, that wasn’t true at all,” Gordon said.
Event organizer and Assistant Director of the Office of Belonging and Inclusion Jessica Spence-Moss offered her perspective on how she witnessed Islamophobia during her lifetime.
“I’m a product of 9/11. I was in high school when 9/11 happened, so I had first-hand observation of Islamophobia,” Spence-Moss said. “Coming here to this campus, I know the campus has done some work on anti-semitism, but I was tasked with addressing Islamophobia as well, especially post-Oct. 7th.”
Fernando also presented data on Islamophobia in the United States and common narratives used to drive anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, the Council of American-Islamic Relations reported 8,061 complaints, a 56 percent increase from 2022, according to their annual Civil Rights Report.
In another CAIR-CA annual report, which analyzes and surveys California college campuses, 92 percent of students reported harassment or discrimination after the October attacks. This is a 40 percent increase from 2020.
The report highlighted campuses including University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Irvine and California State University, Fullerton. These institutions experienced high campus tensions and protests during the Spring 2024 semester.
Following the protests and other forms of resistance that occurred last spring at CSULB, Shoulder to Shoulder’s staff believes that educating students and faculty is one of the main ways that they can make progress.
Fernando said the campaign’s outreach at universities like CSULB is critical for helping establish community connections and providing outside resources for campus members to turn to.
“Whether that be messaging campaigns and encouraging people to write op-eds and tell their stories, or you know, pushing back or supporting a particular policy,” Fernando said.
Shoulder to Shoulder has published resources and comprehensive guides that equip communities with knowledge of how to combat bigotry. These toolkits provide a framework for understanding how bigotry can affect other groups in light of major conflicts.
“How do we deal with each other here in the United States, recognizing that we may not agree, we may not have the same call to action,” Fernando said. “But how do we not fall to dehumanizing each other as we’re trying to move wherever it is we want to move.”
As Shoulder to Shoulder continues to equip, mobilize and connect with partners and communities nationwide, Fernando is focused on strengthening those ties. The campaign hopes to be seen for its work for communities and beyond.
“A recognition that we are part of a larger ecosystem, and doing the work to build, say pluralism, and a more inclusive United States where everyone is treated with dignity everywhere,” Fernando said.
