Introduction

Authored by Sarah Chebli

Ramadan Greeting Cards
Ramadan Greeting Cards
Ramadan Greeting Cards

At Blaine Community Center there were 20 beautifully decorated tables with centerpieces, plates of dates, water bottles, and Ramadan greeting cards.

Table Conversations at Taking Heart Iftar at BCC
Table Conversations at Taking Heart Iftar at BCC
Table Conversations at Taking Heart Iftar at BCC

It was a full house with each and every table full of conversation and laughter. 

Iftar Line
Iftar Line
Iftar Line

The line stretched down the hall as people waited to get a plate of delicious food. 

Table Conversations at Taking Heart Iftar at BCC
Table Conversations at Taking Heart Iftar at BCC
Table Conversations at Taking Heart Iftar at BCC

A father welcomes the local police officers to the event. 

Boba Tea Discussion
Boba Tea Discussion
Boba Tea Discussion

A group of fathers discusses what boba, found in boba tea, is made up of.

    The power of the Taking Heart Iftar comes from the connections that people forge that night. In a time where Islamophobia is continuously on the rise, Taking Heart Iftar works to fight back by putting a face to the Muslim community. The goal is to change the connotation people have of Islam. Instead of thinking about terrorism in faraway countries, people will think of the night they had a conversation about shared prophets or hilarious work stories with their Muslim neighbors. Most attacks against Muslims arise from uneducated notions of Islam and Muslims. In other words, Taking Heart works to humanize the Muslim Community.

"It's about the human relationships, not the facts or statistics." - Imam Asad Zaman