ABC7 covered AMWEC’s townhall uniting Jews and Muslim to combat hate. Event partners included the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Anti-Defamation League, Olive Tree Initiative, and the Islamic Educational Center of Orange County. Anila Ali addressed the townhall alongside Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Downing.
Anila Ali joined a California educational team visit Pakistan arranged by CalPak to help enhance vocational training and education programs. The team visited schools and educational institutions in Karachi.
Temple Beth Sholom’s Brotherhood speaker series hosted Anila Ali as its guest speaker. She emphasized the need for Jews and Muslims to work together to combat anti-Semitism, bigotry, Islamophobia, and hate. The goal of the event was to strengthen interfaith partnerships.
On the sidelines of the 2016 convention of the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America, Anila Ali spoke to the American Muslim Institution’s Mike Ghouse about our organization’s community work in a segement called “Empowering Muslim Women.”
ABC7 News spotlighted AMWEC’s “Internship Program [that] Encourages Muslim Girls to Pursue Law Enforcement Careers.” It spotlighted teenagers like Ausna Haris, a Muslim student who dreams of becoming an FBI agent. The show also quoted Anila Ali noting that “women are under-represented in law enforcement, and Muslim women even more under-represented.”
The Orange County Regsiter features Anila Ali on attending the convention: “It was life-changing. Before, I was interested in what my party was doing. Now I’m very involved. It’s gone to a different level.”
Anila Ali welcomed keynote speaker Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, as well as US Attorney General Stephanie Yonekura, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Bowdich (among others).
Anila Ali spoke at the White House Summit for Countering Violent Extremism. Her panel was covered on C-SPAN. Ali used the occasion to discuss the unique aspects of the Muslim American community and how empowering Muslim women can be an effective tool to counter the extremist narrative and protect children.
Anila Ali announced her candidacy for District 74 of the California State Assembly. She received endorsements from the the National Women’s Political Caucus, the California Labor Federation, and the Orange County Labor Federation. The LA times quoted Ali: “As an immigrant, I can say that we’re all here for a better life, for better opportunities,” she said. “I want to make sure my daughter has the same opportunities that I had.”
Anila Ali contributed her story as part of AMWEC’s collaboration with the Women, Politics, and Activism Project run by The Lawrence de Graaf Center for Oral and Public History at California State University Fullerton.