From left: Aseel Dib and Mallack JaberAseel Dib, senior in neuroscience and chemistry and Mallack Jaber, senior in neuroscience, will work with student organizations at UAB to engage in dialogue about issues of Islamaphobia and xenophobia in Birmingham. Dib and Jaber, both from Hoover, hope to implement solutions that challenge negative perceptions and stereotypes with their project, Breaking Stereotypes: The Middle-east.
Many Alabamians “are not only misguided concerning the meaning of Islam, but are also under the false impression that ‘Arab’ and ‘Muslim’ are synonymous terms,” Jaber said. “Aseel and I are aiming to change that.”
“We plan to develop lecture series led by universally respected and well-known Muslims, Christians and Jews to address common questions and misconceptions that so powerfully divide our nation and to prove how alike we really are,” Dib said. “We aspire to show that there is no ‘American Muslim,’ only the ‘American’ – just as how there is no ‘American Jew’ or ‘American Christian.’ Muslims, just like other Americans, pay taxes, serve in the military and lead their lives in a peaceful manner.”