Take Action

Document, track and publicize instances of negative stereotyping of Muslim women. Work with local allies to combat those stereotypes and provide your community (and media professionals) with a more accurate picture.

Convene an interfaith study group to look at teachings about and implementation of the roles and rights of women.

Host a teach-in to look at how the Islamic revival has played out differently in various nations with significant Muslim populations. Draw distinctions between nations like Syria, with secular governments, and nations where Islam is an integral part of the government.

Invite speakers who are first-person witnesses to the Arab Spring to talk, either virtually or in person, about the role that women have played in the political upheaval.

Convene a panel to discuss feminist approaches to Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). Ask panelists to feature both commonalities and differences and to comment on where Houda's work might fit into the spectrum of approaches that they describe.

In addition to promoting the practice of Islam, Houda runs her school in order to empower girls. Design a school that would work in the context of your community to empower girls. What would that school look like? What would be included in the curriculum? What would the relationship be between teachers and students? When you've designed the ideal school, consider whether or not there are elements that could be applied to the existing schools in your community.

If you are not Muslim, arrange for a clergy exchange, in which an imam or a female Muslim leader is invited to speak to your congregation and your religious leader is invited to speak at a mosque. Or arrange for small groups of congregants to visit houses of worship or community centers run by people from a faith-tradition different from your own. As a follow-up, arrange for those small groups to meet for ongoing informal conversations to answer questions and discuss experiences.