The Fort Dupont neighborhood in Washington D.C. has been getting some Muslim love for the past year. Stephen Barnes used to run with a crew and then he took his shahadah. “My head was lost and Allah helped me find Islam and made me a better man,” he shared with the a room full of children and youth.
On Wednesday, September 28, 2016, B.R.I.D.G.E.S. (Building Relationships Through Islamic Discipline Guidance Educating Society), Ar-Rashidun Community Center, Sweet Tooth Catering, and the Islamic Research and Humanitarian Service Center of America (IRHSCA) commemorated a successful year of programming for the youth and children of the Stoddert Terrace public housing complex in Southeast Washington. Stephen is one of their success stories.
On streets where it is perfectly normal to have bullets fly in the afternoon, the kids gathered to celebrate books and friendship. The cheerful event titled ‘Bullets to Books’ took place at the Fort Dupont-Stoddart Terrace Recreation Center. Book bags, school supplies, and books including Islamic books were on display for the children of the community to take home. “A lot of the kids can’t afford school supplies, so we are trying to [provide some for] them,” said volunteer Abdul Malik.
The mic was open for youth to share stories of dreams and aspirations. “I am here to meet new people and make new friends,” said 14-year-old Carter, who wants to make video games. DeShauna plays baseball and is inspired by her many brothers. A young woman shared her aspiration to go to Howard and become a surgeon. A Muslim firefighter shared his story with the kids.
B.R.I.D.G.E.S. recognized Karen Settles, of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7F, who granted a unit in the housing project where the programming takes place, for her support. Settles has held the position of the president of the resident council at Stoddert and understands the dire need for a place where the youth of the community can meet in a structured manner. “This program acts like a shield, and builds allegiances of honor with one another,” commented Settles, who has been an activist in the area for several decades. “God doesn’t give up on us, you cannot give up on us,” she said. Commissioner Anita Barnes office was also recognized for their support.
Michael Linder from the D.C. Library was signing up children for a program sponsored by the Dolly Parton Imagination Foundation: Books From Birth. Open to all children under the age of five who live in Washington, D.C., the program sends one free book a month in the mail until the child is 5 years old. Children receive books that are appropriate for their age, like the little engine that could and Gruffalo. Books are selected by professionals who choose books that reflect a diversity of people and cultures, and that promote self-esteem and a love of reading.
Along with continuing programs such as Feed the Hood, new programming was announced, including Books and Breakfast, Community Cuts and Arts N Entrepreneurs. Community Cuts will take place on the third Saturday of the month. Kids and youth can come in for a free haircut and socialize.
Art N Entrepreneurs encourages teens like Zamiya Saboor, 14, who runs a business called Purple Souls. “At any given time I could lose everything but knowing Allah is there keeps me going,” said Zamiyah. She dreams of having a shoe business- ‘business shoes made in Italy’. “Bodies have a soul; shoes need soles,” said Zamiya. She designed and sold 500 T-shirts for the National Kidney Foundation.
The program started when a young man from the IRHASA community in Capitol Heights was brutally murdered. With encouragement from leaders at IRHSCA, Ar-Rashidoon's Imam Abdul-Ali and brother Luqman Saboor started a young men’s circle of knowledge. Brothers get together on Wednesday nights to study. Luqman Saboor has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years. The first of 12 children of Imam Omar Saboor, ‘the Amir of Washington D.C.’, he wants to reach out to the people of his neighborhood and so they can grow and build a better family.
IRHSCA's Imam Talib Abdussamad emphasized that change starts with the individual. “Right now you are the one that we are here to give the message to. We came here without fanfare because we realized no one can change our situation except ourselves. You were created good, you are naturally good but society can change you,” he told the approximately two dozen attendees.
“We are trying to start an entrepreneur program so the [young people] can be self employed,” said Imam Abdul-Ali. A landscape company in the summer and vending tables in parks of the city are some ideas being considered.
“More folks need to come out to these small events, it means a whole lot to the children,” said Imam Abdul-Ali, inviting the community.
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