LemonAid Boys

Arab News, Seven-year-old LemonAid Boys in east London have caught the public’s imagination with their fundraising campaigns for Yemen and Palestine

"Best friends Ayaan Moosa and Mikaeel Ishaaq, from Ilford in east London, set up their homemade lemonade stand to raise £500 ($700) for Yemen’s humanitarian and famine crisis and, to their surprise, managed to raise £140,000, gaining them international recognition in such a short span as their campaign went viral."

Shamima Begum

References to internet radicalisation influences here: Independent, Shamima Begum says she was a ‘dumb kid’ when she left to join Isis

"In an interview for a new documentary from the al-Roj prison camp in Syria where she is still being held, Begum said: “I don't think I was a terrorist. I think I was just a dumb kid who made one mistake."

Organ Donation

Are you an organ donor?

📌 We are producing a short film designed to educate our community about organ donation, transplantation, and the need for more Muslim donors

📌 If you would like to get involved with the project, email healthpromotion@britishima.org pic.twitter.com/IoWulYBlqj

— British Islamic Medical Association (@BritishIMA) June 14, 2021

Representing Muslims On-Screen

BBC News, Actor Riz Ahmed wants to stop Hollywood's 'toxic portrayals' of Muslims

"The study by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, titled Missing and Maligned, found that fewer than 10% of top-grossing films released between 2017-2019 from the UK, US and Australia featured a speaking Muslim character." Links for the Annenberg report are here. I haven't looked at this in detail yet, but imagine that it will be useful in teaching on media concerns.

Responses to Ed Husain's Book

A Daily Mail newspaper article based on Ed Husain's new book has received negative responses online, of which this is one of the most high-profile:

These are complete and utter lies designed to do nothing but divide. The damage this does to all of us is devastating. It’s shameful, disgusting and a national embarrassment. Many are trying to bring us together, yet those with the largest platforms spread vile, dangerous hate. pic.twitter.com/5gQa7aOaAu

— Adil Ray OBE 💙 (@adilray) June 5, 2021

Here's a review of the book:

Yahya Birt, Medium, A Brown Sahib’s Lament: Ed Husain Among the Minarets

"Ed Husain’s latest screed on British Islam is a mashup between a Thomas Friedman in-depth ethnography via Uber, V. S. Naipaul’s gothic horror of all things Islamic, and a “brown sahib” reworking of post-Brexit English nationalism. In lieu of a review that it doesn’t warrant, I offer this brief visceral reaction instead."

Publisher's page

I haven't seen the book myself (not sure I am encouraged by the views of the above).

Social Media and 'Honour' in Communities

Important conversation in the first hour of BBC Five Live's Naga Munchetty programme today on social media, cultural-religious sensitivities, gender and 'honour' issues in communities.

Teaching in Wales

Proud teacher moment! My children on Sky News, talking about how children in Wales will be taught about racism and the contributions of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. @laurabundock @wgmin_education @charwilliamsOBE @BameedWales pic.twitter.com/Du2RempLXX

— Mrs Aziz (@MSPSMrsAziz) May 30, 2021