HOME / NEWS /

Latino Muslims

Latino Muslims Balance Catholic Ethos with New Faith

June 5, 2006

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/04/AR2006060400957.html

On June 5, 2006 The Washington Post reported, "Every morning, Jackie Avelar wakes up to a predicament. On one side of her bed is a clock that sounds the Islamic call to prayer five times a day. On the other side is a statue of Mary. As a Muslim, she wants to remove it. As a Latina, she can't. Her father, who is a Catholic...

Read more about Latino Muslims Balance Catholic Ethos with New Faith

Muslim Activist Bridges Gap Between Chicago Suburbs and Inner City

May 3, 2006

Source: Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0605030211may03,1,1098160,print.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

On May 3, 2006 the Chicago Tribune reported, "He is one of Muslim America's rising young activists, yet he is reserved in his comments on caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, the Mideast conflict and the war in Iraq. Instead, Rami Nashashibi speaks out against...

Read more about Muslim Activist Bridges Gap Between Chicago Suburbs and Inner City

South Florida Latinas Convert to Islam, Reverting to Traditional Cultural Mores

January 3, 2006

Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-pconverts03jan03,0,7380692.story

On January 3, 2006 the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported, "When she converted to Islam in May, [Melissa] Matos, a Dominican-American raised as a Seventh-day Adventist, expected the passage to be lonely... [However,] scholars say Matos is part of a growing number of Latin women converting to Islam for its...

Read more about South Florida Latinas Convert to Islam, Reverting to Traditional Cultural Mores

Chicagoland Eid Celebrations Expand with Immigrant Muslim Communities

November 3, 2005

Source: Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0511020009nov02,1,755322.story

On November 3, 2005 the Chicago Tribune reported, "As the U.S. Muslim population increases, immigrant communities are striving to make the holy day of Eid as joyful in the U.S. as it is in their homeland by arranging large gatherings in banquet halls with good food and warm memories. The wide-ranging efforts to recognize Eid on a...

Read more about Chicagoland Eid Celebrations Expand with Immigrant Muslim Communities

Columbia Students Discuss Role of Islam in Latino Culture, Break Fast with Tex-Mex

October 12, 2005

Source: The Columbia Spectator

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/10/12/434ccd7e69d50?in_archive=1

On October 12, 2005 The Columbia Spectator reported, "Students came together [at Columbia University] to break their Ramadan fast over an iftar dinner and stayed for halal tex-mex... The mix of the two unlikely meals represented the blend of cultures at Tuesday night’s 'Latinos in Islam: Rediscovering our...

Read more about Columbia Students Discuss Role of Islam in Latino Culture, Break Fast with Tex-Mex

Hispanic Converts to Islam to Celebrate First Ramadan

September 30, 2005

Source: Sun Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-nw30ramadansep30,0,2961024.story

On September 30, 2005 the Sun Sentinel reported, "This year's Ramadan celebration will be extra special for members of a Margate, [Florida] mosque [Masjid Jamaat Al-Mumineen] who will observe the holiday in a brand new building... Melissa Matos is among some area Muslims who will be celebrating the season for the first time...

Read more about Hispanic Converts to Islam to Celebrate First Ramadan

Latino Muslims Struggle to Help Family Understand Conversion

July 31, 2005

Source: The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_2902407

On July 31, 2005 The Denver Post reported, "Latino Muslims say it's a lot easier to convert to Islam than to convince family members it's a good idea. Some Latino Muslim converts gathered in Denver on Saturday to discuss problems they have in adjusting to their new religion, keeping up family relationships and putting up with rejection from people who fear Muslims. Misunderstandings about Islam are rampant, said...

Read more about Latino Muslims Struggle to Help Family Understand Conversion

Number of Latino Muslims Increases Significantly in the US

July 13, 2005

Source: Voice of America

http://author.voanews.com/english/2005-07-13-voa49.cfm

On July 13, 2005 the Voice of America reported, "Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the United States and Latinos represent one of the fastest-growing minorities. Increasingly, the two trends are meeting in the form of Hispanic converts to Islam... San Antonio native Juan Galvan says the transition to Islam is made easy for many Hispanics because of historic and cultural...

Read more about Number of Latino Muslims Increases Significantly in the US

Mayan Indians in Chiapas Convert to Islam in Significant Numbers

February 18, 2005

Source: Arab News

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=59185&d=18&m=2&y=2005&pix=world.jpg&category=World

On February 18, 2005 the Arab News reported, "Despite the predominance of Catholic Christianity in Mexico, Islam has established itself on the edge of [San Cristobal de las Casas], a little way off from the town’s beautiful and plentiful churches. Some 300 people from the Tzotzil Mayan community...

Read more about Mayan Indians in Chiapas Convert to Islam in Significant Numbers

Growing Number of Latinos Converting to Islam in the US

January 25, 2005

Source: My San Antonio.com

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA012505.1A.latino.muslims.3f873650.html

On January 25, 2005 My San Antonio.com reported, "thousands of Latinos across the country — both U.S.-born and immigrants — have been converting to Islam since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks sparked massive U.S. societal interest in the religion and its billion followers worldwide. No definitive research exists on the...

Read more about Growing Number of Latinos Converting to Islam in the US