‘A safe space': Queer Muslim community gathers for Iftar in New York City
NEW YORK (PIX11) – Joy and resilience as resistance.
That was the theme of this year's Iftar gathering at The Center in Greenwich Village.
More Local News
The event brought together dozens of Muslim New Yorkers who are also members of the LGBTQ community. During Ramadan, they prayed and shared a meal as they broke their fast at sundown.
Mohamed Q. Amin, the Executive Director of the Caribbean Equality Project, was one of the speakers and organizers.
Amin told PIX 11 News, 'This space has always been a safe space for queer Muslims to come, gather, break fast, and celebrate Ramadan with each other.'
This was the Ninth Annual Iftar at the Center on West 13th Street.
Amin said the first one was held in 2017 in response to the Trump Administration's announcement of a Muslim Travel ban.
Amin said, 'Nine years later, here we are, celebrating resilience and joy, but we're also calling for our communities to really be protected. We're seeing immigrants, queer Muslims, are being attacked, being detained, we're seeing trans erasure at a national level.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
43 minutes ago
- New York Post
Adams condemns LA anti-ICE riots and warns New Yorkers similar protests ‘would not be tolerated' if attempted in NYC
Mayor Eric Adams condemned the ongoing anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles and warned New Yorkers not to get any ideas about starting similar violent protests back home. 'The escalation of protests in Los Angeles over the last couple of days is unacceptable and would not be tolerated if attempted in our city,' Adams said during a press conference Monday alongside NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Adams and Tisch appeared as a united front as the mayor encouraged would-be protesters to 'choose peace and compassion over anger and retaliation.' Advertisement 4 Eric Adams condemned the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, calling them 'unacceptable.' 'I want to assure all New Yorkers that we have the best police department in the world. Men and women who are prepared to handle any issues that may arise, especially when we are faced with deep division in our society,' Adams said. Tisch added that the NYPD would do just fine without federal intervention — including the dispatch of National Guard members, which President Trump ordered to LA — if any destructive mass protests crop up in the Big Apple. Advertisement 'Let me be crystal clear: We have no tolerance for violence, none. We have no tolerance for property damage. We have no tolerance for people blocking entrances to buildings or blocking driveways or blocking cars from moving. And any attacks against law enforcement will be met with a swift and decisive response from the NYPD,' Tisch said. 'We are responsible for public safety and maintaining order in this city. And we will never abdicate that responsibility.' On Monday, an anti-ICE protest was held in the lobby of Trump Tower as dozens of demonstrators demanded the release of immigrants sent to El Salvador's megaprison. 4 The LA protests started last Friday and continued through the weekend. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement 4 President Donald Trump sent the National Guard to LA in spite of Gov. Gavin Newsom's orders. AFP via Getty Images 4 On Monday, anti-ICE protesters settled in the lobby of Trump Towers and demanded the return of migrants sent to El Salvador's hellish megaprison. Stephen Yang In late May, nearly two dozen protesters were arrested outside an ICE facility in Manhattan after ICE officials nabbed multiple migrants appearing at the Lower Manhattan courthouse. The Los Angeles protests, meanwhile, entered their fourth consecutive night Monday as thousands of participants took to the streets over ICE raids in the city. Advertisement Trump overrode California Gov. Gavin Newsom and ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to the LA riots as participants lit cars on fire and hurled rocks and fireworks at officers. On top of the 2,000 National Guard members, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth deployed 700 active-duty Marines to the LA protests, who are expected to arrive on Tuesday.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Chicago among cities with Monday rallies in protest of Calif. National Guard deployment
CHICAGO (WGN) — Immigrant, civil rights and labor groups in more than a dozen US cities on Monday, including Chicago, held rallies in protest of the new phase in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. President Donald Trump over the weekend federalized the California National Guard after protestors and law enforcement faced off in Los Angeles. The rising tension follows last week's immigration crackdown in Chicago, in which advocates accused Chicago police of assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, a claim the department denies. 'What we saw last week and over the weekend wasn't lawful enforcement it was a belligerent power grab,' Rep. Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia said at a Monday rally at Daley Plaza. 'This isn't about safety. This is about control. Fear is the tactic. Silence is the goal. This is not about immigration. This is about domination of all of our communities.' What to know about Trump's deployment of National Guard troops California governor to sue Trump over National Guard deployments ICE arrests at Chicago immigration building spark protest; advocates speak out The event in Chicago coincided with planned rallies from coast to coast, including Seattle, Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Boston. 'Their tactic to incite violence is clearly intentional and it creates a moment that Trump will certainly exploit to enact even more harm,' said Lawrence Benito, CEO of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Groups gathered Monday also spoke out against Trump's extensive new travel ban barring nationals of 12 countries from entering the U.S. The ban mostly affects countries in Africa and the Middle East. The president made the final call on signing the order following the June 1 antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado. 'We must be clear that this is undeniably rooted in anti-Muslim, anti-Black … racism,' said Nadiah Alyafai with the Arab American Action Network. In Washington, House Republicans are set to grill three blue state governors about their cooperation with ICE. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is set to testify Thursday along with the governors of New York and Minnesota. As first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, a source tells WGN-TV that Pritzker has retained a Washington, D.C. law firm to help him prep, paying for the services out of his own pocket. He's also getting a hand from a former White House counsel to President Joe Biden. A Pritzker spokesman says the governor will show that the Illinois TRUST Act is fully compliant with federal law. The law, signed by Republican Bruce Rauner, enables people regardless of immigration status to report crime and call emergency services. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Airbnb attacks New York mayoral candidates in $1M digital ad spend
NEW YORK — Airbnb's super PAC is spending $1 million on a digital ad attacking three mayoral candidates for not supporting short-term rentals as the company lobbies to expand its business opportunities in New York City. 'Their plans and policies will make New York even more expensive,' a voice narrating the ad cautions of Democrats Zohran Mamdani, Scott Stringer and Brad Lander, who oppose short-term rentals. On the screen is a New York Post headline warning about Mamdani's tax hike proposal. 'And they oppose common-sense solutions that would make the city more affordable.' The 30-second ad started running Monday on streaming, digital and social media. The ad from Affordable New York attacking three other candidates in the race serves to benefit the front-runner, Andrew Cuomo, and puts him in the enviable position of getting support from both sides of the bitter lobbying battle between Airbnb and the hotel workers union. The former governor has been endorsed by the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, and its super PAC plans to boost Cuomo with $1 million in spending on his behalf. Airbnb could spend even more in the mayoral race — a spokesperson for the super PAC said it could spend as much as another $1 million before the June 24 Democratic primary. HTC Political Director Bhav Tibrewal said he's confused by Airbnb's strategy. 'As governor, Andrew Cuomo took action against unregulated short-term rentals and he's promised to continue to stand up for tenants and workers as mayor,' he said in a statement. 'If Airbnb thinks it's a flex to publicly light their money on fire, we're happy to not stand in their way on this one.' Airbnb has been pushing the City Council to exempt one- and two-family homeowners from the city's short-term rental crackdown — an effort fiercely opposed by the influential hotel union. The multibillion dollar industry is all but illegal in the city due to state law that prohibits rentals for fewer than 30 days when a host is not present. The city ramped up enforcement of those state rules in 2022, under a law requiring short-term rental hosts to register with the city, which effectively weeded out illegal listings. Council Member Farah Louis, with support from Speaker Adrienne Adams, introduced a bill last November that sought to make way for Airbnb in one- and two-family homes. The council quietly amended that legislation in February, axing key parts of the bill after discussions with the hotel union — and, Louis said, 'significant legal concerns' by the council. Adams is also running for mayor, and Airbnb is refraining from attacking her. Mamdani, an assemblymember representing western Queens, and Lander, the city comptroller, have opposed the legislation. Stringer, who preceded Lander in the comptroller's office, is a longtime critic of Airbnb. 'Affordable New York was launched to support everyday New Yorkers who rely on short-term rentals to make ends meet,' the super PAC's spokesperson Michael Blaustein, said in a statement. 'These candidates continue to promote a false narrative blaming hosts for the housing crisis, despite evidence to the contrary. That rhetoric protects special interests, not New Yorkers.' Mamdani spokesperson Andrew Epstein responded. 'First, it was the landlord lobby donating $2.5 million to the disgraced ex-governor,' he said, referring to the New York Apartment Association's ad campaign, first reported by POLITICO. 'Now, it's AirBnB spending another million to stop our momentum. Andrew Cuomo is the candidate who will raise your rent, take even more apartments off the market, and serve his donors.' Lander campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec also responded: 'While Andrew Cuomo is funded by huge corporations who are trying to bribe their way into City Hall, Brad Lander is a man of the people and can't be bought.' And in a statement, Stringer shot back. 'This is not first time Airbnb has spent money to defeat me in my fight for affordable housing,' he said. 'I hope they are using my good side in their picture of me. It's clear with these ads that Airbnb has left the building.' The super PAC is funded with a $5 million contribution by the San Francisco-based Airbnb. Affordable New York has previously reported spending more than $1 million supporting candidates in City Council primaries. It's also spending $250,000 boosting New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who's heavily favored in his reelection race, even though he's been a vocal critic of the company's business model, City & State first reported.
