The History of CAIR-NY
The Council on American Islamic relations (CAIR-National) is a national not for profit, grassroots membership organization, based in Washington, D.C. CAIR-National was founded to represent an Islamic perspective on issues of importance to the American public and to empower the Muslim community in American through political and social activism. As CAIR focused on establishing its membership nationwide, there has been a growing recognition for the need of both local and national advocacy and education efforts, leading to development of local chapters.
CAIR's vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding; its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
In 1997, CAIR-National made a call for members to create a NY chapter. Following a meeting at the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury with 50 participants, 14 volunteers emerged and 4 individuals founded a New York Chapter. There was an overwhelming agreement that Muslims in the New York area needed to become vocal around issues of civil rights violations, to be proactive in advocacy, to access educational information, and to increase civic engagement.
The Council on American Islamic Relations-New York (CAIR-NY) is a non-profit, grassroots membership organization dedicated to presenting an Islamic perspective on issues of importance to the American public. In offering that perspective, CAIR-NY seeks to empower the New York area’s Muslim community through political and social activism. CAIR-NY aims to serve the New York area by promoting civil rights, raising awareness through education and advocacy, and organizing Muslim communities to participate as leaders and citizens.
CAIR-NY is an advocacy group with a primary purpose of protecting the civil rights of Muslims and empowering the approximately one million Muslims throughout New York State. CAIR-NY educates the public about the interests and positions of the American Muslim community of the United States in general and New York State in particular. CAIR-NY carries out its work through education and media relations, seminars, anti-defamation work, conferences and seminars, publications, action alerts, research, and trainings. CAIR-NY was incorporated in July of 1998. CAIR-NY is currently the only organization in New York City that advocates for civil rights and organizes the local Muslim community on a large scale.
The aims and objectives of the organization include dissemination of information about Islam and Muslims, to educate the general public at large about the misconceptions about Islam and to help create a more tolerant and informed atmosphere. It also aims to help protect the civil rights of those who feel they have been wronged on the basis of their religious beliefs. To fight the negative stereotyping of Muslims and Islam in the media is also a major objective of the organization.
