Peace & Blessings,
As genocide unfolds globally, Philly Muslim Freedom Fund (PMFF) has been supporting the return of our sisters, brothers, and family locally. We’ve been fundraising, letter-writing, and educating over the past three months to break walls of separation, brick-by-brick!
Since February 2024, our victories include:
- Contributing $1500 bond to uplift a Muslim ICE detainee fleeing torture and slavery in Mauritania
- Organizing two interactive workshops attended by 60+ participants at a Muslim youth conference
- Raising $1000+ for an operations budget through t-shirt sales
- Co-organizing two in-person prisoner letter writing events attended by 35+ participants
- Uplifting a Muslim youth with post-release support (employment, transportation, & basic income)
Gratitude
We thank our community partners and movement family for co-conspiring over the past three months:
Alhumdulillah, our prisoner solidarity, community fundraising, and political education activities were possible because of your generous support and collaboration!
Detention
Since police are more likely to detain Black people, Muslims in Philadelphia — which has one of the largest Black Muslim populations in the country — often experience racial profiling. For example, Philadelphia Police illegally detained Abdul Maalik as he was filling up air in his friend’s parked car on November 21, 2020.
“Instead of traffic violations, I was asked about unrelated things such as firearms and drugs, which is a stereotype for a Black man in the inner city. I was then snatched from the vehicle… at which point my Fourth Amendment Rights were violated when the vehicle was searched without a warrant,” described Brother Abdul.
“[T]his was really a police violating a citizen type of a situation,” Maalik later added. You can read more about Brother Abdul’s story here.
Solidarity
Since October 7, the Zionist Entity’s use of administrative detention, where people are held without charge or trial indefinitely, has escalated substantially. Among the nearly 10,000 political prisoners in Occupied Palestine, the majority have never been convicted of a crime. Similarly, over 90% of people in Philadelphia jails are pre-trial – they have not been convicted of any crime – and are simply awaiting trial, sometimes for years.
In Pennsylvania, Muslims comprise over 20% of the state prison population. Many of our siblings behind the walls, like Hamza, feel tremendous solidarity with Palestinians, who are often unlawfully detained.
As political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal tells us:
“From [Palestinians’] epic losses spring the fruits of solidarity that binds us, human to human; oppressed to oppressed. As the cruelties of imperialism mount, giving rise to anger and distaste, the forces of solidarity grow too, encapsulating the majority of the people of the Earth.”
Political Prisoners
Political prisoners serve as luminaries in the pathway towards Justice. From Zaynab bint Ali (as) to Russell “Maroon” Shoatz, PMFF has centered political prisoners in its fundraisers. Throughout this campaign, we’ll be spotlighting political prisoners as beacons of wisdom for breaking walls of oppression, brick-by-brick.
Your gifts will go directly towards bail monies for Muslims held captive in Philadelphia jails, as well as post-release supports. Show solidarity, strengthen bonds, and let people know they are not forgotten!
You can also support by sharing this LaunchGood among your networks.
Thanks for your contributions – tap the green button and break the walls today!
Straight Ahead!
Philly Muslim Freedom Fund