No, we are not a “nation of immigrants.” — On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) upheld the Muslim Ban in a 5–4 decision. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, made it clear that the court viewed the ability to regulate immigration as squarely within a president’s powers and he rejected critics’ claims of…

The Islamophobia of liberals may take a different form, but it ultimately follows similar reasoning to right-wing anti-Muslim sentiment and… — Update (September 2018): This piece has been updated, peer-reviewed, and published in Religions Volume 9 Issue 9, which you can access for free at www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/9/280. I was the fifth Muslim panelist to speak at a convening where dozens of people had gathered from across the country to discuss ways in…

You don’t have to be white to constantly center whiteness. I’m not here for the “persuadables” — at least not in the traditional sense. — As a lawyer, persuading people is what we get trained to do. On a personal level, I enjoy the art to making an argument — being able to apply creativity to concepts is what drew me to law school. But as someone who grew up 1. neither white nor Black…

‘How not to say the wrong thing’ applies to solidarity in racial justice work too — Note (June 2021): this article has been updated to include a new graphic that visually shows Modified Silk Ring Theory for Allyship and has steps written out, which are included in the text below. -NIA In early 2015, during my father’s battle with cancer, I came across this 2013 gem…

The presidential Cabinet serves as an advisory body to the President. Every leader should have a streamlined version of this as well. — The Cabinet form of government began in Great Britain and has come to mean a group of heads of government departments who serve as advisers to the chief of state. In the U.S. System, the Cabinet is made up of the secretaries of the executive departments. As in so much…