The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today questioned Paramount about the reported postponement of an event, titled “The Arab American Experience Amidst the Crisis in Gaza,” from its Inclusion Week calendar.
SEE: Screen Shot of Announcement Postponing “The Arab American Experience Amidst the Crisis in Gaza”
In a letter to Marva Smalls, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Inclusion at Paramount, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said in part:
“It has come to our attention that Paramount recently removed an event, titled “The Arab American Experience Amidst the Crisis in Gaza,” from its Inclusion Week calendar.
“Given the systematic silencing of Palestinian and Muslim voices we have witnessed nationwide over the past year, some of your staff are deeply concerned about why this event was “postponed” at a time when such efforts at inclusion are so vital.
“We are told that this is not the first time Arab-American and Muslim employees of Paramount have felt marginalized.
“We are reaching out privately and directly to encourage you to address these concerns by explaining why the event was postponed, restoring the event to its planned schedule, and creating more avenues for Muslim, Arab American and other employees to safely share their perspectives and concerns.”
From January to June 2024, CAIR documented 4,951 incoming bias complaints nationwide, a 69 percent increase over the same period in 2023.
SEE: New CAIR Data Shows Anti-Muslim, Anti-Palestinian Hate Remain Elevated in First Half of 2024
Earlier this year, CAIR’s national office released its 2024 civil rights report, which revealed the highest number of complaints it has ever received in its 30-year history. Titled “Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate,” the report documented 8,061 complaints.
Nearly half of all complaints received in 2023 were reported in the final three months of the year.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com