NY Community Trust Teams Up with Muslim-American Leaders to Counter Anti-Islamic Stereotypes
In the past year, suspected hate crimes and other forms of racial and religious bigotry against Muslim Americans rose in many parts of the country, including New York.
More than 80 percent of the media’s coverage of Muslims is negative, according to reports from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, and surveys show that nearly half of all Americans don’t personally know a Muslim.
In response, The New York Community Trust has committed half a million dollars toward a new effort that will counteract Islamophobia and focus on highlighting and supporting the positive contributions of Muslim Americans living in New York and beyond.
“Thanks to money to left to us by New Yorker’s bequests, we fund programs that improve the lives of all New Yorkers, especially those most in need,” the Trust’s Shawn Morehead says. “Recently, we helped thousands of young undocumented immigrants apply for the federal program known as DACA, which allows them to work and go to school without fear of deportation. Also, The Trust has helped gay and lesbian immigrants apply for legal protection.”
The Trust has been working on immigration issues since 1987, when it created the Fund for New Citizens. Since then, it has made more than $20 million in grants to increase legal services for immigrants, help nonprofits led by immigrants, and promote the integration of immigrants into the city’s civic and economic life.
About the New York Community Trust
The Trust connect past and present generous New Yorkers with nonprofit that ensure healthy lives, thriving communities, and promising futures. The Trust is a community foundation for New York City, Westchester and Long Island – with a permanent endowment dedicated to improving our region through strategic grant making, civic engagement, and smart philanthropy.