On Friday, April 4, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his daughter, Natalia, were invited by the Southern California Shura Council for Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi’s Jummah Khutbah at Omar ibn Al-Khattab masjid.

The sermon, which took place on the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, focused on King’s contribution to civil rights and the needs to further his cause.

"He stood for freedom, justice and equality among all … principles that we have to talk about as often as possible," Siddiqi said. He also urged the congregants before urging them to examine their lives and question their own contributions to justice and freedom.

Though Villaraigosa arrived halfway into the lecture due to prior engagements, he had an opportunity to address the crowd as well, and he stayed well afterward to shake hands with enthusiastic community members.

In a lunch organized after prayers for the mayor to meet with local Muslim leaders, Villaraigosa emphasized the importance of solidarity between communities.

"I look more like you than I do the founding fathers of our great country," he said. "Our ability to see that connection with one another is the key to our future."

Siddiqi said it’s crucial to maintain strong relationships with everyone in the community, and that is what the Shura Council is working toward – "building relations and bringing understanding between people of different races, faiths and communities."