With the summit only days away, I was not prepared.  I did not know what to expect, and I was definitely a little nervous.  For the first time, I went to Washington DC without the sole purpose of sightseeing and visiting my relatives. Rather, I was there to be more engaged within both the civic and political arena.  It is salient for young Muslims to get involved and be more active in these areas and we exemplified that.

The summit lasted for only four days, in which we engaged on policy issues among elected officials of Congress and representatives within certain government agencies.  The first evening began with an orientation dinner in which all of us were given packets with information and articles about speakers we were going to meet and the issues they are concerned with. It was overwhelming, exciting, and nerve-wracking all at once – especially after seeing our schedule.

The first place we went was the Gallup Center, where we met with representatives of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies.   Executive Director Dalia Mogahed and Senior Consultant Ahmed Younis spoke about the work they do and the collaboration they have with the Brookings Institute. After hearing them, I couldn’t help but feel pride as a Muslim.

After a photo opportunity with Sen. Barbara Boxer, we met with Sharik Zaafar, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department of Homeland Security.  It was stimulating to see someone not much older than us in such a position. It could be just as real for us if we set our minds to it.

A good portion of our time was spent meeting with a number of leaders, including assistant secretary of state of South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, California Congressman Adam Schiff, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, which was one of the highlights for me.

Feinstein surprised everyone with her down-to-earth approachability. Not only did she request all 25 of us to tell her a little about ourselves, she gave us unforgettable advice and motivation about political involvement.  Feinstein even kept the Foreign Ministry of Egypt waiting until she finished answering all our questions and taking a photo with all of us.  

“Come here little woman,” she said as she pulled me right next to her for the photo.   “Ladies in the front next to me.”

It was flattering. 

Another highlight of the summit was a meeting with the first Muslim Congressman in the history of the U.S., Keith Ellison.  He gave us a few inspirational words before catching his flight back to Minnesota.

The Summit was a fine representation of young Muslim Americans who are putting in the effort of counteracting the stereotypes of Muslims in America. There were both foreign and domestic policy issues we had addressed to those we met. There were those who left us with lasting impressions and fueled our motivation for advocacy.

As MPAC Executive Director Salaam Al-Maryati said, “These young Muslim delegates are here to show that they are not part of the problem, but trying to be part of the solution.”

Sure, that may sound like a cliché.  Well, it’s true. We were there for a purpose to actually engulf ourselves within the political arena by having the dialogue we had with elected officials and representatives.  We are trying to be part of the solution by addressing issues instead of ignoring them.  In essence, we relayed our concerns from the local level to a higher level via dialogue. We were letting our voices be heard, literally. We were immersing ourselves in the nation’s capital to be seen, heard, and listened too, and that’s exactly what we did.  We have to be part of the system in order to dismiss any problems that arise from within. We cannot be seen from the outside anymore, but work from the inside.

Asma Men is the voter education coordinator for the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance.