By  Dave Cortese

Santa Clara County Supervisor

As a County, we frequently highlight and commemorate the many contributions made by our diverse residents. Today was no exception as my Board colleagues and I adopted a proclamation declaring August as Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month.

The proclamation is a gesture of our continued support and solidarity with the Muslim community as anti-Muslim rhetoric and attitudes have spiked during this year’s presidential election.

I want to thank our County’s Office of Immigrant Relations for helping my office put forth the proclamation and for reaching out to our diverse Muslim community to attend today’s declaration.

Special thanks to:

Athar Siddique and Adnan Rashid from the South Bay Islamic Association

Sabuhi Siddiquee from the Muslim Community of Silicon Valley Chapter

Rania El-Sioufi from the Granada Islamic School

Moina Shaiq

Farha Andrabi navaid from the Mountain View Palo Alto Musalla

Sameena Usman and Zahra Billoo from Council on American-Islamic Relations

Samina Sundas from American Muslim Voice

Mahmut Altun from the Pacifica Institute

Osmun Ergene from the Hidaya Foundation

Vic Zikoor from the Arab American Cultural Center

Nahid Alinazee from the Muslim Advocates

Mylene Madrid from the Refugee Clinic

NhuHahn Tonnu from the Refugee Forum

Richard Konda from the Asian Law Alliance

Tamika N. van den Akker our County’s Refugee Coordinator

Ammal Elhaddad

Teresa Castellanos from our County’s Office of Immigrant Relations

Stephanie Jayne from the City of San Jose’s Office of Immigrant Affairs