 We now have a presentation of a proclamation for Muslim American Appreciation and Awareness Month. I would like to invite Munir, Safi, and Humira, Nawaz with the Muslim Community Center, the East Bay, to the lectern while I read the proclamation recognizing August as Muslim American Appreciation and Awareness Month. And then after I read the proclamation you are welcome to offer comments and if you'd like to take a photograph with the council. Thank you. Whereas enriched by the diversity of its residents, the city of Pleasanton takes pride in supporting individual religious freedoms for all and is strengthened by the contributions made by the many diverse religious and cultural traditions of its residents including those who practice Islam and whereas Alameda County is home to over 90,000 Muslims who make innumerable contributions to the cultural, political, and economic fabric and well-being of our city, county, state, and nation and whereas mosques and local Muslim organizations such as the Muslim Community Center of the East Bay and the Islamic Center of Zahra stepped in to help the entire community during the pandemic by donating funds, distributing food, and sewing masks for frontline workers as well as educating their congregations about social distancing guidelines to keep the community safe and whereas though the Islamic practice of Zakat, local Muslim organizations help give back to the community by providing grocery deliveries and financial assistance to local families organizing quarterly blood drives, food drives, and backpack drives for school children as well as many other charitable activities serving individuals and families throughout the community and now therefore be it resolved the Pleasanton City Council does hereby proclaim August 2022 as American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month to acknowledge the rich history and contribution of American Muslims in our community and may it have a lasting positive impact for our city, state, and nation Thank you Good evening Mayor Carla Brown City Council members Thank you so much for honoring our state's designation of August being Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month This is the seventh year that the State of California has recognized August as Muslim Awareness Month and the fourth year the City of Pleasanton and the City Council has given this honor to us Thank you so much for making sure that your residents feel proud to be living in this city and feeling that they're part of the rich fabric that makes Pleasanton so special My name is Humira Nawaz and I'm a resident of Pleasanton for the last 25 years I have actually been an employee of City of Pleasanton for a few years as well I'm representing Muslim Community Center as you said which is located on Las Desitas Boulevard which takes great pride in building bridges between the city and the local community As you very graciously told everybody that we have been supporting through Alameda County Food Bank and through our own community funds, food drives, and weekly food distributions along with many other charities that we support the community This is our way of giving back and saying thank you Muslim Americans have lived and contributed in these communities since this country's founding in various ways Sadly, in the last decade and a half, the impact of Islam has been very real and our community has felt it We have heard from our congregation members, women wearing their faith on their head in the form of a headscarf in malls and shopping centers, hospitals of this progressive bubble that we live in feeling intimidated, which we never felt before Our students in a recent study done by Council on American Islamic Relation reports 49% of American Muslim students have experienced bullying and worse, 38% of those surveyed, the bullying has been done by the teacher In workforce, employees and applicants who are Muslims have filed lawsuits against employers and have won them based on religious discrimination At this point, I would like to deviate a little and thank a person in this room who made a huge impact For me, the day 9-11 happened was the first day Gingerbread Preschool was having back-to-bear night and my boss at that time, Becky Hopkins, supported a scar-faring moment I had walked up to her and said, Becky, I don't need to be here today because emotions are running high and I don't want to make any parents feel uncomfortable But this day, I remember, she hugged me and said, Humana, you belong here Thank you, Becky It's people like her and experiences like these that give her hope that our children will not have to face these discriminations and they will be able to conquer the device that we have built over the last few years Once again, thank you so much City Council of Pleasanton We appreciate your recognizing and giving us this honor We hope that we will continue to build bridge bridges with the City of Pleasanton Please stay for a photo