Centering Muslim Student Voices: Muslim Campus Life Hosts Two Student Listening Sessions with United States Department of Education

In December 2023, Muslim Campus Life (MCL) partnered with the U.S. Department of Education’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (CFBNP) to host two virtual listening sessions for Muslim college students across the nation. The sessions provided a crucial platform for students to share their experiences, concerns, and hopes for their campus life. Students shared horrifying stories of their experiences with Islamophobia, Anti-Muslim racism, Anti-Arab racism, and Anti-Palestinian discrimination from the past three months. Students also shared their ideas on how the United States Department of Education could best address their concerns and improve the campus climate for Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian students in the wake of rising discrimination and campus polarization. Overall, the listening sessions marked a significant step forward in fostering understanding and collaboration between Muslim students, the U.S. Department of Education, and campus communities.