Letter to the editor: ICA a welcoming place for all students
Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to the April 23 article, “False inclusivity and cultural insensitivity in campus spaces.”
For those who don’t know me, my name is Abdi Lugundi, sometimes called Swervo by those who don’t know me on a personal level. I am the current President of Allegheny Student Government and former Vice President of Theta Chi.
I grew up in the Kakuma Refugee camps in Kenya. I settled in the U.S around 2004. I am Somali Bantu, a minority ethnic group within the larger Somali clans. But most importantly I am Muslim, a Black Muslim and a foreign Black Muslim in post 9/11 America.
Many may think that 9/11 didn’t have an effect on me in comparison to my Arabic, Middle Eastern and Brown brothers and sisters of the Islamic religion. The 2001 attacks of 9/11 made the process of resettlement difficult for the Somali Bantu and caused many delays. There were security concerns delaying the process of resettlement for the Somali Bantu and even being given P2 status in 1999, they were not settled into the U.S until 2004. If it wasn’t for the fact that we were deemed as a “humanitarian crisis,” most of us would have never crossed paths.
After resettling in Pittsburgh, I faced a lot of issues with my identity. Identity crisis has always been a part of my life, and something I am still facing today.
Before I decided to enroll in Allegheny College, I had the opportunity to shadow a fellow Muslim from Kenya. He was a part of the Islamic Cultural Association and I really felt like I could find a place for myself.
Coming to Allegheny College, I knew everything was going to be a culture shock. For one, I had a notion that I was going to be the only kid coming from the projects and going into an environment which doesn’t resonate with my lived experience. Two, people really never know how to treat Black Muslims — we have two contrasting pasts that we carry which really do not carry any good memories with America. I have also experienced this feeling from non Black Muslims within my community. It kind of gets awkward too when people try to avoid conversations or phrases that make them seem racist and prejudiced against us.
Finally getting adjusted to the campus lifestyle through the help of Access Allegheny, I made my beginning friendships. I wanted to be more comfortable with my religious identity and also connect with others who share the same experience. In the club, I noticed there was not a representation of the Black Muslim experience or inclusion of the Black Muslim diaspora. After joining the board, I wanted to make a difference for the club. During this time, I did something which I would have never thought would cross my mind: I joined a historically white fraternity, Theta Chi. From this action, I received a lot of backlash from the president of that time and I felt I was exiled and deemed as a token. I joined Theta Chi because because I did not feel like I had to be a token or change who I was to be a part of this organization. They also did not resemble the other historical white fraternities on campus — everyone had their own personality and distinct character. It felt magical. After becoming a brother, I wanted to make sure others who were not traditionally accepted into these spaces could find a place for themselves. I never had to boast about how diverse the fraternity was because it was just something that was understood and happened naturally; it was genuine. When I became vice president of the Theta Chi, I also became co-president of the Islamic Culture Association. This gave me the chance to allow my brothers to gain knowledge and understanding of my religious background and lifestyle through weekly general meetings. Brothers and their friends have watched me pray and advocate for my religion until this day and they would stand behind my religious values over their own beliefs, true allies.
For as long as I can remember, ICA has been a place for Muslim and non-Muslim students where Muslim students are the minority within the club. This gave space for non-Muslims who did not know about the religion to gain awareness through interactions, discussions and events. I have had many friends think about converting, friends who have converted and friends who gained a new understanding of Islam through ICA. When it comes to being Muslim, it is not a race — it is a lifestyle. You treat people how you would like to be treated. You are encouraged to invite people to the religion and exemplify the beauty of being Muslim.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslim and non-Muslim members on the board have worked tirelessly to provide Iftar for each night and solidify venues for the entirety of the month. ICA is and will be a welcoming space for all no matter what you believe in. At Allegheny College, we are here to learn about our differences. I do not want anyone to “shut up.” I want them to speak about what they don’t understand so I can help them understand. If it is not my duty, then it is the duty of the club.
Also, during the month of Ramadan it is encouraged that you invite your neighbors and friends to break fast with you. I can never say Ramadan is culturally or religiously mine because being Muslim is not for a specific race or people. It is a lifestyle that you exemplify under the deities and guidelines of Islam.
How can I feel included when I can’t represent the Muslim general norm in terms of identity or culture?
CORRECTION 5/7: This article was updated to reflect the accurate title as it appears in print.
Piper M • May 9, 2021 at 5:10 pm
To the lovely Marayan O.
I’m sorry if you perceived my rant as ignorance as it is pure and utter anger as to how several of my Muslim friends are being treated on campus. As you are the president of Abdi’s non-profit, I can tell you seem to care about Abdi a lot. You seem very biased in your beliefs about this situation and I can respect that, but it is very ignorant of you to not even attempt to see my point of view. I was not proclaiming that Abdi’s experience on campus was invalid, I was stating that BOTH Sami and Abdi’s perspectives provide insight. I was not saying that Abdi being a part of Greek life took away from his experience as a Muslim. As I stated earlier, I was critiquing Abdi’s response to Sami’s article. I thought I made that clear. Abdi’s piece would work if it was not a direct response to Sami’s piece as he addressed absolutely nothing Sami said. I also didn’t state that ICA COULDN’T be a place for Muslims and non-Muslims to interact; I was stating that instead of actually going to Sami to talk about his opinion piece to clear up any miscommunication (or even ask Sami to come to him next time), he just wrote this very blatantly biased piece. THAT is why I stated that it is coming off like Abdi is defending non-muslims over actual Muslims in ICA. Again, I thought I made that pretty clear but I understand you’re close with Abdi and might not see it that way.
I think it’s pretty hypocritical for you to state that my comment is salty while yours is piling on with salt and with blatant insults. I actually am trying to help Muslims in this community and better their lives whilst also not tiptoeing the lines of speaking over them but that is neither here nor there as that is not the point. Abdi wrote this article in a response to Sami’s article and it was a pretty poor piece of journalism in my opinion. I think it’s funny how you refuse to even consider that by writing this piece, Abdi is shutting down Sami’s opinion as well.
I’m not going to continue this conversation any further because the fact that this is an argument is LAUGHABLE. Seriously, it sounds like you just got mad that I called Abdi out and began comparing his response to the actual article he was responding to (especially when you bring up Abdi’s character when I was stating my own personal feelings on Abdi’s character which I made clear were my own opinions on Abdi. Fun fact: I am entitled to say that Abdi does not represent me due to his Greek Life status.)
However I would like to thank you for proving my point as well as Sami’s too. Instead of agreeing with Sami that white people being disrespectful during Iftar is wrong, you proceed to back Abdi up on an opinion that Sami was not even expressing. Instead of agreeing that porkchop next to biriyani is wrong, you proceed to go with what Abdi did and twist my narrative and Sami’s narravitve into an Anti-Abdi, Anti-Greek Life, Anti-ICA propaganda.
I would also like to thank you for helping me realize that if I ever were to actually go to ICA in order to learn about Muslims (as I am actually interested in converting, not like it matters) I would not be welcome. It’s clear to me that the only thing ICA is interested in now is accepting ignorance instead of support. It’s also clear to me that if I did convert to Islam, if I ever wanted to help change how ICA was run I’d instantly be shut down in favor of non-Muslims (which, again, wasn’t even the point Sami was making but it’s becoming clear to me that that’s the case). So again, I really do thank you for proving Sami’s point 10x better (especially since you are extremely close to Abdi and felt the need to write this comment defending him) as well as proving my point. I hope you have a wonderful finals week and summer break and I do hope you enjoyed Sami’s lovely opinion piece. (Not like this argument matters as Abdi isn’t even going to be here next semester nor does my comment affect any of his leadership status which makes this comment all the more amusing)
Maryan O. • May 7, 2021 at 10:57 pm
Dear Piper M,
I will start off by saying that your rant about Abdi’s article sounds very ignorant. I’m a Muslim student who has been involved with ICA for three years. I’ve seen all the work ICA and Abdi have done for the betterment of Muslim students on campus. The role of ICA is to provide a space for Muslim students and non Muslim students to come together and connect on campus. In your comment you talk about how Sami’s experiences are valid while simultaneously invalidating the experience of Abdi as a Muslim. Just because Abdi is part of Greek life that doesn’t take away from his experience as a Muslim. What are you doing to better the lives of Muslims on campus since you feel you deserve the space to criticize the work that Abdi does. YOU are the problem here at Allegheny College, an entitled non Muslim putting their opinion into the issues of Muslims without providing anything constructive or helpful. Why do you feel you have a right to voice your opinions and shut down the voices of Muslims. You sound salty, you seem mad about something that has nothing to do with you. Next time you’re thinking about writing an extremely long rant critiquing someone think about if you are contributing anything valuable to the conversation or just like the sound of your own voice.
Piper M • May 7, 2021 at 1:43 pm
(Note: The Campus, for whatever reason, changed the article’s title and left out some very crucial details as to how you are supposed to interpret this story. The original title that was printed on paper was “Letter of the editor: ICA a welcoming place for all students”. He was writing in response to the article written by Sami Mirza titled “False inclusivity and cultural insensitivity in campus spaces”. I hope whoever put this story up understands that by taking that title and crucial information away from the story, it presents a false narrative. This piece was in response to the article so I will be addressing it as a response to the article.)
How to prove you don’t listen to students and side with Greek Life always: This poorly written piece. Real question, did you make this because you wanted to state that ICA is welcoming, or did you do it because the article mentioned how Greek Life is in control of everything and it hurt your fragile ego? I thought our student government president was supposed to listen to criticisms not blatantly misinterpret them and publicly write a counterargument to them. This piece is just you giving me your life story to try and prove a point. The only point that was proven is that you cannot take criticism and get mad the moment that someone tells you that you don’t represent the student body. Clearly, you don’t represent Muslims either as you decided to not hear one out and appeal to the people that made Iftar an unsafe space for him? You are the problem (and no, that’s not just because you are a Black Muslim which yes, presents its challenges but has nothing to do with that piece nor is it me stating that is why you cannot truly represent Muslims on this campus). You say you don’t want people to shut up but when someone decides to speak their criticisms you get salty. If you’re a part of ICA… Couldn’t you just have- oh I don’t know- talked to Sami to see his point of view? Of course not; you have to make everything a big spectacle because, in the end, you don’t want to hear the other side you just want to shut them down. There was a clear miscommunication on your part because none of what you stated had anything to do with his article besides the last sentence (which is funny because he clearly states that sometimes it’s better to listen than to talk and you proved his point). I love how your only evidence to back this up is that some people “thought” about converting due to ICA. That shouldn’t ever be the goal of an ICA on a college campus; that sounds like the job of a mosque which ICA isn’t. I don’t think those white people talking during the first iftar want to convert, Abdi. Next time before you waste an entire section of The Campus telling us your life story, actually go and read the article you’re arguing against because all this opinion piece made me do is realize just how big of an ego you have and how awful Greek life at this college is AS WELL as ASG. Not only that, but now I understand why Muslims at this college feel unsafe with ICA because people like you feel like you need to put the needs of non-muslims over your own. Talking while other people are praying is DISRESPECTFUL, biriyani being served next to pork chops is an EMBARRASSMENT, and Greek Life being almost all of the student leadership is a problem. Let’s hope the next ASG president isn’t as salty as you and can address claims instead of writing an article where you wanted to talk about how you aren’t the problem but you couldn’t come up with enough words so you came up with an argument that highlights your struggles as a way to “one-up” Sami’s struggles. Nobody is saying your story isn’t important to tell or that it makes you just like every ASG president – I must remind you the article did not trash talk ICA or ASG – but you would know that if you read the article and were able to take an ounce of criticism.
Editor-in-Chief • May 7, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Hi there! The article has been updated to reflect the accurate headline. The former headline was posted in error from a previous edit of the story. Thanks for pointing out the error.