LaunchGood
Organized by Amin G. Aaser

The Muslim Identity Study: Raising Confident Muslims in America

$45,189

raised of $40,000 USD goal

526 supporters, Project Closed
Success!

Impact: Minneapolis, MN

Verification in progress. Learn More

This campaign will collect all funds raised by March 1, 2017 at 5:45 AM EDT

Join Noor Kids in conducting national research to identify specific, evidence-based, and actionable solutions to help raise confident Muslim kids.


To join us, click on the orange  "Support" button. Or, contribute through PayPal (link here)

Earlier this year, our team pioneered first-of-its-kind research (*DOWNLOAD INITIAL RESULTS HERE*) with San Francisco State University to understand the effects of Islamophobia on 5-to-9 year old kids. The results are troubling:

  • 1 in 3 children did not want to tell others that they are Muslim

  • 1 in 2 children did not know whether they could be both Muslim and American

  • 1 in 6 children would pretend not to be Muslim

Over the next year, we plan to expand our initial study, researching 5-to-10 additional cities across North America, to (a) understand the impact of Islamophobia on young Muslims, and (b) identify specific, evidence-based, and actionable solutions to strengthen the identity of young Muslims

But, to do so, we must raise $45,000 to cover the costs associated with conducting this research in ten cities across North America. For young Muslims, the road ahead may feel dark. But, with your support, we can - and will - build a brighter future. Join us!

In 1939, Kenneth and Mamie Clark conducted the landmark Clark Doll Study, in which they sought to understand how young Black children were affected by racism. When Black children associated negative characteristics, such as badness and ugliness, with Black dolls, and positive characteristics, such as goodness and beauty, with white dolls, the researchers discovered "internalized oppression."  That is, children began to look at themselves as inferior because of discrimination.

In early 2016, Noor Kids replicated the Clark Doll Study, but for Muslim children. The study was modified from the original format to appropriately study the impact of religion instead of race. Working with Dr. David Hemphill, former Dean of the College of Education at San Francisco State University, we discovered troubling results, including:

  • Lack of compatibility between American and Muslim identities
  • Significant evidence of internalized oppression
  • Parent decisions (e.g. to wear hijab or not), ethnicity (e.g. Arab vs Asian), and school choice (Islamic vs Non-Islamic), have a significant impact on children's attitudes

The full study, along with details on the study design and results are available below.


In 2017, we plan to conduct research across North America to support parents, teachers, and policy-makers in raising confident Muslim kids. Our plan is to conduct research across 5-to-10 cities in North America, answering the following questions:

  • How are 5-to-9 year old Muslims across the U.S. & Canada being affected by Islamophobia? How does the confidence in religious identity of Muslim children in America compare to Muslim children in Canada?
  • What are the common characteristics among children that exhibit pride in their religious identity and those that do not? How do parent decisions impact a child's religious identity?
  • What role, if any, does full-time or weekend Islamic school play in a child's identity development?
  • What effect, if any, does a family's decision to live in a Republican-majority city or a Democrat-majority city have on a child's identity development?


Our most significant expenses are associated with: (a) ensuring that qualified researchers are conducting the study, and (b) travel to the local sites where research is being conducted.


Noor Kids is a Harvard-supported monthly educational program that seeks to build  confidence in the religious identity of young Muslims. Each month, families receive new stories created by our team of creative, educational, and scholarly experts. Since launching, Noor Kids has been welcomed in over 25,000 homes across 25 countries. 

To view a free sample, click here.


Not Pictured, but super awesome and important members of our team:
Mahvish Irfan (Campaign Strategist & Communication Director), Saif Alnabi (Marketing), and Sam'n Iqbal, MA.Ed. (Content Manager)


As Seen On:


Buzz About Noor Kids Events:


Buzz About Noor Kids Children's Books:


While many of the gifts are self-explanatory, others require a bit of detail. Below, we've included relevant information associated with various gifts. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at amin@noorkids.com.

  • Events: From Seattle to San Jose, Chicago to Tampa Bay, Amin G. Aaser, founder of Noor Kids, delivers inspiring Jumu’ah Khutbas, community speeches, young adult seminars, and children’s stories focused on building confidence in the identity of young Muslims. 

    Amin's speaker biography along with sample event descriptions are available here. Recent photos from previous events are available here

  • Books: Bulk book gifts (e.g. 25 or 60 books) will have books that are individually packaged. These sets will have 25 or 60 copies of the same title. Titles can be viewed on NoorKids.com. Books are subject to availability. 

  • Pencil Sketches: Sketches will be drawn in a similar style as our employee photos above. Our talented illustrators will be designing them. 

Your giving amount

Select a Giving Level


Donors

Your share could raise over $77

leaf

Recent supporters

Shakila Husain

$50 USD, 7 years ago

Ahmer Azhar Karimuddin

$600 USD, 7 years ago

Andrea Moed

$25 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$25 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$13 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$50 USD, 7 years ago

Abrar Ali

$5 USD, 7 years ago

Dani Fishman

$25 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$85 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$10 USD, 7 years ago

Dena Farah

$85 USD, 7 years ago

Shadi Ebrahim

$10 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$50 USD, 7 years ago

Fuad Fuad

$50 USD, 7 years ago

Ahmed Abdi

$50 USD, 7 years ago

Lynn Salahi

$25 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$25 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$25 USD, 7 years ago

An Anonymous kind soul

$10 USD, 7 years ago

Shazia Awan-Qureshi

$25 USD, 7 years ago

Updates 0

Give with peace of mind

on LaunchGood

Every donation is backed by our Trust & Safety guarantee.

Rigorously vetted

Each fundraiser is reviewed by our team to ensure they are legitimate.

Completely secure

Our encryption and security protocols protect your personal information and financial data.

Super simple

We take great care in providing a world-class giving experience.