Suburban Mosaic: Landmark Muslim bills on their way to becoming laws

Legislation requiring halal (Islamically permitted) and kosher foods be made available at public facilities, such as state-run prisons, hospitals and schools, is set to become law. Associated Press

Francis Nnodi

Srinidhi Rao

Daphne Gil

State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid

Two landmark pieces of state legislation, one requiring halal/kosher foods be made available at public facilities and another providing Muslim imams access into prisons for chaplaincy, are on their way to becoming laws.

The bills -- Faith by Plate Act (H.B. 1574) and Faith Behind Bars Act (H.B. 3055) -- recently passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly.

Halal (permissible) and kosher (pure, proper or suitable for consumption) meats and foods must follow specific requirements related to their slaughter and preparation as prescribed by Islamic and Jewish laws. Such options often are not available in settings such as state prisons, hospitals and schools.

Members of the Chicago-area Muslim and Jewish communities came together to draft the language and advocate for the Faith By Plate bill.

"H.B. 3643 ensures our children, our incarcerated residents, and our elders and neighbors in state-run hospitals will be better served," said the bill's chief sponsor, state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid. "Each of us has a right to access foods based on our dietary guidelines."

Meanwhile, the Faith Behind Bars bill provides unhindered access to diverse faith leaders in providing religious, mental health and wellness support for those incarcerated.

Illinois has created a model for the nation through the passage of these and other legislation critical to the Muslim community, said Maaria Mozaffar of Plainfield, policy and legislative counsel for the Muslim Civic Coalition, which spearheaded the bills.

"Now, Muslim kids will play sports without sacrificing modesty, learn about the contributions of Muslims in this country in schools, own Muhammad Ali Day as a day that represents their values, stand up to bullies with pride through mediation, and have the option of halal food in there schools," said Mozaffar, speaking of legislation the group has championed.

Keep an eye out for our four suburban spellers who are competing this week for the coveted championship title at the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

The contenders: Srinidhi Rao, 13, of Hinsdale, a seventh-grader at Hinsdale Middle School; Francis Nnodi, 14, of Carpentersville, an eighth-grader at St. Catherine of Siena School in West Dundee; Vishrut Kinikar, 13, of Cary, a seventh-grader at Cary Junior High School; and Daphne Gil, 14, of Deerfield, an eighth-grader at Alan B. Shepard Middle School in Deerfield.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee preliminaries begin at 8 a.m. Tuesday; quarterfinals at 7 a.m. Wednesday; semifinals at 7 p.m. Wednesday; and finals at 7 p.m. Thursday. All rounds of the competition will air live on ION Television.

The Bee champion takes home a $50,000 cash prize, a commemorative medal and the Scripps Cup, the official championship trophy, according to the contest website.

Illinois is on its way to becoming the first state to recognize Arab Americans when collecting public data.

This month, H.B. 3768 passed both houses of the General Assembly and is on its way to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk. When signed into law, Arab Americans and minority groups from the Middle East will be recognized separately in state data.

Pritzker tweeted his support upon the bill's passage in the House on May 18: "History made! With HB 3768 passage, our MENA or Middle Eastern and North African communities will now have their own category on state forms and surveys."

Rashid, who made history as the first Palestinian American to be elected to the state legislature last year representing the 21st House District, was the bill's lead House sponsor.

"This information will help our state develop targeted policies that address the unique needs of the Arab American community, such as access to health care, education, and employment opportunities," Rashid, of Bridgeview, said. "Additionally, it will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the experiences of Arabs and other groups from the Middle East and help to combat racism and prejudice."

Illinois has one of the largest populations of Arab Americans in the nation. But on most registration forms, Arab American is not an option when selecting ethnicity, something groups such as Arab American Family Services, advocates and community leaders have sought to change for years.

Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin will showcase a special exhibit throughout June, highlighting contemporary LGBTQ+-themed books and iconic authors during Pride Month.

More than 30 authors will be featured. The exhibit will be located on the second floor of the Main Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin.

For more information, visit gailborden.info/pride.

The Elgin Partnership for Early Learning is marking its 10th year of helping improve children's readiness for kindergarten.

The nonprofit, which recently received its 501(c) (3) status, is launching its annual summer Learning on the Go programs in six Elgin and three Hanover Park neighborhoods. It provides storytime and literacy resources to at-risk families, mostly Latino.

A key readiness measure is whether children can master five key concepts -- talk, play, read, write and do -- often learned in preschool.

The group has more than 150 partners working to provide children and their families with the resources they need in health care, nutrition, literacy and social engagement to help children learn, grow, and excel in their first five years.

Those first five years are critical, as studies show 85% to 90% of brain growth happens during that time, Executive Director Amber Peters said.

"The impact we have on kindergarten readiness is a big influence on our children's ability to thrive throughout their entire education," Peters said.

The group's work is reflected in improved readiness scores for Elgin Area School District U-46 kindergartners. In 2017, only 10% of U-46 students tested ready for kindergarten. In the 2022 school year, the Illinois State Board of Education reported that number jumped to 24%.

From June 5 through July 24, the partnership will bring Learning on the Go programs to neighborhood parks, community centers, schools and apartment complexes. These free, bilingual events offer learning through play, story time and crafts, and provide an opportunity for children to check out books from Gail Borden or Poplar Creek libraries' bookmobiles.

Programs will be held on the following days and times:

• Mondays -- 10-11 a.m. at Drake Park, 701 Hastings, Elgin; 11:30 a.m. -- 12:30 p.m. at Cornerstone Park, 1540 Mulberry Lane, Elgin;

• Tuesdays -- 10--11 a.m. at Parkwood School, 2150 Lauren Ave., Hanover Park; 1--2 p.m. at Mill/Buena Vista Apartments, 1285 Fleetwood Drive, Elgin;

• Wednesdays -- 10--11 a.m. at Rivers Landing Apartments, 3 Times Square, Elgin; 11:30 a.m. -- 12:30 p.m. at Astor Center, 7341 Astor Ave., Hanover Park, and at Lords Park (East Shelter), 323 Waverly Drive, Elgin;

• Thursdays -- 10--11 a.m. at Century Oaks School, 1235 Braeburn Drive, Elgin, and at Ontarioville School, 2100 Elm St., Hanover Park.

For more information, visit elginpartnership.org. Call EPEL's resource helpline at (844) KID-INFO.

• Share stories, news and happenings from the suburban mosaic at [email protected].