Seven years ago, Mona Haydar and her husband, Sebastian Robins set up a stand in Cambridge, Massachusetts with signs that read ‘Talk to a Muslim’ ‘free coffee and donuts’ ‘free conversation’ and ‘Ask a Muslim’ encouraging open and loving dialogue.
Learning a lot during the long journey of meeting different people, the couple decided to build up on the success of their first project, filming a travel show that explores Islam and Muslim communities in the US.
The PBS film “The Great Muslim American Road Trip” follows Haydar and Robins as they travelled from Chicago to Los Angeles via historic Route 66, The Washington Post reported.
“This is a deep passion of ours; it’s our faith and our practice,” Haydar said. “And it really felt like this epic quest of learning and finding the clues and piecing them together.”
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Meeting American Muslims
In Chicago, the Muslim couple met with Muhammad Ali’s daughter Maryum Ali and toured the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) to learn about structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan, known for his work on the innovative tubular design for high-rises.
On more than a dozen stops, Haydar and Robins visited restaurateurs, doctors and authors.
Haydar and Sebastian hope the film would shed light on the life of many Muslims in the US, not only celebrities.
“I hope people laugh at us. We’re very kind of corny and we have our little inside jokes… I hope that that’s what people take away, feeling a human connection in a time where so many of us were isolated for so long,” Haydar said.
Sebastian added, “We really wanted to use that journey as a lens for something bigger. I hope people can kind of see that story through us, [with] us as this lens or this magnifying glass or this reflection booth, to tell the story of a group of people that has largely either been ignored or maligned.”
There are also several organizations aiming to foster a better understanding of Muslims.
Among them are Islamic Networks Group and the Crescent Peace Society which formed after the Oklahoma City bombing.
In 2017, Muslim and former US Marine Mansoor Shams traveled across the country with a sign that read “I’m a Muslim and a US Marine, Ask Me Anything.”
The post Muslim Couple Make New Travel Show about Islam in the US appeared first on About Islam.
source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/n-america/muslim-couple-make-new-travel-show-about-islam-in-the-us/
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