Tree Equity: Chicago is Going Greener

Posted on January 7, 2023January 9, 2023 by CMGT in Blog Post, Close to Nature, CMGT News, Conservation, Environmental Justice, News

Since 2021, Chicago Muslims Green Team (CMGT) has been an active member of the Community Tree Equity Working Group in supporting Our Roots Chicago, the City of Chicago’s tree equity program.

Our common goal is to expand the tree canopy coverage through an equitable approach. In simpler words, we want this Chicago map to go all green.

Tree Canopy Coverage Percentage By Census Tract. Source: chicago.gov

We want every neighborhood in the City to reap the benefits of trees. Trees provide shade for our home from the sun and blocking winter winds. Trees improve air quality, absorb water, thus help to prevent flood. Trees promote physical activities, increase walking traffic, and bring communities together. Trees reduce stress and anxiety. Trees also help to repair urban biodiversity. In conclusion, trees help to lower our energy bills, increase our property values, and improve the quality of life in our neighborhood.

The City of Chicago has a goal to plant 75,000 new trees in neighborhoods with low tree canopy. The City also has developed CHI311 App for anyone who wants to get involved.

Tree Equity Working Group Year-End Report. Source: Raed Mansour

However, it is still not an easy task without the support from community members. It would be a waste of tax payers’ money if the trees end up dying due to lack of water, being ignored, or vandalized by people who reject trees around their properties or in their neighborhood.

From 2021-2022, CMGT has been educating ourselves, spreading awareness to our diverse communities, connecting to other organizations by attending and organizing trainings, hosting webinar, giving talks at events, and attending tree planting events. Here is the clip to see our activities.

2021-2022 Tree Planting Program activities

In 2023-2024, CMGT is grateful to be one of seven organizations who receives the Resilience Grant to expand our Tree Planting Program. Under the guidance of CRTI (Chicago Region Trees Initiative) Morton Arboretum we believe that together we could achieve our specific goals in greening our beloved city and spreading the benefits of trees to our diverse communities in Chicago this year. InshaAllah!

The Resilient Grant Kickoff event on December 13, 2022. Source: Caroline

Want to help make a big impact during this Climate emergency?

Posted on September 8, 2021September 8, 2021 by CMGT in Advocacy

URGENT: Support a Comprehensive Climate and Equitable Jobs Bill in Illinois!

On Sept. 1, the Illinois Senate passed an energy bill, SB18 that would put the state on a path to 100% carbon-free power by 2050.
However, Gov. J.B. Pritzker does not support this bill mainly due to the issue of the Prairie State coal plant, the largest source of industrial carbon pollution in Illinois and one of the largest in the country. The bill does not require the plant to reduce its emission before 2045.
The SB18 is now at the Illinois House and scheduled for a hearing on Thursday, Sept. 9.

On Sept. 3, member of the House, Rep. Ann Williams filed the SB1751, House Amendment 1 to improve SB18 by requiring a 45% reduction in carbon emissions for the coal plant by 2035. This amendment is supported by the Governor and Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition.
If the House passes a bill with the amendment, it will have to go back to the Senate for consideration. Let’s urge our legislators to pass the comprehensive clean energy bill to be signed into a law by the Governor.

Sign one of the petitions below or call your representatives:

To call your representatives, use one of the petitions above as the talking point. For example, this one from Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition:

As a constituent, I’m urging you to support the comprehensive climate and equitable jobs bill SB1751, House Amendment 1.

In keeping with climate science, this bill not only puts Illinois on a path to a 100% clean energy future, but also achieves meaningful emissions reductions in the near term, including from our state’s largest polluter and the 7th worst polluter in the nation, the Prairie State coal plant.

It creates good-paying jobs and wealth for working families in every part of Illinois, especially Black and Brown communities, which are often the first to suffer negative consequences of pollution but the last to reap the health and economic benefits of a clean energy future.

And, it holds utilities accountable and ends the automatic, formula rate hikes that have burdened consumers for too long.

Inaction isn’t an option. Please help get this bill across the finish line.

Welcome our new CEO!

Posted on April 1, 2021April 3, 2021 by CMGT in CMGT News

The Chicago Muslims Green Team is excited to announce and welcome Dr. Rohany Nayan as our new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Dr. Nayan has over two decades of experience as an educator and administrator. Her love for education, community work, and social and environmental justice led her to initially volunteer at CMGT as the Education Coordinator. In this role, she actively designed educational programs and provided professional development as needed. When asked to comment, Dr. Nayan said, “It is a great honor to be asked to lead CMGT in this position, and with gratitude and humility I accept the offer. I look forward to working with the wonderful, inspirational and dedicated CMGT’s team, and realize my beloved mother’s precious advice to me ~ Always leave a place better than you found it. We know that changes do not happen over night. As a Malay saying goes – Sikit-sikit, lama-lama jadi bukit (a little bit at a time builds a great mountain).”

Currently as the CEO, Dr. Nayan is focusing on nurturing and growing the vision of CMGT, especially in raising awareness of and planting the seeds for a more mindful, eco-friendly lifestyle based on Islamic principles in the Muslim community and the larger society at large. Dr. Nayan holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Literacy Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also holds a master’s degree in Language Education (TESL) and a bachelor’s degree in English Education (ESL) from the Indiana University-Bloomington. Her work focuses on minority and immigrant families, and their children’s experiences in their adopted country and how the interwoven issues of culture, language, and meaning-making act upon their identity and literacy development. Her work has appeared in several academic volumes.

Dr. Nayan describes herself as an “accidental immigrant” who came to the U.S. to study, but ended up making it her home. In her free time, she enjoys being a foodie who loves diverse cuisines. She also loves reading, studying languages and making paper arts and crafts (e.g., origami and kirigami). She is passionate about building bridges across communities by developing interfaith dialogues and collecting resources especially on Islam, diverse cultures, literacy development and researching cross-cultural awareness. Currently, her immediate goals in life include being more mindful in her choices and lessening her carbon footprint on Earth by adjusting her lifestyle and daily habits. She can be reached via email at: rohanynayan@chicagomuslimsgreenteam.org.

From the Editorial Team of “The Green Leaf”

Posted on April 1, 2021April 3, 2021 by CMGT in CMGT News, Editorial

Greetings and Salaam to Everyone!

We at the Chicago Muslims Green Team (CMGT) are looking forward to two special celebrations during the month of April: Ramadan and Earth Day. As many members of the team prepare for the 29-30 day fast of Ramadan, we are mindful of the Islamic teachings that encourage us to reduce waste and live the value of Earth stewardship:

“He is the one who made you Khalifahs (vicegerents, stewards, guardians)
of the Earth.” (Surah Al-An’am, 6:165)

This year, Earth Day falls on April 22, nearly one week into Ramadan. For the past two years, Green Ramadan has been an integral part of CMGT’s educational efforts to reduce waste and promote a sustainable lifestyle. Our signature event, Zero Waste Iftar helps to educate the Muslim community about recycling, composting, and food waste while encouraging the community to host events in an environmentally-friendly way. Last year, because of the pandemic, we were able to extend our reach beyond local mosques by connecting online with national and international partners to share ideas and approaches that combat the environmental degradation of our planet. This year, we are working with a new partner, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) to promote Green Ramadan through initiatives like “Zero Waste Iftars” and “Shop Free Eid.” Like the first Earth Day in 1970, it is our hope these initiatives will become a regular part of Ramadan celebrations across the world! During April, CMGT will continue to gather materials to support our current Jiran Project: PLARN SLEEPING MATS to help neighbors who are facing the challenges of houselessness in Chicago and other metropolitan areas. Please help us to reach our goal of providing 100 plarn (plastic yarn) sleeping mats to our neighbors. You can see our website for more information as well as upcoming distribution dates in early May.

We wish you a beautiful spring, and remember to be light on Earth by being mindful, using environmentally-friendly products and practices. Ramadan Mubarak! May you have a blessed Ramadan, and enjoy the blessings of this holy month.

– Editorial Team of The Green Leaf, Vol. 1, No. 3 – April 2021 Issue

Heartiest congratulations to Hola Islam and Karyma Ríos!

Posted on April 1, 2021April 2, 2021 by CMGT in Green Khalifa of the Month

Karyma Ríos is a Mexican revert. She was born and raised in Mexico City, and moved to Chicago four years ago and embraced Islam. She is a Marketing Specialist who graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and is now studying for a Business and Digital Multimedia Certificate. While studying for the certificate, she has also started her Master’s in Islamic Studies at Ribaat Academic Institute and International Open University Bridge to become a certified scholar and teach in Spanish. When she is not working and studying, she loves traveling and learning languages like English, Arabic, Portuguese, Urdu, German, and Mandarin.

In October 2019, Karyma founded Hola Islam with sister Valeria Torres, a Da’wah project with the aim to share the message of Allah ﷻ from the Qur’an and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet ﷺ in Spanish. Alhamdulillah, Hola Islam has connected to more than 2,000 Muslims around the world through social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Hola Islam has reached people of ages 18 to 60 years old from Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Chile, Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Spain, the USA, and more.

They offer online educational workshops like “I Want to Be a Productive Muslim”, “Nutrition”, “How to Pray”, “Islamic Videos in Spanish”, as well as Ramadan programs, Hijabi Power Podcast, and one-to-one help for new brothers and sisters who started this beautiful journey of discovering Islam. Nowadays, the Hola Islam team consists of Karyma Rios and Asif Shaikh in Chicago, Valeria Torres in Mexico City, and Hafiz Rashid in Bangladesh.

In addition to the workshops and programs Hola Islam hosts, they collaborate with brothers and sisters locally and globally. One ongoing collaboration is with Rebecca Aboquaoud from Muslimahs of Chicago in the Halaqah Book Club two Fridays a month at the Islamic Community Center of Illinois. They also offer the weekly class “My Belief” with Anse Khadija Hobbas from Uruguay where sisters from Latinoamerica join and talk about the Pillars of Faith in Islam. Moreover, Hola Islam is part of Alianza International de Mujeres Musulmanas, a network page of Hispanic businesses, organizations, groups, and teachers. Together, they all have worked on the ‘abaya and hijab drive campaign, raising funds and sending donated clothes to Mexico, Chile, and Colombia for sisters. They also have reached more than 1,000 sisters through educational programs to educate the community such as “Discovering Hijab”, “Women in Islam”, and “Women Empowerment” through Instagram and Facebook Live sessions.

Starting April 2nd, 2021, Hola Islam will start the workshop: “Nur in Your Heart”, a 10-day preparation for Ramadan through purifying the heart with Coach Kareema Albatah, who is from the Dominican Republic and now living in NYC. Finally, for this coming blessed month of Ramadan, they are launching their first printed Ramadan journal notebook. With every purchase of the journal, people can help the Hispanic community and make the most out of this special month.

Alongside the collaborations mentioned, Hola Islam stays connected with different local organizations in Chicago and worldwide online organizations like Ojala Foundation, IslaminSpanish, Esencia de Mujer, Latinas in Islam, Muslimahs of Chicago, The Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, Slay Collective, Why Islam? and America’s Islamic Radio.