Finally, a New Platform by Muslims for Muslims
In today's heightened xenophobic climate, it's more important than ever to seek out communities that make you feel safe and understood. And that's the exact intent of Muslim, an up-and-coming news outlet and media platform designed for millennial and Gen-Z Muslim youth.
Muslim was founded in February 2019 by Ameer Al-Khatahtbeh, who began studying journalism in 2016. At the time, he was mainly interested in entertainment, but after Trump was elected in the fall, he found himself constantly writing about his Muslim identity. The new wave of prejudice that ensued after the election revealed a deeper issue for Al-Khatahtbeh: most of the news about Muslims was not being reported by those who identified as Muslim.
"I found that there's no Muslim platform, publication, news outlet, or community for us to be having these discussions," Al-Khatahtbeh tells PAPER. "Why can't we Muslims cover news?"
The platform was created with this yearning for representation in mind. Muslim teamed up with Muslim Girl, a publication made for Muslim women, and launched a collaborative weekly newsletter featuring everything from news stories, verses from the Quran, Muslim celebrity buzz and memes.
The platform's basis of inclusivity has even seen success reach beyond that of the Muslim community. Last September, an illustration from their #CloseTheCamps campaign went viral, being shared across multiple social media channels. Though the illustration was originally designed to raise awareness for Uighur Muslims being held in concentration camps, it became an impactful visual for people from all walks of life.
