ID#: 5922 Dec 13 : Long Beach : MPAC's 14th Annual Convention

From Nobel Prize winners Ahmed Zewail and Shirin Ebadi to NFL stars Hamza and Husain Abdullah to academics Dr. Cornel West and Dr. John Esposito, MPAC’s annual convention always brings together the nation’s top personalities for a day of thought-provoking discussion and debate about major issues facing America and the American Muslim community.

This year’s convention titled, “America Deserves Better” will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday, December 13. This convention will help orient us towards better policies, better understanding of current issues and better ways of engaging our communities. America needs us! She needs her Muslim community to take a leadership role in these challenging times. 

The convention is a day of thought-provoking discussion and debate about major issues facing America and the American Muslim community. We bring together policymakers, academics, authors, and community leaders for candid conversations about the defining issues shaping the reality and perception of Islam and American Muslims.

This is a chance to interact with great minds and to 
exchange ideas that will shape the future of our nation and community for the better. The event has regularly aired on C-SPAN, and has been featured in the New York Times, Associated Press and Los Angeles Times.

Sessions & Speakers:
The following sessions and speakers have been confirmed with more to follow. Keep up to date with new speakers and details by following our convention hashtag #MPAC14.

Let’s Be Honest: Tackling Taboos in the American Muslim Community

Rami Nashashibi, Executive Director of Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) Inner-City Muslim Action Network
Marwa Aly, Producer of Unmosqued Documentary
Jihad Saafir, Imam of Masjid Ibaadillah in Los Angeles
Hind Makki, Founder of Side Entrance blog

Collaboration or Cancellation: Shaping the Image of Islam and Muslims in Hollywood:

Petter Sattler, Director of "Camp X-Ray"
Ahmos Hassan, Chairman of the MPAC Hollywood Bureau
Zahra Billoo, Executive Director of Cair Sfba 

ISIS: Result of Failed Policies or Perverted Ideologies?:

Zaher Sahloul, President of SAMS (Syrian American Medical Society) 
Imam Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini, Islamic Educational Center of Orange County
Dr. Juan Cole, Professor and Founder of Informed Comment blog