MSU shooting leaves 3 dead, 5 critically injured
MSU grapples with a deadly shooting on campus
Monday evening Anthony McRae fired shots across the MSU campus - killing Brian Fraser, Arielle Anderson, and Alexandria Verner. The shooter critically injured five people. McRae was found dead as the police were closing in on him. Vigils, tributes, and healing circles are being held on campus for the students. The campus has closed the Michigan State Student Union, where one student died. Berkley Hall is also closed. University officials are determining whether to host classes online. In the meantime, they implemented the pass/fail grading system for this semester.
“At Their Feet” shares stories of 50 Black Muslim elders
A new book is inviting people to sit “at the feet” of Black Muslim elders to learn from them. The stories were collected through oral histories, interviews, and essays submitted through the initiative. Zarinah El-Amin is a cultural anthropologist and founder of Book Power Publishing. She says the idea came together after losing her mother to cancer and her father asked her to record his story with his friends.
El-Amin teamed up with Dr. Alisa Perkins, an associate professor at Western Michigan University in the Department of Comparative Religion. Perkins is part of Dream of Detroit’s “Detroit Muslim Storytelling Project,” which contributed 10 stories to the book.
Perkins says the book came together during the pandemic when people reflected on their communities.
Community Updates
Turkey-Syria Earthquake: Local organizations are collecting funds for the 7.8 magnitudes Turkey-Syria Earthquake. Reuters says more than 45,000 people have died. Learn more about local efforts including by the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and Mercy USA. Organizers say people should look for organizations on the ground.
Dearborn receives a $100,000 grant from the DMC Foundation for a community needs assessment, focusing on the Arab American community. Dearborn Department of Health director Ali Abazeed says it’s the first time this is being done. He says the survey will determine the community’s unique needs. Dearborn has the largest population of Arab Americans per capita in the U.S.
Happy Feet: Last week the Health Unit on Davison Avenue, or HUDA Clinic, hosted Project Happy Feet at the Detroit Rescue Mission. The initiative brings essential services to men in need - including podiatry services, haircuts, and more. HUDA clinic serves more than 5,000 uninsured and underinsured individuals annually.