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The SQUAD (Scholars Quest to Understanding and Accepting Diversity) Initiative was started by LGS sophomore, Reaz Khan. The major goal of this undertaking is to raise awareness about global issues that are affecting our communities locally and are fueled by intolerance, bigotry and ignorance. Working in close collaboration with the vision and purpose of LGS, this initiative aims to spread awareness and erase boundaries of hate through dialogue in a number of anticipated lectures, workshops and events. It is a way to unify and promote diversity on our campus. Whether it is race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity- it is vital to realize that as globalized citizens, we must not only tolerate, but accept and understand what makes us different. SQUAD plans on working with a number of existing on-campus clubs, departments and organizations to achieve their mission of engaging not only members of the university, but the Long Island community at large in order to foster and move forward into a new decade of informed and proactive global citizens.
SQUAD Past Events
ISLAM IN THE US: Is Islam an Evil Religion?
This event's aim was to deconstruct the many misconceptions that surround Islam as a faith and Muslims as people. From the recently planned "Burn a Koran Day," to the Danish cartoons and the 'World Trade Center' mosque disagreement-Muslims have been in the spotlight in the mainstream media a lot lately. We often equate Islam with terrorism and not extremism at large. Haroon Moghul, the director of the Maydan Institute at New York University was the lecturer that tackled this important topic and really broke everything down to the basics. An event like this was long overdue for the Adelphi campus, as it is important for students to appreciate and understand diversity because we see it everyday on our campus and in our communities. It is important that we take the time to step back and realize what's being taught to us, whether it be directly or indirectly and confirm it to be true. A broader understanding of world faiths, including Islam, creates a sense of global awareness and can be responsible for more educated individuals on a topic that's so blurry in our daily lives due to social and cultural influences. As human beings, we should celebrate and fully comprehend what makes us different, not use it as a means of separating and dividing us.
For more information on how to get involved in this initiative, please contact Reaz Khan at reazkhan@mail.adelphi.edu
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