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Mona Haydar and her husband, Sebastian Robins set up two signs outside a Cambridge, Massachusetts library with the words "Ask a Muslim" and "Talk to a Muslim."
(Courtesy Photo | Mona Haydar)
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- A Flint Township native tired of explaining what she's not set up a sidewalk stand in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to talk to people about herself and her beliefs as a Muslim.
Mona Haydar grew up in the Flint area, where she attended Carman-Ainsworth schools and the University of Michigan-Flint. While staying with her husband Sebastian Robins' family in Massachusetts, Haydar said he came up with the idea to make a booth to start dialogue about being a Muslim.
"My husband Sebastian was inspired one night and remembered an episode of 'This American Life' where an Iraqi guy sets up shop with a sign that (read) 'Talk to an Iraqi,'" Haydar said. "So he thought, 'Why not do something similar?'"
Haydar and her husband set up two signs outside a Cambridge library last week with the words "Ask a Muslim" and "Talk to a Muslim," according to a report by the Boston Globe. The couple handed out coffee, doughnuts and clementines for people who don't eat sugar.
At first, Haydar said she was hesitant because she was afraid of what they might face.
"I was afraid we'd face a lot of Islamophobia because of all the Donald Trump rhetoric," Haydar said. "But honestly, I decided if we were going to do it, we were going to have to go in with really positive attitudes."
Haydar said her worries turned out to be unfounded because the people she encountered were so friendly.
"People were so lovely and warm," Haydar said.
The people who approached Haydar and Robins asked about their religion, if they like doughnuts, flu season and what funny videos they like to watch on YouTube. Haydar said a professor of dead languages talked to her about Greek, Sanskrit and hieroglyphics. She said once people got to know her, they talked about everything.
"I feel certain that people who gave me a chance and got to know me would know that the religion I practice is one of love with kindness at its core," Haydar said. "So it just feels right to give people the chance to know a Muslim because prejudices are always based in ignorance. I'm really nice! And I know thousands of Muslims, and they're all nice too."
Haydar said her belief system is not different from other Americans.
"We believe in what this country was built on," Haydar said. "We believe in the dream of the founding fathers. Yes, we are largely a community with more recent immigrant roots than other Americans, but that doesn't make us inferior. Every person in this country came from somewhere else except for my Native American sisters and brothers."
Haydar said she wants to take back the narrative about Muslims through acts of kindness and love. She said she is tired of telling people what she is not.
"I am love," Haydar said. "All people at their cores are love. Some do bad things and stray from that, but ultimately I am good and kind because we all are. I am a reflection of my community. My human community. We can't fight hate with hate. We can't sow war and bombs and reap peace. What we can do is counter hate with love. I love people. I want them to know that. That's what this is about -- love."
Haydar has plans to to set up another stand in the future.
"The experience has opened my eyes to the truth that my heart already knew," Haydar said. "Love is our only saving grace. It's the only way through it all."