MUSLIM WELLNESS FOUNDATION
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Mission Statement
Muslim Wellness Foundation (MWF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing stigma associated with mental illness, addiction and trauma in the American Muslim community through dialogue, education and training. In order to achieve this goal, we have adopted an interdisciplinary, spiritually relevant, community based public health approach to wellness. This approach emphasizes the importance of addressing sociocultural stressors (poverty, oppression, anti-Black racism) that lead to diminished well being. We advocate that health is not simply the absence of illness: it draws upon a holistic understanding of an individual’s environment. To that end, we leverage community, faith and identity in the attainment of an optimal quality of life.
About This Cause
For those experiencing a mental health challenge, stigma acts as a significant barrier to seeking the help that is needed. In the American Muslim community, mental health challenges are just as prevalent as in other communities, yet stigma stemming from cultural and religious beliefs lead many to feel that they must suffer in silence. American Muslims struggling with mental illness or addiction may attribute their experience to weak faith, a punishment from God or test of perseverance and fortitude. Our aim is to address the glaring mental health disparities present in the American Muslim community by engaging community members, health professionals, and religious leaders in conversation to improve mental health literacy, stigma reduction, help-seeking behavior and access to affordable and culturally competent services. In order to achieve this goal, we have adopted an interdisciplinary, spiritually grounded, community based public health approach to wellness. This approach emphasizes the importance of addressing sociocultural stressors (poverty, oppression, anti-Black racism) that lead to diminished well being. Racial oppression and religious discrimination are also forms of violence, which inevitably lead to trauma and stress. Therefore, we advocate that health is not simply the absence of illness, but draws upon a holistic understanding of an individual’s environment and leverages community, faith and identity in the attainment of an optimal quality of life. Muslim Wellness Model In order to achieve our vision, we have adopted an interdisciplinary approach, which addresses mental health challenges using a spiritually grounded, community-based public health framework. We engage community members, health professionals and providers & religious leaders and Islamic organizations in much needed dialogue and conversation. Our projects and initiatives focus on 3 major areas: ▪ Community Engagement & Outreach ▪ Training & Consultation ▪ Professional Development & Networking In the last 9-12 months, Muslim Wellness Foundation has developed, launched or expanded several new projects which incorporate the elements of wellness and healing as expressed in our mission, vision and approach – a Muslim Families collaboration with the American Family Therapy Academy (one of the oldest and influential professional organizations for family therapists in the US); a community dialogue series with UndocuBlack Network on immigration, faith and well-being; Deeply Rooted Emerging Leaders (DREL) Fellowship for 16 Black Muslim youth from across the United States, 4th Annual Black Muslim Psychology Conference (expanded from 2 day to 3 day conference weekend), and the Best of You Collective - an initiative focused on Muslim men’s mental health. (see additional information about each project/program in optional attachment: MWF Program Expansion 2018). In the short term, we hope to remain at the forefront of advocacy for the creation of affinity spaces for healing from trauma and identification of resources, which are spiritually relevant and culturally competent. Long term, the impact we hope to make through Muslim Wellness Foundation is to be a leader in shifting the discourse related to mental health/illness from access to services and stigma reduction to the proactive development of a sustainable community recovery-oriented, healing-centered model of collective well-being which prioritizes value of faith, culture, and identity as protective against environmental factors which lead to poor psychosocial health outcomes in American Muslim communities. We believe that Muslim Wellness Foundation is best positioned to lead in this area of mental health advocacy and healing justice because the organization’s emphasis on a holistic, intersectional, intergenerational, justice oriented approach to wellness is innovative and interdisciplinary. By improving our organizational effectiveness, we hope to expand our reach through online engagement and local, community based programming. Muslim Wellness Foundation is best positioned to do this work, as our theory of change is holistic, collaborative and inclusive. Our innovative projects and initiatives have been meaningful and substantive due to our commitment to facilitating relationships and dialogue between religious leaders, community members and health professionals around extremely sensitive and difficult subjects.