MPV is 15!

This August marks the 15th anniversary of Muslims for Progressive Values, which I founded on August 29, 2007 in hopes of bringing Progressive Islam to the forefront of the American Muslim culture.

All of MPV’s larger advocacy efforts are special but perhaps the most rewarding stories are those that come from the individuals whose lives have been so personally touched by MPV's work. One such story comes to mind that I’d like to share with you as a reminder to all of us why the work MPV does is so important.
We received a donation from a young person who had recently come out to their father as queer. When asked why they chose to donate to MPV rather than a larger organization, they shared that when they had come out to their father, he had immediately gone to the mosque to consult with his Imam on his child’s sexual identity. The Imam shared with the father that actually Islam accepts all sorts of diversity, including sexual diversity. After I asked who the Imam was (because it’s so rare to see a queer-affirming Imam in traditional mosques) I learned it was the very Imam I had sat down for coffee with a few years before to berate him for his compliance with the violent homophobia running rampant across the American Muslim community.

To know this one conversation had such a deep impact on an individual's life was incredibly meaningful and speaks to the larger impact that MPV has had over the past 15 years. We know this story, and all the other untold stories about the impact that MPV has had on lives, would not be possible without your help. To help us keep up this life changing work for the next 15 years, we’re asking for $15 dollar donations to celebrate 15 years.

To donate, click here. If you can afford to, please do add a few zeros to your donation! Many thanks for your support and for helping us make the lives of others better and purposeful.

Onward and upward…

Ani Zonneveld

Founder, President