Café Finjan attendees found connections through their historical roots, and shared how their experiences and perspectives can lead to building a better future. CAIR-Chicago, a JMCBI member organization, co-sponsored the event.

Jewish and Muslim artists, musicians and community members will explore the crossroads we face in Chicago’s political scene, as well as the crossroads of ethnicities, cultures and religions that make our city great. They will find connections through historical roots and share how that can lead to building a better future.

CAIR-Chicago’s Communications Coordinator, Amina Sharif, along with Communications Extern Aymen Abdel Halim, visited Columbia College on July 6th to speak to Professor Rose Economou’s media ethics class on the importance of unbiased reporting in today’s media.

CAIR-Chicago’s Communications Coordinator, Amina Sharif, spoke to a journalism class at Columbia College today about media coverage of Muslims and how to report on culturally sensitive issues.

Zafra Lerman said Columbia violated its own policies and her rights as a tenured professor by firing her last year. Her federal suit, filed against four top administrators, said they began a retaliatory campaign against her after she criticized the firing of Suriya Smiley, a professor of Palestinian descent who was accused of making an anti-Semitic remark.

“In the past, journalists only studied writing,” Sharif explained. “In this age of globalization, journalists need to know how to research and accurately report on other cultures that they may not be familiar with.”

Listen to CAIR-Chicago's Civil Rights Director, Christina Abraham, on the Matt and Perri Show. Abraham discuss the discrimination complaint filed this week against Columbia College on behalf of a Muslim Instructor who was unjustly fired.

CAIR-Chicago filed action in federal court this week against Columbia College on behalf of a Palestinian Muslim Instructor, Sue Smiley, who was unfairly fired after a student falsely reported that she made an anti-Semitic comment in class. Read all media coverage of the case here:

The suit [filed by CAIR-Chicago] alleges Smiley was treated less favorably than similarly situated employees who were not Palestinian or Arab when accused of "false allegations of misconduct."

The suit [filed by CAIR-Chicago] alleges Smiley was treated less favorably than similarly situated employees who were not Palestinian or Arab when accused of "false allegations of misconduct."

"The unsubstantiated allegation against, and subsequent firing of, Sue Smiley reeks of racism," said Kevin Vodak, an attorney for the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which filed the suit on Smiley's behalf.

"According to the suit [filed by CAIR-Chicago], a teacher's assistant and eight other students were present in class at the time and confirmed that Smiley never made the remark or any anti-Semitic statements. Despite no evidence, the college refused to conduct an investigation into the allegations and swiftly fired Smiley, the suit said. No witnesses were contacted or questioned." Also see related stories in the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times

"The three-count federal suit (filed by CAIR-Chicago) -- which claims one count of national origin discrimination and two counts of race discrimination -- seeks all wages and benefits she would have received, in addition to compensatory and punitive damages. It also seeks an order mandating Smiley be returned to her former position or receive pay in lieu of reinstatement."

CAIR-Chicago is filing action in federal court today against Columbia College on behalf of a Palestinian Muslim Instructor who claims to have suffered wrongful termination after a student falsely reported that she made an anti-Semitic comment in class.

What: Islamophobia Lecture; Unveiling Ignorance Lecture Series