MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Local faith leaders have been touring cities in Washington, exposing what they say is a well-funded industry focused on spreading Islamaphobia.

Aneelah Afzali, executive director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network - an initiative from the Redmond mosque the Muslim Association of Puget Sound - teamed up with Pastor Terry Kyllo of Neighbors in Faith. They have been touring since September, as the "Faith Over Fear Roadshow," inviting communities to speak up about their feelings toward Muslims and Islam.

Afzali said much of the fear and hate directed at Muslims is rooted in a lack of knowledge about the faith.

"Unfortunately, the majority of our fellow Americans do not personally know a Muslim and do not know much about Islam,” Afzali said. "And I tell people that's a recipe for disaster at a time when there are individual groups and individuals who are profiting off of spreading misinformation and manipulation."

According to "Confronting Fear," a report released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations and UC Berkeley, 33 anti-Muslim groups received roughly $200 million between 2008 and 2013.

The Faith over Fear Roadshow will be at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Mount Vernon today, before their final stop in Vancouver on Thursday. Afzali said she hopes to take the tour to central and eastern Washington in 2018.

Instances of bullying, threats and harassment targeting Muslim communities are on the rise. During the shows, Afzali connects the present moment to history, noting that the American Muslims population is roughly equal to the Jewish population in 1930s Germany.

"The same kind of dehumanization that happened then is happening now in our country, in our time, in 2017,” she said. "And it's really sad and disturbing to see this, and it really should motivate all of us to be part of this movement of faith over fear."

Afzali said the audience response has been overwhelmingly positive, with some saying they'd never met a Muslim and may have even had negative views of the religion. But she said she also recognizes that some people won't be receptive, simply because of her faith.

"That's why we really try to encourage everybody to essentially become ambassadors, to go out there and also share this message of faith over fear, of facts over fiction and love over hate,” Afzali said.

She said she hopes others who believe in tolerance will help spread the word.


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January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and educators are training workers in key industries to recognize and report the crime, including energy workers in places like Montana.

Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud or coercion to exploit people for sex or labor.

Lindsey Mattson, director of industry engagement for the group TAT, formerly known as Truckers Against Trafficking, said the industry makes big illicit profits globally, second only to the drug trade.

TAT now trains groups across the transportation sector that are likely to intersect with traffickers including energy workers and people working at truck stops and dealerships.

"We can mobilize millions of people to move from passive bystanders to active disrupters," Mattson explained. "That is really our goal, is to train as many people as possible throughout all transportation industries to truly have an impact on fighting this crime."

Gov. Greg Gianforte and Attorney General Austin Knudsen have prioritized addressing human trafficking in Montana. A 2023 law increased penalties for both traffickers and patrons. The state's Department of Justice worked nearly 130 cases related to trafficking in 2024.

Mattson stressed energy workers are vital eyes and ears on the ground, because they may use the same gas stations and hotels as traffickers. The workers themselves are targeted because they are often stationed in one place.

"They look for concentrations of men housed away from home with purchasing power," Mattson noted. "For the energy industry, something like a work camp or project location."

TAT has trained nearly 2 million professionals to identify and report the crime, including 50,000 energy workers in 43 companies.


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January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. In South Dakota, the push to secure justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women remains a priority, but some call for more resources.

This crisis has garnered more attention at the national level in recent years, including the 2023 launch of an outreach program led by federal authorities.

South Dakota is a host district for one of the handful of U.S. attorneys assigned to this effort.

While that extra leadership might be helpful, Tanya Grassel-Kreitlow - a coordinator with the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault - said there still isn't enough funding to accelerate meaningful progress.

"We are desperate for funding," said Grassel-Kreitlow, "and without funding, we are not able to provide advocacy to work with the families of the missing, and to work with the potential victims - who we've identified through a lot of factors who have the potential to become missing."

She spoke during a forum last week hosted by the South Dakota Humanities Council. Panel members also said agencies still don't share enough intelligence to prevent crimes.

Funding came up during a Congressional hearing last fall, and a key lawmaker pledged a bigger level of support moving forward.

But it's unclear what that will look like when budget negotiations resume in the spring.

Lily Mendoza is a 2024 Bush Fellow and is the founder of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society out of Rapid City.

She said federal officials have improved their listening efforts when grassroots groups speak out on this issue.

And the Society reports good relationships with local law enforcement - but Mendoza said her team still has to fill in gaps to ensure accountability.

"You know, 'I got a call from a parent. They're concerned about their child. Can you check into this?'' said Mendoza. "So, those systems that the Not Invisible Act is supposed to be putting in place, the grassroots organizations are taking that on."

Mendoza said she does applaud a specialized federal unit, that launched in 2021, that can more freely navigate the country to help look into these cases.

According to federal data, 40% of all victims of sex trafficking are identified as American Indian and Alaska Native women.




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Today is International Human Rights Day, and much attention has been paid to North Dakota's growing refugee population and an assistance group suggested more individuals will resettle here, creating a number of positives.

In the federal fiscal year that recently ended, the organization Global Refuge said North Dakota welcomed more than 280 refugees, nearly double the previous year.

Dan Hannaher, North Dakota field director for the nonprofit, said there is room for more with employers clamoring for individuals to fill open jobs. He emphasized by welcoming new populations and helping them meet basic needs right off the start, local economies function better.

"Whether it's manufacturing, health care, retail, refugee resettlement and immigration is a key to our economic success," Hannaher contended.

Like other support groups, Hannaher stressed there is a difference between illegal immigration and programs allowing foreign-born individuals to seek a new life in America. He pointed out refugees are here legally but are still sometimes disparaged for "looking different."

State officials have prioritized linking new residents with job opportunities and Hannaher stressed as global conflicts evolve, it is likely more people fleeing those areas will need attention here.

Internationally, one of the main themes for this year's Human Rights Day is correcting misinformation and countering disinformation. Hannaher said even as refugees begin carving out new lives and play a role in their communities, some of their neighbors might still be overcoming preconceived notions.

"So often I feel that is the key to our problem is that it's difficult to recognize the unknown and understand it and get to know it," Hannaher observed.

Around the globe, countries taking in refugees have cited the need to address housing shortages as they try to accommodate new populations. North Dakota government has been brainstorming ideas on broader housing needs, with a series of recommendations recently unveiled.


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