Source: The Washington Post
Wire Service: AP
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/21/AR2010042103306.html
Dana Jabri believes the only way for young Muslim Americans to move forward is by jumping into politics.
The 16-year-old child of Syrian immigrants has phone banked for political candidates, served as a primary election judge and encouraged other suburban Chicago high-schoolers to pay attention to state politics.
"We care just as much as anyone else about America's problems," said Jabri, who wears hijab, a Muslim woman's head scarf. "I aspire to be the first hijabi senator."
Jabri is part of a younger generation of Muslim activists in the U.S. whose role has shifted in the last decade from combating post 9/11 backlash and educating those with little exposure to Islam to becoming politically involved and delving into universal issues, like human rights and environmentalism.