Even before October 2023 and the start of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Muslim Student Associations (MSA) West was supporting Muslim students in preparing for just such a reality and how it might impact them and their campuses. The nonprofit which serves 3000 Muslim students across 30 California campuses in their spiritual, academic mental health, and social needs hosted a weekend-long Servant Leadership Summit in August. The summit focused on training around 100 student leaders in key areas of leadership, including navigating specific conflict issues and planning rapid responses.

Two months later, MSA West leaders were deeply engaged with those same Muslim student leaders, assessing the climates on their campuses and tracking incidences of discrimination.

At some colleges where the environment was particularly hostile, those incidences rose to more than 40 within the first month. MSA West also actively strategized with student leaders for their meetings with their respective college administrations. The organization has also supported in numerous other ways: connecting students with mental health resources and providing other communal healing opportunities; facilitating collaboration between organizations coordinating protest efforts on campuses; and fundraising to give students needed resources to support their efforts, which have included holding protests, conferences, and other events.

Hear from MSA West’s Hasna El-Nounou talk about the support during this difficult time and how being an RTF grantee has been beneficial.