Welcome, Washington Progressive Muslims!

HISTORY: This group was founded in 2004 and is independent of other organizations.

PROGRESSIVE: The term "progressive" is associated with peace, compassion; justice, human rights, gender equity, equitable participation in political/economic/social life, pluralism; reason, open intellectual discourse; transparent public administration; personal privacy; appreciation of human expression (spirituality, beauty); stewardship of public goods (the environment).

MUSLIM: Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion, refers to the Qur'an as a source of inspiration & the 7th century Arabian prophet Muhammad as its primary historical leader.

PROGRESSIVE MUSLIM: Progressive Muslims favor the liberal tradition within Islam, which has existed from the beginning. The term Progressive Muslim was popularized by: online magazine MuslimWakeup.com (2000-2007, http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.muslimwakeup.com) who added the term to meetup.com and pointed to it, and the book Progressive Muslims edited by Omid Safi (2003, http://www.meetup.com/progmuslim-dc/messages/boards/threa...). Members need not agree with the views expressed. We are simply people interested in these topics. There are about 30 independent grassroots Progressive Muslim Meetups around the US, Canada and UK.

COST: Free. No payment is required to be a member or attend events but a $5 to $20 annual contribution is suggested to defray the annual $144 fees to use Meetup.com.

ACTIVITIES:
The Salon: Our regular monthly meetups can be a "salon" for the exchange of ideas, like those of 19th-20th Paris. This is Washington, DC, after all. Creating a space to give voice to progressive values of Islam, reclaiming the beautiful and wresting it back from extremists. Educating ourselves outside of the university, so we have the knowledge and confidence not only to respond to Muslim and non-Muslim extremists but to be proactive when communicating about justice and moral beauty in Islam with friends, neighbors, coworkers, family, and in our work. That's a goal we can aim for. Turnout can range from 4 to 30 people. Each salon meetup has a topic, includes current events and announcements, but unscheduled presentations can be accommodated. Members are encouraged to lead discussion in their area of expertise.

Meeting amazing people, supporting and inspiring each other, and enjoying common interests is part of the experience. WPMM programs include attending films, concerts, art exhibitions, book talks and having our own-after party -- and anything else members want to do. Members are encouraged to share their experiences, make announcements, participate in the mailing list and message board, introduce yourself and contact other members without the need to go through the organizers.

Calendar: Please check out the calendar. A mailing is sent monthly with relevant DC area activities but additional calendar items are added daily. We can turn any FYI event or an event that interests you into a Meetup program to get RSVP, meet, discuss before and after the program. Great way to meet new people! To create an official Meetup, just inform the organizer and agree to greet people. Please also let the organizer know of local happenings to add to the calendar.

Discussion List: Any member can post to the discussion list; there is no need to go through the organizers. The mailing list is self-moderated. 60% of the membership is on the mailing list. Journalists or others looking for sources should try the mailing list first; then contact the organizers if response is not adequate.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: This meetup is a grassroots effort run and funded by the members. The organizers are volunteers. The leadership is the over 270 members. If you have an event, theme or project (outdoor activities, charitable activities, Qur'anic discussions using liberal translations, etc) that you would like to organize, you are welcome to organize! You already have an audience and we have a flat organizational structure. We need volunteers to: lead discussions at the salon, contribute to the calendar, be greeters at events, guide tours of DC, recommend interesting places for meetups, contact potential speakers, and report on progressive and Muslim activities in DC.

MEMBERSHIP DEMOGRAPHICS: The people you will meet are in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s; of South Asian, Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian, African, European, East Asian, and Latin heritage; 1st, 2nd and Nth-generation Americans; raised Muslim, new Muslims, non-Muslims; unmarried and married; parents, grandparents, and non-parents; graduates of private colleges, public colleges, and the college of life; straight, gay; women, men; Democrats, Republicans; actors, activists, authors, Congressional workers, musicians, retired diplomats, homemakers, engineers, dentists, graphic artists, labor workers, filmmakers, teachers, lawyers, students, doctors, computer geeks, journalists.