The 9/11 Generation: 9/11’s Impact on Civic Activism in the U.S. and Abroad

Following the events of 9/11, younger Muslims in the United States and overseas became increasingly active and involved with their governments and local communities, creating a “9/11 Generation.” But who are the various voices that have emerged from across Muslim youth communities? How have American Muslims sought to build bridges between the United States and the global Muslim diaspora through the internet and social media? What lessons from global Muslim communities can be learned and applied here in the United States?

On September 13, the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at Brookings hosted a discussion to examine how 9/11 has galvanized a generation of Muslims to greater civic engagement. Panelists analyzed the factors that led to increased Muslim activism immediately after 9/11 and evaluated how this dynamic has changed and evolved over the last decade.

Panelists included Farah A. Pandith, special representative to Muslim Communities at the U.S. Department of State; Kofi Rashid, partner at Interculture; and Imam Mohamed Magid, executive director of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society and president of the Islamic Society of North America. Fellow Stephen Grand, director of the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World, provided introductory remarks and moderated the discussion.