Give me a media without conscience; I will give you a nation without awareness. Perhaps this adage is suitable for the current times in America with the widespread of Islamophobia.

Still worse, a study shows that more than half of the Americans have never met a Muslim in their lives. This combination of malicious agendas adopted by some media agencies plus the Muslims’ failure to reach out to their American neighbors and colleagues has very negative consequences.

How to revoke this mindset which has been forced upon us as Muslims and our children?

In this speech, Imam Mohamed Abutaleb discusses the importance of Muslims’ making their own narrative and projecting an authentic and credible example.

US Muslims, as individuals and as a community, need to play active roles to reeducate people; reaching out to fellow Americans and enlightening them about Islam and Muslims is the job of each and every one.

More from Dr. Abutaleb:

Beautiful Walls & Empty Halls? 4 Steps to More Effective Mosques

Dr. Abutaleb: How to Deal with Questions & Doubts About Islam