Combating Islamophobia in North America through Intercultural Communication

I am currently a doctoral student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Education at San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University with equity and social justice at the core of both the program and my work. Part of my research is centered around the experiences of migrants who reside in Mexico and identify as Muslim, seeking to deeply understand the multiple facets of their lived experiences and how their identities as Muslims influence the ways in which they navigate life in a primarily Mexican-Catholic society. The purpose of my research is to inform intercultural exchange and communication between members of society along the U.S.-Mexico border in order to reduce anti-Islamic sentiment. This article is a summary of a presentation I gave at Universidad La Salle Oaxaca on May 21, 2022 including examples from the United States that demonstrate an absence of cultural awareness, understanding, and tolerance. I draw on the same concepts in order to make suggestions for attendees to become more informed intercultural communicators. Before delving into the summary of the presentation, I will detail the methods I used in order to contextualize its content.