Linda Sarsour: Civil Rights Warrior of the 21st Century
Today more than ever there are civil rights campaigns and advocates in action hoping to bring equality, justice, and understanding to communities of the population. Civil rights advocates and advocacy organizations have been the leading reason behind effective and meaningful change across the globe. Today, several communities battle for their rights and equality and for their identity to be understood and appreciated. The efforts of civil rights activists and leaders must be appreciated and celebrated - their bravery, determination, and love for their fellow sisters and brothers is admirable. One civil rights leader who has been tremendously active the last few years - and continues to be so today - is Linda Sarsour. Linda Sarsour is a fearless and brave civil rights leader who champions for Blacks, Muslim, the undocumented, the Indigenous, and many more marginalized communities.
Linda Sarsour is a Palestinian-American activist from Brooklyn, New York - more commonly known as a “tough-talking hijab-wearing Brooklynite.” Sarsour’s passion and sincere love for her brothers and sisters is seen her diverse range of activism. Sarsour is a proud and visible Muslim woman - but her activism is not limited to championing for Muslims. Sarsour’s identity spread across the media in 2014 while bringing awareness to Ferguson, Missouri shortly after the murder of 18-year-old Michael Brown. Sarsour was quick to respond and led rallies and in her hometown. She then left for Ferguson herself to bring justice to Brown’s family and the community. Within days, Sarsour also successfully launched the movement “Muslims for Ferguson” which aimed to bring awareness to the Muslim community. In spring 2015, Sarsour proudly participated in a 250-mile walk from New York Washington D.C. protesting police brutality. Sarsour’s activism for the black community has not ended there - she continues to rally for an end to police brutality against blacks and to gather support from fellow minority populations.
More recently, Linda Sarsour served as one of the national co-chairs for the 2017 Women’s March this past January. The movement spread like wildfire and in cities in every continent - women were marching demanding equality and justice for an array of issues. Sarsour worked tireless for months in preparation for the historic movement and has been praised and honored for her involvements. By being a key leader in the March, Sarsour brought thousands of individuals together in solidarity to improve the condition of the nation. The Women’s March 2017 embodied Sarsour’s ideology exactly, “Time and time again, organizers have proved that when we work together, when we organize together, that we can win.”
The root of Sarsour’s activism and advocacy is her intersectionality - the way that Sarsour speaks and works for all marginalized people, not just her own community. Sarsour advocates for an end to police brutality, racial profiling, deportations, the banning of Muslims, oppression of Native Americans, and several other injustices the nation is facing today. Sarsour is the civil rights warrior of the 21st century embodying the meaning of intersectional advocacy.
To stay updated with Linda Sarsour’s efforts, check out her official Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram.