“Get to know your Muslim neighbors” event in SLO uniting community

In unity Muslims gather together in prayer at the Mosque of Nasreen in San Luis Obispo on Friday.

They are greeted with posters as they walk into the mosque. One of them reading “you are a beautiful part of our community.”

“Ever since the elections in November we have been getting messages of support as a minority in this community,” says Hisham Assal.

He attends the mosque. He says it’s support they’ve received from the community all along.

“It’s important for a community to stay together,” he says. They’ve decided to host an event called “Get to know your Muslim neighbor.”

This an opportunity for people in the community who have questions or concerns to have their voices heard.

“We feel its important to engage with the community and have them know what we are all about,” he says.

Organizers say people from all walks of life are welcome those who believe in a religion and those who don’t.

“We are encouraging everyone to attend so people can meet them but its targeted to non-Muslims to get to know Muslims in the community,” he says.

They quickly learned how many people were interested in attending an event like this. “We increased the registration number to 400 and it filled up and now I don’t know I think it’s at 500,” he says.

Organizers are hoping this event serves as an example of a community coming together not only for people on the Central Coast but for the entire country.

“If everyone everywhere else is as open minded and inclusive and want to know learn as the people here the whole country would be in a much better shape,” he says.