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39 <br />MUSLIM Focus Group Themes <br /> <br /> <br />Characteristics of Islamophobia <br />• One incident in my two years here, but good place. One guy told me “No Syria” while I was walking downtown. <br />• Moved here six years ago. Never had incidents until this past year, with the presidential election and hate wave in <br />the media. Had three incidents where people yelled at me to go home, all after the conventions. <br />• The majority of what I experience is on campus. The hate things and of go home and you don’t belong here is <br />simply for being Muslim, instead of being treated as an individual. That is wrong. <br />• On campus, since Trump won, I’ve been attending rallies to spread compassion and stand up to that. <br />• Restaurant vandalized (bricks thrown through window) after 2001; was very frightening; people sent flowers and <br />offered sanctuary. Also had a smoke bomb thrown into the dining room once. Need to be vigilant with rise of right. <br />• Been here for five years, had two incidents when I first got here, both at Costco; I believe they were the expressions <br />of country people. <br />• From what people are sharing, the experiences of men are different because, looking at us, you wouldn’t know I’m <br />Muslim. With women wearing headscarves, people know right away. With men they get to know us first and then <br />find out. <br /> <br /> <br />Intersectionality <br /> <br /> <br />Institutional Expressions of Islamophobia <br /> <br />City of Eugene <br /> <br />Across the Community <br /> <br />Police <br />• Feel comfortable calling the police in an emergency. <br />• Do have trust in the police. <br />• Kids watch that the police shoot someone because of who they are; sometimes the person shot is not armed or <br />anything and then the kids have a memory that the police may hurt you. <br />• I feel scared to call the police after seeing blacks being shot and killed. I won’t call the police because of that; I <br />don’t trust them the way I did growing up. <br />• Police are so sassy on campus; it’s unnecessary sassiness. <br /> <br />Businesses <br />• Only two experiences (at Costco) when I first came here five years ago. The same type of individual, “country <br />people.” <br />• Has been discrimination against me at work at pre-school center; I felt the woman who was in charge was <br />discriminating against me. Every day I experienced this, I felt sad and couldn’t just feel better; wondered if I should <br />put my health at risk to get paid. I quit my job working with preschoolers; didn’t report it to my employer. <br />• I have worked here for seventeen years and, in each place where I worked, there was someone who doesn’t accept <br />me. I just ignore them and focus on the positive things. <br />• My experience at work, I have not had any issues whatsoever; my co-workers respect and support me. They know <br />I’m Muslim from day one. <br /> <br />Housing <br /> <br />Jobs <br /> <br />K-12 Education <br />• Child in middle school was harassed and called a terrorist. The principal couldn’t control the situation and blamed <br />my son for the problem; said he was not allowed to come to school or attend the graduation party. I had to fight with <br />the principal to get this harassment recognized and stopped. We’ve been going through counseling since then. <br />Something like that happens every year, we have to navigate this all of the time. It affects a child’s self esteem. <br />• South Eugene High School group hug of Muslim student after election; told her they wanted her to stay. September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1