We, the undersigned Muslim alumni of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint stand in unwavering solidarity with the students participating in the TAHRIR Coalition Popular University for Gaza encampment. We echo the Coalition's demands that the University immediately divest the $6 billion of endowment funds both directly and indirectly invested in Israeli companies and military contracts that facilitate the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Although the University of Michigan alleges to "treat each individual with deep respect and high dignity, elevating the distinct, ineffable potential of each person, no matter their background, color or belief,” anti-Muslim racism remains a firm cornerstone of this educational institution.
Our alma mater repeatedly fails to carry out its most sacred duty to protect all students on campus, emboldening Zionist donors, faculty, staff and community members to harass, threaten and dox students with no consequence. As Regent Weiser spoke on the steps of Hatcher Library, recklessly conflating anti-zionism with anti-semitism, obscuring Israeli genocidal warfare as a fight between good and evil, he mirrored racist Zionist ideological narratives that endanger students and fuel anti-Muslim violence felt on campus streets to the classroom. Other staff, parents, and campus affiliates have also harassed and endangered our students. Michigan School of Information advisory board member, Carin Ehrenberg, recently assaulted and rabidly lunged at Muslim students on campus maligning them as terrorists, rapists, and murderers for their peaceful protest against genocide down Main Street. She remains in her position and there have been no consequences. As Professor Evelyn Alsultany, a leading scholar of contemporary Arab and Muslim American cultural politics notes, "Perhaps the trickiest thing about orientalism, is that it's not fueled by ignorance or a simple lack of knowledge, just the opposite. It has historically been produced as knowledge, by those in positions of power, whether government officials, religious figures, or the media."
President Ono's fiduciary allegiance to Zionists restrained him from extending even the lowest form of compassion when he failed to recognize his Palestinian students' suffering in his
October 10 statement. University of Michigan Muslims—who make up a huge portion of the Michigan student body, faculty, and workers—and our unified networks of alumni bear witness to the complicity of President Ono's administration in safeguarding apartheid and genocide against Palestinians for temporary financial gain and unchecked careerist ambitions. Ono’s rhetoric of safety, respectability, and condemnation lays his hypocrisy bare when he calls on DPS, AAPD, and staff to violently silence students demanding accountability. This is the decrepit legacy President Ono has cemented for himself. This is the shameful legacy he will be remembered for by any prospective, current or graduated student who ever thought to pay tuition to a school that traded in genocidal blood money and peddled hateful Zionist ideology among the leaders and best.
We pledge to withhold all of our financial, recruitment, and cultural contributions from the University of Michigan until our alma mater reckons with the glaring gap between its stated values and actions in practice.
1 Zaineb Abdul-Nabi , UM Ann Arbor, LSA, 2014
2 Huma , UM Ann Arbor, LSA, 2023
3 H Ahmadi , UM Ann Arbor, Rackham, 2018
4 Zainab Farhat , Ann Arbor, 2012 and 2018
5 Tala Taleb , UM Ann Arbor, Ross BBA, 2018
6 Huda Sheikh-Khalil , UM FLINT, CAS, 2019 UM ANN ARBOR, SOE, 2023
7 Zeinab Khalil , 2014, Ann Arbor LSA
8 OS , UM Flint, 2024
9 N. Hassan , UM LSA 1998
10 TS , LSA, 2009
11 Tala Dahbour , UM AA '15 and '17
12 Marwa Alnasaa , UM (LSA 2004), Ford School (MPP 2008).
13 Angubeen Khan , UM Ann Arbor, LSA, School of public health
14 Mohamad Sheikh-Khalil , UM FLINT, 2017
15 Amneh SK , UM Flint, 2017
16 RM , UM Ann Arbor, LSA, 2015
17 Talha Rehman , UM Dearborn, CECS, 2022
18 Nisreen Khokhar , UM Ann Arbor, LSA, 2021
19 Ruqayya Ahmad , UM Ford School of Public Policy, 2021
20 Mohammad Shaikh , UM AA, BBA, 2019
21 Abdallah Alkahalah , UM Ann Arbor 2016
22 Alaa Alkahalah , UM Ann Arbor, 2023
23 Banen A , UM- Ann Arbor, LSA, 2012
24 Mariam Sayeed , Ford School, 2021
25 Jenna Chami , UM School of Public Health, 2020 & 2022
26 Lana Abdole , UofM AA LSA 2016
27 Samra Ansari , U of M Ann Arbor, 2017
28 Audrea Dakho , 2019, 2020
29 Faiza Khan , UM Ann Arbor, LSA 1999
30 Zahra Dawson , UM Ann Arbor, School of Public Health, 2020
31 Aisha Jama , U of M, Ann Arbor, 2014
32 Eram Uddin , School of Education, MA 2006
33 Anam Khan , 2019
34 Sumeyye korkaya , 2017 Ann Arbor LSA
35 Muhammed Uluyol , UM Ann Arbor Rackham Graduate School, 2022
36 Yousuf Ali , UM Dearborn, CASL, 2018, UM Ann Arbor, School of Information, 2021
37 Asma Baban , UM Ann Arbor, LSA, 2017
38 Nadia Choudhury , LSA, 2011
39 Mariam Azeim , UM LSA 2022
40 Ashley Connelly , UM Ann Arbor, Ford, 2016
