On a warm June evening, people gathered at a park in Bethesda, Maryland, for a community potluck dinner welcoming the start of Ramadan. This image is part of a project called Everyday American Muslim, documenting the daily life of Muslims in the US. As part of an effort to share what I see and experience as a practicing Muslim and an American, it challenges some of the stereotypes prevalent in mainstream media, including the notion that one cannot be both Muslim and American.
A lot of the images in this project depict Muslims practicing their faith. Many more also show experiences that we collectively share in daily life. At this event there was a father carrying his son; children and adults roasting hot dogs, corn and marshmallows over an open fire; people mingling at a buffet table while enjoying a variety of food; children chasing each other, laughing and playing games.
Rather than focusing on differences in culture and faith, my hope is that anyone looking at these images of everyday moments can find something that feels familiar, that connects all of us as people.
—Zoshia Minto
@zoshiaminto
@everydayamericanmuslim
www.zoshiaminto.com
You may also be interested in...
FirstLook: A ‘blistering triumph’ for the ‘back-street boys’
Arts
Amid the roar of racers zooming toward the finish line in London during the 1980 Grand Prix, longtime auto-racing photographer and renowned artist Michael Turner trained his lens on a Saudia-Williams FW 07.
FirstLook: Zillij in Fez
Arts
In patterns and refractions, the old city of Fez, Morocco, comes to life through the geometric tile works known as zillij. In 2001, AramcoWorld commissioned photographer Peter Sanders to tell the story of a family who for five generations has added new dimensions to art and architecture.
FirstLook: Soaring off Ambon Island
Arts
This photo was taken off Ambon Island, East Indonesia in 2010. It is one of my favorites, illustrating the free-spirited nature of the children in the rural archipelago. While some children in the big cities may stay inside and play computer games, the children in Ambon with easy access to the water see the ocean surrounding their village as their playground.