Florida Senate - 2025                            (NP)    SR 1384
       
       
        
       By Senator Smith
       
       
       
       
       
       17-00784-25                                           20251384__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution recognizing May 2025 as “Muslim-American
    3         Heritage Month” in Florida and celebrating the
    4         heritage and culture of Muslim Americans in this
    5         state.
    6  
    7         WHEREAS, Muslim immigration to the American colonies began
    8  with the arrival of indentured workers in the early years of
    9  this country’s founding, and
   10         WHEREAS, during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, many
   11  enslaved Africans brought to the United States were Muslim,
   12  contributing to the early presence of Islam in America, and
   13         WHEREAS, in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, successive
   14  waves of Muslim immigrants came to the United States seeking
   15  economic, social, and religious freedom, enriching communities
   16  throughout this state and nation across diverse fields,
   17  including business, medicine, education, law, and the arts, and
   18         WHEREAS, Muslim Americans contribute greatly to charitable
   19  organizations in Florida and across the nation, offering aid to
   20  people of all faiths through humanitarian work, such as medical
   21  services, educational programs, food distribution, refugee
   22  services, and disaster relief, and
   23         WHEREAS, Muslim Americans have made significant
   24  advancements in numerous fields, including architecture, arts,
   25  business, medicine, law, sports, and government, enhancing the
   26  quality of life and cultural diversity in this state and the
   27  United States, and
   28         WHEREAS, prominent Muslim Americans such as Fazlur Rahman
   29  Khan, a pioneering structural engineer who helped design iconic
   30  buildings like the Willis Tower in Chicago, and Shahid Khan, a
   31  Pakistani-American businessman and owner of the Jacksonville
   32  Jaguars, exemplify the profound impact Muslim Americans have had
   33  on the United States’ economy and culture, and
   34         WHEREAS, Muslim Americans, such as Keith Ellison, the first
   35  Muslim American elected to the United States Congress, and
   36  Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, the first Muslim-American women in
   37  the United States Congress, have shown the political strength
   38  and leadership of Muslim Americans in public service, and
   39         WHEREAS, Muslim Americans contribute greatly to this state,
   40  including many who are leaders in business, education, medicine,
   41  and sports, and continue to shape the state’s diverse identity
   42  and economy, and
   43         WHEREAS, the Muslim-American community in Florida is
   44  composed of individuals from more than 77 countries,
   45  representing a wide array of ethnicities, cultures, and
   46  languages, adding to the state’s vibrant multicultural
   47  landscape, and
   48         WHEREAS, Muslim Americans have served honorably in the
   49  United States Armed Forces, contributing to the defense and
   50  protection of the United States in every major conflict,
   51  including Captain Humayun Khan, a Muslim American who made the
   52  ultimate sacrifice in Iraq in 2004, and
   53         WHEREAS, the Muslim-American community faces challenges,
   54  including discrimination and misunderstanding, yet it continues
   55  to thrive and contribute to the progress of this state and the
   56  United States, and
   57         WHEREAS, there is a need for public education, awareness,
   58  and policies that foster cultural competence and understanding
   59  about the significant contributions of Muslim Americans to all
   60  aspects of life in Florida, and
   61         WHEREAS, the Senate wishes to recognize and celebrate the
   62  rich cultural heritage of Muslim Americans and their
   63  contributions to this state and the United States, which is in
   64  keeping with the Senate’s time-honored tradition of honoring the
   65  diversity of cultural backgrounds which enriches this state and
   66  strengthens its social fabric, NOW, THEREFORE,
   67  
   68  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   69  
   70         That the Senate recognizes May 2025 as “Muslim-American
   71  Heritage Month” in Florida and celebrates the heritage and
   72  culture of Muslim Americans in this state.