The course explores the religious, cultural, and historical experiences of Latino Muslims in the United States through a decolonial and theological lens. Students will engage with personal narratives, ethnographic studies, and scholarly works to examine themes such as conversion, cultural hybridity, racialization, anti-Muslim bias, and the legacy of Islam in Latin America. The course highlights the unique spiritual and social contributions of Latino Muslims while challenging dominant narratives within both Muslim and Christian communities. Rooted in critical pedagogy and community-engaged learning, this course invites students to reflect on the intersections of faith, race, language, and migration. By the end of the course, students will be able to articulate the theological significance of Latino Muslim identity, analyze the socio-political contexts shaping their experiences, and contribute to more inclusive pastoral and scholarly discourses.

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Dates & Times:

April 17, 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST
April 18, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST
Online Session

Meet the Instructor:

Hazel Gómez is a Puerto Rican and Mexican Muslim convert of over 20 years hailing from Chicago’s west side. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with double Bachelor’s degrees in Forensic Science and Biology. Hazel’s passion for studying Islam was heightened while at Al-Azhar University with a delegation of Latino and Latin American Muslim students, where they studied a myriad of the foundational Islamic sciences. She began volunteering at Rabata under the tutelage of Shaykha Dr. Tamara Gray and other Muslim women scholars since its unofficial founding in 2012, and has been a Ribaat Academic Institute student since its inception. She is pursuing the Ribaat Teacher Certification, and hopes to complete the Ribaat Scholar Certification. She is also currently the Board Chairwoman at Rabata. She has taught in the Rabata Dragonflies and RabaTEENS programs, online Muslim youth programs. She also has an ijazah in the Forty Hadith of Imam an-Nawawi. As a faith-rooted community organizer for over a decade, the labor of love for her and her husband is DREAM of Detroit, a nonprofit that combines community organizing with strategic housing and land development to build a healthy community and empower a marginalized neighborhood. Striving to be a better community servant, Hazel also dedicates her time as a volunteer, advisor, and board member to various nonprofits ranging from community development and Muslim convert care to anti-racism work and bail reform. She is an avid reader of all things about Muslims in America and is interested in the research and creation of an authentic Latino Muslim experience. She is pursuing a Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy from Bayan Islamic Graduate School out of Chicago Theological Seminary. In 2021, she was named by the Center for American Progress as 1 of 21 faith leaders to watch. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/21-faith-leaders-watch-2021/