Doors Open Milwaukee guests discover Muslim Women’s Coalition’s many resources

Photos by Cherrie Hanson

Milwaukee Public School teacher Kellie Krawczyk spent Saturday morning learning about Islam and Milwaukee’s Muslim community at the Islamic Resource Center in Greenfield during Open Doors Milwaukee. IRC volunteers Ro-Soreha Hafiz and Fatima Sharid taught her about the hijab.

Historic Milwaukee’s Doors Open Milwaukee, an annual opportunity for the public to explore Greater Milwaukee locations, includes a stop at the Muslim Women’s Coalition’s Islamic Resource Center, 5235 S. 27th St., Greenfield. Saturday, “the genuinely curious” stopped in. 

“Outreach and education have always been part of the MWC’s mission, and this was a wonderful opportunity for people who are genuinely interested in learning to visit us,” said Janan Najeeb, the founder and executive director of the Muslim Women’s Coalition. “They toured the facility, interacted with staff, board members and volunteers, and asked any questions they wanted.”

Historic Milwaukee’s Doors Open Milwaukee, an annual opportunity for the public to explore Greater Milwaukee locations, includes a stop at the Muslim Women’s Coalition’s Islamic Resource Center, 5235 S. 27th St., Greenfield. Saturday “the genuinely curious” stopped in. 

“Outreach and education have always been part of the MWC’s mission, and this was a wonderful opportunity for people who are genuinely interested in learning to visit us,” said Janan Najeeb, the founder and executive director of the Muslim Women’s Coalition. “They toured the facility, interacted with staff, board members and volunteers, and asked any questions they wanted.”

MWC staff members Hadiyyah Clark and Ro-Suhana Hafiz welcomed guests Megan Kennedy and Carrie Yanko, educators from Milwaukee, to the Islamic Resource Center.

Saturday, a dozen IRC volunteers answered questions and offered sweets and refreshments, lessons in Arabic writing and ways to wear the hijab, a scarf worn by Muslim women as a commitment to their faith. A henna artist painted beautiful designs on visitors’ hands. 

“We want people to visit and learn about our organization and all the amazing things we do,” said Jenny Wagner, IRC librarian, who organized the open house. “When they do, they look very happy. They stay for quite a while—mingling, tasting snacks, trying on a hijab. We just had a teacher who stayed for at least an hour and a half, asking questions and learning things, and she got a library card.” 

Visitors’ perspectives

Wisconsin Muslim Journal was there Saturday to ask guests about their impressions. Here’s what we heard.

Resources for teachers

Kellie Krawczyk, a teacher at Milwaukee Public School’s Fernwood Montessori School, had a mission. “I came here purposefully because I wanted to find resources I could use in my classroom with my 3, 4, and 5-year-old kindergartners. I think it’s very important to expose our young students to all different cultures so when they come across people who are different, they don’t have any fear, and they’re warm and welcoming. I want them to enjoy meeting new people from all different backgrounds.”

Krawczyk got a library card. “I’ve already checked out three books!” she said. “I will use this resource and share it with my colleagues. I also want to have people from MWC come and speak at our school.”

During her visit, Krawczyk “learned a little more about Ramadan and the lunar calendar. I met some of the loveliest women I’ve met in a long time. Everyone was so welcoming.

The IRC is now Krawczyk’s favorite stop in Open Doors Milwaukee, she confessed.

Opportunities for families

When Jean Frioui’s college-aged daughter Sophia suggested they visit the IRC during Open Doors Milwaukee, she jumped at the chance.

“It was a no-brainer,” said Frioui, the longtime Milwaukee resident. “My daughter identifies as Muslim. Being Catholic, I’m interested in learning more about the religion of Islam. I want to learn and embrace what matters to my daughter.”

Sophia had heard a lot about the Muslim Women’s Coalition and its IRC through social media, but had never had the chance to visit. When she saw it listed as a stop on Doors Open, “I said, ‘Let’s just go!’

“I’m happy just knowing this place exists,” Jean said. “It’s a great resource for my daughter as well as myself. We can always come here, hang out and be with other people.”

Sophia and Jean Frioui of Milwaukee visited the Islamic Resource Center  n Greenfield for the first time Saturday. The mother-daughter duo found the IRC welcoming and interesting, they said.

A place for learning

Longtime travel buddies Megan Kennedy and Carrie Yanko, both educators from Milwaukee, have seen much of the world. Still, Saturday marked their first visit to Salam School and the Islamic Resource Center on Milwaukee’s Southside.

“We travel quite a bit and have been to many diverse places,” Yanko said. “We do a big trip every year. One of the big reasons we travel is to learn about different communities.”

“We both don’t know a lot about Islam,” said Kennedy. “We wanted to know more about this community and these organizations.”

“Everyone is incredibly friendly,” she said. “They seemed very excited to have visitors and were extremely welcoming. They have a lot of pride in their culture and what they are doing as an organization. That’s the sense I got.” 

The volunteers “are very knowledgeable,” Yanko added.

“There are so many things they do I wasn’t aware of, like the Muslim Film Festival,” Kennedy said. “They had information about restaurants and places to go in the city. It will be nice to expand our experiences.”

The friends also want their students to know it’s available. “If high school students have an assignment, they can come here to find books and people to interview. I think it’s important they know it’s for everyone,” Kennedy said.

Parisa Meymand, Ph.D., of Kenosha tries a hijab as her friend and colleague Monica Rausch Camacho of Wauwatosa looks on.

An open, welcoming atmosphere

Monica Rausch Camacho of Wauwatosa and Parisa Meymand, Ph.D., of Kenosha, both staff members at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, visited the IRC for the first time Saturday.

“I’d never been here before and I thought it looked interesting,” said Camacho. “I’m always wanting to learn more about Islam. It was nice to be able to try the henna and learn more about the hijab. It was nice to be able to talk about it and try it on, and not feel like it’s something we can’t talk about.

“Everyone was really welcoming and friendly,” she continued. “It had good energy.”

A unique stop

Katarina Repinski of Shorewood has been the visitor services and social media coordinator for Historic Milwaukee for more than four years, but this is the first time she has been able to visit Open Doors. Historic Milwaukee is the non-profit organization that works to protect and share Milwaukee’s history. It leads volunteer-led walking, boat and indoor tours of historic sights and neighborhoods. It also puts on Open Doors Milwaukee.

“I’m usually working Saturdays and Sundays,” she said. “This is literally the first time I’ve ever been able to experience Doors Open as a visitor.”

“There are lots of churches on the tour. I wanted to try something unique,” she said. “I learned this is one of the largest—one of the only—Islamic lending libraries in the state. I love the center. Everyone’s very welcoming and sweet. More people should come out here and experience it.”

A chance to learn about Islam

When Stephanie Hendricks looked at the almost 200 destinations she could visit during Doors Open Milwaukee, the Islamic Resource Center caught her eye. 

“I thought it would be really interesting to stop in the center because I have an interest in learning about Islam. “I took a world religions course in college and Islam is one of the main religions. I thought it would be interesting to learn more about it.”

During her visit at the IRC, Hendricks learned that Muslims hold many of the same beliefs she does, “like Jesus and Mary. I thought that was just in Christianity.”

She enjoyed seeing the art work and displays at the IRC.  

During her visit to the Islamic Resource Center Saturday, Stephanie Hendricks, a Christian, learned that Muslims hold many of the same beliefs she does.