{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Anes is an Explorer leader in Birmingham, Anes tells his story about his experience of dealing with prejudice and how Scouts became a safe space and a place to grow. ","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/ybhi0cby/slide1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"altText":"Anes bbqing in Scouts uniform","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003EMy life journey is probably quite different to lots of other Scouts in the UK.\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003EMy journey started in Sweden, my birthplace, but soon after I embarked on a new chapter in Egypt. Growing up there, I learned the Arabic language, but I always tried to embrace and learn about my Eritrean heritage while shaping my identity.\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003EAt the age of 8, I arrived in the UK, just as countless young people across the country were beginning their Scouts journey. As a young teenage Muslim boy, moving to a new country, where Islam wasn\u0027t the norm, I faced challenges and felt the need to hide my identity. I remember feeling self-conscious about wearing a thobe, which is a long loose-fitting garment worn by Muslim men to promote modesty. I was worrying about what others might think or say. It was tough to be myself, especially when it came to practising my faith.\u202F\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003EI vividly recall the struggle to find a place to pray at school and the resistance we faced from the school\u0027s leadership team. But, despite the obstacles, I and other Muslim students stood together, praying in a large group on the playground, proud to show that Islam was a part of our identity. It was a mix of fear and pride, knowing that we were asserting our rights and proving that we can pray anywhere, even if the school didn\u0027t provide a designated space.\u202F\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003EUnfortunately, the challenges extended beyond school. Walking with my mother and hearing racial abuse being hurled at her, because of her choice to dress a certain way and cover her hair, was both heart-breaking and confusing. It made me question why we were treated differently and seen as less than, simply because we looked different and practised a different belief system. Our acts of faith, such as praying, didn\u0027t harm anyone else, yet we constantly faced judgement and discrimination.\u202F\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003EIslamophobia is something complex, as it often intertwines itself with other forms of discrimination, leading to different experiences across the wide diversity of the Muslim community.\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW117071647 BCX0\u0022\u003EAs a young, black, Muslim man, I often felt targeted and isolated with a whirlwind of emotions and confusion. Discrimination based on the colour of my skin wasn\u0027t something uncommon. It led me to place mental barriers in my own head, making me believe I was inferior, despite my religion telling me otherwise.\u202F\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/ggkl2cjq/slide2.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"altText":"Anes holding his hand in the Scouts promise","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003EHowever, Scouts came into my life and provided a safe space where I could express myself freely and discover my true identity. During my teenage years, my mother started bringing me along to a local group in Birmingham, who met in a Mosque frequented by the local community. Through the weekly sessions I was able to benefit from the programme, as well as meet with people who looked like me and felt the same experiences as I did.\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003EScouts helped me understand and embrace my religion and skin colour, reaching a stage where I am not only comfortable with them, but also proud to claim them as integral parts of who I am. Scouts truly made a difference in my life.\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003EIt provided a supportive community where I met other Muslims of all ages who shared similar experiences. These individuals became my role models, showing me that I could achieve great things. They inspired me to break down barriers and make a difference, not only for myself, but also for future generations.\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003EThrough conversations with these Muslim leaders, I realised that I had the potential to achieve even more than I had ever imagined. They showed me that the barriers placed in our way could be overcome, and by excelling in every aspect of life, whether it\u2019s school, pursuing a successful career or volunteering in the community, I could pave the way for those who come after me.\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022OutlineElement Ltr SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003EI also had several opportunities to work with the \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.ukmsf.org/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMuslim Scout Fellowship (MSF)\u003C/a\u003E, which is a national Scouts Active Support Unit (SASU).\u00A0 The MSF provided me with opportunities to grow as I led several national events. This allowed me to grow as a leader. It also allowed me to meet hundreds and thousands of Scout volunteers and young people across the country, all of whom having their own unique experiences that I was able to share and resonate with in different ways.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022Paragraph SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW25731542 BCX0\u0022\u003ENow that I am 21, I\u2019m an active Explorer leader, seeing the struggle and concerns of a new generation of teenagers. It makes me reflect on my own experience and fills me with a sense of hope and responsibility. I hope that through my own experience, I\u2019ll be able to support more young people through their own journeys.\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003C/div\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"Discover how to talk about Islamophobia","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022NormalTextRun SCXW57740348 BCX0\u0022\u003ERead our top tips for discussing Islamophobia and find activities to learn about Islam, and activities to learn about discrimination.\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2022/november/islamophobia-awareness-month-what-is-and-how-to-talk-about-islamaphobia/","id":null,"url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2022/november/islamophobia-awareness-month-what-is-and-how-to-talk-about-islamaphobia/","newWindow":false,"target":"_blank"},"colour":"#490499","title":"What\u2019s Islamophobia and how can you talk about it? 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