25 years on, NYC's Muslims refuse to live in fear

New York City has undergone significant changes in the last 25 years following the tragic events of September 11, 2001. At the time, Asad Dandia, an eight-year-old Pakistani immigrant, witnessed the attacks on television at his parents' home. The aftermath was marked by a surge in Islamophobia, with Americans expressing anger, suspicion, and fear towards Muslims.

This period saw police informants infiltrating Muslim communities, leading to surveillance and deportation of thousands of Muslims. Police monitored Muslims by requiring registration, causing fear and anxiety among the community.

Today, New York stands transformed with its first Muslim mayor, public prayers in Times Square, and the rise of new mosques across the city. Mohammad Razvi, who founded the Council of Peoples Organization nonprofit, recalls being gunshots fired in their neighborhood as a result of such Islamophobia. After experiencing such terror, Dandia pursued a career as a historian and now finds hope in the vibrancy of the Muslim community in New York.

Although Islamophobia still persists, he believes in the growing institutional power and recognition by non-Muslim New Yorkers, stating, "It's valuable because, you know, Rome was not built overnight, and it was not built by one person or one group of people. It was built by the community."