REPLAY: Cleveland Inspirations feat. Julia Shearson

In a society that thrives off of cultural diversity and what everybody can bring to the table, there are multitudes of individuals who are contributing to positive well being of this country, yet they are not being extended fair civil rights and liberties. One of these multitudes is Muslim Americans. Julia A. Shearson has been serving for the past ten years as the Executive Director of the Cleveland Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). She received her Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University in New York City, a Master’s in Linguistics from Ohio University, and a Master’s in Middle East Studies from Harvard University. While at CAIR, Ms. Shearson has been working on civil rights advocacy, educational outreach, and media and public relations. Ms. Shearson has been a vocal critic of certain post 9/11 government policies that have eroded civil liberties. She has fought against excessive government secrecy, unwarranted surveillance and other abridgements of the liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. She has also worked to challenge Islamophobia and to present a positive image of Islam and Muslims. Join me as I talk to her about why we as a country should change our perception of Muslim Americans, as well as thee importance of respecting what other cultures bring to the table.