Here is Malik breaking his fast with some traditional Dates after covering the evening shift for one of the Cedarwood staff

By Malik Mohamud, Program Manager at Hammer Residences

There are more than 1.9 billion people in the world that identify as Muslim, and the blessed month of Ramadan means different things to each and every one of them! In the month of Ramadan, we refrain from food and drink and sexual pleasure in the day and strive to worship longer and harder at night. One of the main goals of Ramadan is to instill in ourselves, in the long run, the spirit of sacrifice. Training ourselves in the virtues of resilience and heartiness is one of the most important goals for a Muslim.

As a Black, Somali, Muslim, Student this Ramadan has had a great toll on me personally. In addition to being a full-time manager at Hammer Residence’s Cedarwood program and being an active member/volunteer at my local Mosque (South Metro Islamic Center in Rosemount), I am a full-time student at the University of Minnesota’s College of Continuing Education & Professional studies (Twin Cities). I congratulate myself and all my fellow upcoming 2021 graduates for their hard work and resilience in the face of adversity. The month of Ramadan started this year (04/12/2021) just as the court system was reaching the end of the Chauvin trail and when the news broke of the unjust killing of Daunte Wright.

Unlike many of the Ramadan’s in the past, entering this month with a smile on my face and peace on my mind was extremely difficult. It was so hard for many of my fellow Muslims and I to prepare for hours of fasting and night prayer while our community was in chaos. I am extremely grateful for the effort and the time that Hammer Residence’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee has given to make sure their Muslim employees and person(s) served where accommodated. I got really emotional when the simple email reminder that I sent to my squad on the importance of accommodating our Muslim employees during the month of Ramadan was sent to every employee and every department within Hammer Residences.

I pray that this month of Ramadan brings peace and tranquility to all those who celebrate it! Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or anyone from the DEI council on information regarding how to accommodate for our Muslim employees. (Attached are a few links that I feel would be helpful).

Here is a link on tips about how to accommodate for Muslims during the month of Ramadan!
Your Turn: Accommodating Muslim employees during Ramadan (sctimes.com)

Here is a link on Taraweeh night prayer and what it entails
Taraweeh Prayers in the Islamic Celebration of Ramadan (learnreligions.com)