Fast-a-thon for thought

I have access to one of the best educational systems in the country. My classes are taught by some of the most intelligent, innovative, and accomplished scholars of today. I am continuously encouraged, supported, and told that I have the potential, resources, and capacity to achieve anything I want.

And the Community Service Society of New York reports that, only a few blocks away, 163,000 young people in New York City between the ages of 16 and 24 are neither in school nor in the labor force.

While I am constantly overwhelmed by the support and encouragement I receive at Columbia to pursue my education, it is difficult for me to fathom that there are individuals only a short walk from campus who contribute to these dire statistics and live such grim realities. How can it be that such disparity exists in such close proximity? And more importantly, can anything be done to ameliorate it?

Columbia’s Muslim Students Association (MSA) is doing everything in its power to address the crucial issues of poverty and education in the neighborhoods surrounding the University. MSA members hope to raise funds through their annual Fast-a-thon, an event in which participants abstain from eating and drinking for one day in order to draw attention to an important humanitarian cause. This year’s Fast-a-thon will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 16 to support the Harlem Children’s Zone, an organization that helps thousands of children achieve their academic goals.

President Barack Obama credits HCZ for “literally saving a generation of children in a neighborhood where they were never supposed to have a chance.” Firmly believing that all children have potential, HCZ offers comprehensive programming that empowers, motivates, and inspires Harlem residents at every stage of their lives. he organization provides a wide range of educational, social, and community-building programs to help create a network of support, a mindset of success, and a lifestyle of opportunity. HCZ takes tangible steps towards improving education and achievement statistics among youth in Harlem, and it has the results to prove it. For example, 100 percent of third-grade students at HCZ Promise Academy 2, one of the organization’s charter schools, scored at or above grade level in statewide math tests in 2008. At HCZ Promise Academy 1, only 40 percent of sixth graders entered the school at grade level achievement, but 87 percent of the school’s students scored at or above grade level in statewide math tests two years later.

These impressive results are due in large part to HCZ’s strong spirit of commitment, responsibility, and dedication to its kids—a spirit that Columbia also exhibits towards its own students. It is this shared mentality that compels the MSA to partner with HCZ. Moreover, tough economic conditions leave no institution or organization unaffected and thus not only create a strong sense of empathy but also bring the community together. Though the number of pressing global humanitarian crises is staggering, it is at times like these that one feels most eager to reach out to one’s neighbors.

We can only move forward with collective action and a united front. Muslims from across the world have been fasting together since the end of August when Ramadan began. Throughout Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. In virtually every country, every city, and, most likely, every dorm on this campus, people wake up in the middle of the night to eat a hearty meal that sustains them for the rest of the day. In the evening, these same people gather with friends, family members, and other Muslims to break their fast with a common meal called Iftar. A glimpse into the diverse population of students who attend the MSA’s on-campus Iftars shows how a simple shared routine creates a sense of togetherness that transcends cultural boundaries and social circles. The Iftars connect people of different backgrounds and varying levels of familiarity with one another on a basic human level.

Though the most prominent aspect of fasting is the abstention from eating or drinking, it actually means more than that—fasting also encourages the practice of self-discipline and purification of the soul. The detachment from one’s own worldly desires—namely food and drink—raises consciousness about the world we live in and draws attention to the struggles of others. In this way, fasting not only brings people together on a community level, but it also affects individuals on a personal level and raises awareness about the world we live in.

The author is a Columbia College sophomore. She is the community affairs committee chair for the Muslim Students Association and lead organizer for Fast-a-thon.