Civic Engagement
ADAMS Civic Engagement programs were designed to establish and nurture fellowship with diverse organizations, other faith communities, the community-at-large as well as local, state, and national elected officials and government staff.
Civic Engagement programs were designed to establish and nurture fellowship with diverse organizations, other faith communities, the community-at-large as well as local, state, and national elected officials and government staff. The work generated as result of these bonds have made ADAMS a proven partner for the common good
ADAMS is also a founder and sustaining member of the AMSAC Group (Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Advisory Committee), which works with the FBI on on National Security and Civil Rights. Throughout the year, ADAMS invites Government Officials and Candidates from all area districts to visit ADAMS and all of our satellites and branches to meet with our community, speak to community members after Friday prayers, and interact with ADAMS leadership to increase community Civic engagement and responsibility.
In addition, we will maintain our commitments to specific events like the ADAMS Annual Civic Picnic, Interfaith Iftar, 9/11 Unity Walk, and other programs where Interfaith fellowship and official government representation is important to build an engaged partnership with the community.
Accomplished legal scholar and former Indiana University President Dr. Thomas Ehrlich in his essay compilation entitled, “Civic Responsibility and Higher Education,” presents the definition of civic engagement as “…working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and nonpolitical processes.” (Ehrlich, T.; Civic Responsibility and Higher Education, American Council on Education, Oryx Press, 2000).
As examples of the wide array of partners working with the ADAMS Center, we are able to list the following:
Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES
Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, FFEU
9/11 Unity Walk
Loudoun County Government Multicultural Advisory Board
FBI’s Washington Field Office Arab, Muslim and Sikh Advisory Committee, AMSAC
Karamah: Muslim Women Lawyers for Justice
Fairfax County Faith Communities in Action
State Department Foreign Service Institute
National Association for the Advancement of Color People, NAACP
Fairfax County Government Community Interfaith Coordination Office
Onevoice
Inova Blood Donor Services
Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, IFCMW
International Center for Journalists, ICFJ
Washington Area Jews for Jewish-Muslim Understanding
Cornerstones (formerly Reston Interfaith)
Washington National Cathedral
Islamic Relief
ADAMS Goverment Election Candidate Policy
ADAMS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. ADAMS encourages Civic Participation, Voter Registration, and Voter Education in the community. ADAMS DOES NOT endorse or oppose any candidates or political parties, and invites and/or accepts requests by candidates from all parties, as well as independents, to attend all ADAMS activities as appropriate.
ADAMS will send invitations for specific events and for regular congregational prayer services to all candidates running for office in any particular election. If candidates call to attend an event or prayer session, ADAMS will allow them to attend provided that event is open for all candidates, and we can ensure all candidates are given similar access to the ADAMS community. ADAMS allows candidates to briefly speak as appropriate, have a table, handout fliers and collect signatures for running for office. Candidates are not permitted to fundraise at any ADAMS events or facilities. Due to time limitation during
Friday Prayers or Special Events, ADAMS may limit the number of candidates at one time or event, and will work with them on a first come-first serve basis. We also encourage candidates to avoid appearing at the same service or function as their opponent in a particular election race, to avoid the appearance of a “debate.” Moreover, if we cannot accommodate all candidates at one event, we will invite them to a similar event at another date.
ADAMS also invites sitting Government Officials to specific events, as appropriate, including a range of Officials from the localities near ADAMS Center. If that Government Official is currently running for an Election, ADAMS will ensure that he/she is invited as a sitting Official, and not to promote an election campaign, and will inform that official that any remarks should not be related to the election campaign, unless ADAMS has invited all candidates from all parties, as well as independents, to that event or a similar event at future date and has agreed to electoral statements.
ADAMS’ open policy welcomes all candidates from all parties, as well as independents, to visit ADAMS’ events, provided they have confirmed the times and logistical arrangements of that visit with ADAMS’ officials. ADAMS will try to accommodate any officials or candidates who arrive without previous notice, if they have been invited to ADAMS’ events or prayer services, provided there are not too many speakers already confirmed at that event. ADAMS may limit the number of candidates at one time or event, and will work with them on a first come-first served basis, and if we cannot accommodate all candidates at one event we will invite them to a similar event at another date.
