The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) announced the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition as the winner of the Spotlight 150 Campaign in a Special Event & Fundraiser in Toronto earlier this month.
The announcement reads as follows:
Thank you to those of you who were able to join us for an inspiring evening! You will know that through the deliberations of our esteemed panel of judges, along with hundreds of votes that came through our website, the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition was finally selected for the winning prize of $1,000. It was a difficult decision because all 19 groups are incredibly impressive!
About the Coalition:
The Justice for Abdirahman Coalition is an Ottawa-based group supported by local and national advocacy groups. The objective of the coalition’s campaign is to obtain greater transparency, challenge racial inequity, and bring positive change in order to secure justice for the late Abdirahman Abdi and his family.
Abdi died tragically while in police custody last July. A police officer has been since charged with manslaughter.
The Coalition is a group formed within days of Mr. Abdi’s death following a Somali-community town hall that took place on July 26, 2016. The core group that forms the Coalition consists of a multi-generational team of individuals with professional backgrounds in policy and program management, education, mental health, public relations, criminal justice, community development and corporate governance.
Since the inception of the Coalition after Mr. Abdi’s death in July, the group has been very active in the city of Ottawa. The Coalition and its members have spoken and participated at various community advocacy events and functions addressing racism, policing and mental health awareness.
The NCCM frequently partners with civil society and interfaith organizations to promote mutual respect and good relations between communities and advance common goals in the defence of fundamental rights and civil liberties. The NCCM participates in numerous coalitions and campaigns with human rights partners to ensure that the constitutional rights of all Canadians are upheld.