Since 2018, Houstonian Bibi Watts has been hosting Black Iftar events in Houston with flair.
She joined the initiative in its inaugural year after fellow black Muslim Samira Abderahman birthed the idea, nurtured it and then launched it in her home city of Chicago.
The festive meals, shared with non-black folks and non-Muslims alike, meant fun times for Watts, a self-described people lover, serving to increase her connections to her friends and the wider community, while also infusing a bit of learning and fun into Ramadan and simply creating a wonderful space for black people to congregate, eat and enjoy each other’s company.
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Then came COVID-19, and it all stopped.
The preparations for this year’s event, which Watts estimated was going to be bigger than ever with the potential to attract 400 people, came to a screeching halt, leaving her feeling a bit lost.
“I’m so sad because we had so much planning, and then this happened,” she told AboutIslam.