NEIGHBORS RESPOND TO HATE LETTER SENT TO MOSQUE

Several members of the Kensington World's Fair Organizing Committee have sent their reactions to the hate letter received by the neighborhood mosque. Their responses are printed here with their permission.

Annie Ferdous

That is a shameful act for humanity. We don't want it to happen here or anywhere. Let's stay together against such an uncivilized crime.

Jasmina Nikolov

If the Kensington World's Fair taught us anything, it's that we, as a community, embrace the cultures, religions, and backgrounds of everyone who lives here. All neighbors must unite against any hate crimes directed to fellow Kensingtonians. We need to stand with our brothers and sisters to let the world know that hurtful words and actions are not welcome here.

Bridget Elder

We all live here in Kensington together, and while we might not agree on everything, we must be civil and kind to one another. There is no place in Kensington for bigotry and cowardice. The ignorance and venom of this vile act will, not be accepted by this Kensington resident. We must build bridges, not destroy them.

Maggie Tobin

As an immediate neighbor of the Masjid Nur al Islam on the corner of Chester and Church Avenues, I would like to publicly state that many of us in the community find this blatant display of hatred despicable and very unsettling. Though we have had our issues over the years concerning our quality of life and the volume of the call to prayer, we are appalled that this sort of cowardly bigotry would happen to one of our neighbors.

I hope as a community we can reach out a hand and help them feel welcomed here in Brooklyn. After the Kensington World's Fair this past Sunday, I know many of us felt a real bond with our neighbors and that our vision (see below) had been accomplished, at the very least, for the day.

In a neighborhood as diverse as ours, I think we all need to make an extra effort in moving towards our goal of being a unified, cohesive, and respectful community.

Maggie Tobin

West Kensington Action Group

Vision Statement for Kensington World's Fair:

Our vision is to bring the people of Kensington from all backgrounds together for an exciting day of music, dance, art, food and fun! Through communication, education, and the arts we can build a cohesive and vibrant community. We believe that as we all come to understand, respect and know one another, we can create one strong and unified voice and be better advocates for our community!

The Kensington World's Fair Committee