This Community Center Is Creating a Space for Latino Muslims

“I remember the first time I attended a masjid in northern New Jersey after becoming a revert. I eventually made my second home in this masjid, but it was very difficult because the khutbahs were not even in English — they were in Arabic. I don’t speak in Arabic or understand it, so it was very devastating and depressing because when you go to the sermon, to the jumu’ah prayer, you go because you need that uplifting spiritual experience. For me to go in there empty and walk out empty — it was pretty devastating.”

This is what Nahela Morales, a Muslim Latina revert and mother living in Houston, Texas, has said.
Now Morales is the director of operations for IslamInSpanish Centro Islamico — a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide Spanish-speaking Muslims with access to material in Spanish and learn more about their faith Islam.
But to expand their outreach and goals, the organization has recently created a community center that offers services to Spanish-speaking Muslims such as Sr. Morales to receive weekly Friday khutbahs in Spanish and unite with their Spanish-speaking Muslim brothers and sisters.
The center will also extend to include an exhibition on the history of Islam in Latin America and frequent community events. All information will be available across the globe through livestreaming videos and recordings of all classes and lectures.
We had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Sister Morales and her experiences thus far as a Muslim Latina and the completion of her unspeakable dream — a community center for Spanish-speaking Muslims to gain a sense of belonging.