If you were Muslim would you choose to attend a college founded on Christian values? Today, Spelman is more religiously diverse than ever despite its Christian foundation. Although Spelman was founded on Christian values there are no discriminations against any women. When you enter the classrooms on Spelman’s campus you may encounter Atheist, Catholics, Deists, and even Muslims. So what is it about Spelman that has attracted such diversity in women? What has influenced their decision to attend a Christian college despite their own beliefs? In order to grasp a better understanding I had a conversation with Spelman student Amirah Mitchell, who is a devout Muslim.
Full Name: Amirah Mitchell
Classification: Senior
Major: Environmental Science
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
When did you decide to become a Muslim?
I officially became Muslim my freshman year. Before attending Spelman I made the decision to convert to Islam. In high school I studied and looked at many different religions, one being Christianity. I wasn’t really particular about one religion; instead I was searching for something that fit right with me.
What influenced your decision to attend Spelman College in light of its Christian foundation and your Muslim beliefs?
I really love and value the sisterhood at Spelman. Spelman is first and foremost to me a historically black college. I do not feel that Spelman is solely for Christians; it would be unproductive as a Christian school to ostracize other religions. Honestly, it really didn’t seem out of sync of who I am at all. Most of my family members are Christian, and in many cases we share the same values.
What aspects of Spelman do you value being female, African-American, and Muslim?
I value the aspect of heritage and knowing yourself as an African-American woman. For example, freshman year it was required that we take the class African Diaspora World, which taught us about our African roots. Although Spelman focuses a lot on the aspects of Christianity, the Christian legacy is a part of African-American history as well as the Muslim legacy, so it does not offend me.
What struggles have you faced while being at Spelman?
One of the biggest struggles I have dealt with was eating in the cafe. As a Muslim I am required to keep up with the dietary restrictions of halal, which is similar to kosher, but not as rigid. The biggest problem is pork. For example, I can’t eat the pizza because they cut the cheese pizza with the same utensils as the pepperoni. If they had separate cooking vessels it would be easier to eat. Also when I fast I have to eat before the sunrises and after the sunsets, but the cafe isn’t open.
How do you handle studying or discussing other religious beliefs in class?
I really enjoy speaking and learning about different religions. Back in high school I studied a lot of religions such as Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism.
As a Muslim do you feel welcomed and respected in the Spelman community?
Sometimes, I think it depends. There were times where I didn’t feel respected. There are other times where I have felt tokenized. For example, because I am Muslim I am sometimes asked to speak on things that I don’t necessarily feel comfortable speaking on. It’s almost similar to being the only black student at a predominantly white school. But being tokenized is easy to get over because it provides leeway for me to help people better understand Islam. I enjoy talking to people about my belief and bridging the gap between Christianity and Muslim beliefs.
Are there organizations on campus that cater to your beliefs?
I am involved in the Muslim Student Association, an organization that supports the Muslim student body with religious services and things that support the education of Islam.
What changes do you think should be made in order to unify Muslim and Christian students on campus?
I feel that there needs to be better resources about the Muslim religion as well as other religions. We are so bombarded with negative energy about Islam in the media that it leads to less of an understanding and respect for our religion. There are very strong resources for Christians, but I think that it would help to have a better focal point on Muslims as well, because of the large population of Muslims on Spelman’s campus. We can be greater resources to each other than we are currently being. I remember I had a friend freshman year that I am not close with anymore, because there wasn’t an understanding in our core values and beliefs. They felt very strongly that my beliefs weren’t valid, because they believed that there was a great distance between Muslim and Christianity beliefs. Despite their beliefs I saw their religions as valuable—it’s just about respecting that someone’s beliefs are their own.