A panel discussion this week at Cleary University will explore the issue of Muslim visibility in Livingston County.

The discussion, which will be held on Thursday from 1-3pm, is part of the Halal Metropolis exhibition series at Cleary which seeks to examine Islam through the lens of art, culture, business, music and sport. The discussion, which is open to the public, will feature two speakers; Ali Hussain and Jenn Crooker. Hussain is a writer and artist with a PhD in Islamic studies, while Crooker is an Ann Arbor teacher and mother who converted to Islam in her teens.

Project Manager Razi Jafri said it is important to have discussions like that which will take place Thursday in order to break down barriers and search for those things that can bring us together and not divide us as people. "One of the challenges in our societies is where communities are not understanding each other is that people are afraid to ask questions because they're afraid of offending. But one of the ways we know we learn (is) by asking, we learn by discussing. Even within that question there's a sincere curiosity that people have and wanting to know more about a community."

Thursday's panel discussion will take place in Richards Hall, located in Cleary University’s Chrysler building in Genoa Township. More information can be found through the link below. (JK)