March 29, 2015

The Safe Spaces Initiative is a grassroots-based program designed by the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) to protect our communities from negative influences that seek to lead individuals into a pathway of violence.

Rather than leaving concerns of wayward individuals solely in the hands of law enforcement, MPAC believes in community-based alternatives to arrest, similar to gang and school violence prevention efforts.

Safe Spaces is a training program that seeks to convene a diverse group of professionals (including imams, mental health professionals, social service providers, educators, and others) to discuss and practice violence prevention solutions, including intervention strategies with at-risk individuals, to keep communities healthy and safe.

MPAC will be co-hosting a discussion at the Islamic Center of Southern California on Sunday March 29 from 12 PM to 1 PM. The event is open to the public and will discuss Safe Spaces' objectives and details about its curriculum.

The event will feature remarks from the program's designer, Alejandro Beutel, a research consultant and former MPAC Government and Policy Analyst, along with Salam Al-Marayati, President of MPAC.

To learn more about Safe Spaces, you can check out the summary of the toolkit curriculum and training here.