Muslim New Yorkers Bring Their Stories to the State Capitol
2026 NYS Muslim Advocacy Day
On Tuesday, April 28, Muslim New Yorkers from across the state gathered in Albany for 2026 New York Muslim Advocacy Day, a day of press remarks, legislative meetings and community advocacy at the New York State Capitol.
American Muslim Experience documented the day as participants moved through the Capitol and Legislative Office Building, gathered for the main press conference, and met with elected officials and government representatives to discuss issues affecting Muslim communities across New York.
The day brought together community members, parents, students, organizers, and advocates. Some came to speak about making Eid days an official school holiday. Others came to discuss immigrant community protections, hate crime awareness education, campus bias reporting and the need to protect houses of worship while preserving the right to peaceful protest.
For AME, the day was also a reminder that American Muslim stories are not only found in private homes, mosques, classrooms or family gatherings. They are also found in public halls, legislative offices and civic spaces where communities speak for themselves.
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Throughout the day, we photographed the main press conference and followed one advocacy group as they moved through meetings with government representatives.
This is part of the larger work of American Muslim Experience: documenting the lived experiences of Muslims in America through photography, interviews, oral history and public storytelling. Civic participation is part of that story. Advocacy is part of that story. The act of walking into the state Capitol and speaking from one’s own experience is part of that story.
New York Muslim Advocacy Day showed a community engaged in the public process, asking to be seen, heard and included in decisions that affect their lives.
AME will continue documenting these moments as part of an ongoing archive of American Muslim life, memory and civic presence. To participate in the American Muslim Experience project or share your story, visit our Participate page.
