I converted to Islam in 2000, and only six years had passed when I had my first child. At that moment, I faced an unexpected challenge: I had to raise a “born Muslim” without the necessary tools catered to our reality as Latino Muslims. At the time, children’s books about Islam available in Spanish were almost unheard of. My husband, also a Latino Muslim convert, and I wanted to nurture our children’s bilingual and bicultural identity, but the resources did not exist. That absence inspired us to establish Hablamos Islam and begin creating original Spanish-language Islamic children’s literature. What started

Assalaamu Alaykum! About LALMA (La Asociación Latino Musulmana de América) Since our founding in 1999 as a small study group of five Latino Muslims, LALMA has served as a forum for educational and spiritual growth. Our mission is to promote a deeper understanding of Islam within the large Spanish-speaking Latino population of California. Latinos make up 40% of California’s population, and we work diligently to foster mutual understanding and unity by collaborating with multifaith organizations for the well-being of Los Angeles’ diverse communities. Our efforts have included celebrating Ramadan alongside Roman Catholic and other Christian communities, promoting interfaith dialogue and

The following was included with the application. Assalam Aleikum. The late Sister Mary Ali had a profound impact on my life through her teachings about Islam. It wasn’t just her knowledge that touched me deeply, but also her character, commitment, courage, and active involvement in the Muslim community. When I asked her to bring topics for new Muslim sisters to discuss at my home, she readily accepted and taught us about Islam for several years, both at my house and at the Muslim Community Center (MCC). Whenever I needed someone to discuss Islamic issues with, she was always just a