04/15/2026
As the US and Israel continue to wage war and state violence on Iran, we are seeing the acute impact of language in real time. The language being deployed by the US and Israel has one goal: to dehumanize Iranians and justify state violence.
As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the subsequent launch of the War on Terror, we know that the same tired narratives will be used to entrench and justify a national security apparatus that has resulted in catastrophic violence against Muslim and other marginalized communities. But who will speak about the impact of the War on Terror on Muslims? Who will continue to tell our stories and define our history?
MWRL is a three month writing and publishing op-eds program providing Muslim writers the tools, support and resources to drive systemic change that centers the humanity and dignity of Muslims. It is a program rooted in our belief in the power of writing as a means of preserving truth and historical memory, especially at a time when our voices are censored, erased and manipulated.
MWRL is for emerging and intermediate writers who want to make a deeper connection in their storytelling and provide a counter-narrative to the current discourse about Muslims post-9/11. MWRL will provide monthly workshops aimed at helping participants produce op-eds that speak to their lived experiences in addition to how the War on Terror has more broadly impacted the Muslim community. The goal is to produce pieces for publication in September, 2026 as an intervention to the entrenched narratives that have dominated policy and the public sphere.
MWRL is led by Dr. Maha Hilal, who is the founding ED of MCL, the author of the book Innocent Until Proven Muslim: Islamophobia, the War on Terror and the Muslim Experience Since 9/11 and has written over 70 op-eds that have been published in Truthout, Middle East Eye, The Daily Beast, and others. MWRL will also be supported by Maceo Nafisah Cabrera Estévez, Co-Founder of the Muslim Writer's Salon. During the lab, participants will go from idea formation to guided supported and editorial feedback before the pitch.
For more information and to apply: bit.ly/MCLResistanceLab
