Statewide Listening Tour: Join a Session Near You
Muslim Civic Coalition | August 2026
The Muslim Civic Coalition’s Statewide Listening Tour: Building Civic Justice in Illinois is underway with five listening sessions now confirmed. More are being scheduled. Here is where we are going, what happens when we get there, and how to bring us to your community.
In June, we said we were hitting the road — spending time in community across Illinois, listening to what people need, and carrying what we hear back to Springfield. (Read the full tour announcement.)
Since then, partners and community members across the state have written in, offered space, and told us what their regions need. Now, we’re excited to share our first five confirmed dates — starting at the Central Illinois Mosque & Islamic Center in Urbana on Aug. 14.
Confirmed Listening Sessions
| City | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urbana-Champaign | Friday, August 14 | 6:00 PM | CIMIC, Central Illinois Mosque & Islamic Center, 106 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana |
| Rockford | Friday, September 11 | 6:00 PM | Venue coming soon |
| Springfield | Saturday, September 12 | Time to be confirmed | Venue coming soon |
| Decatur | Saturday, September 26 | 7:00 PM | Venue coming soon |
| Peoria | Friday, October 2 | 6:00 PM | Venue coming soon |
Venues for Rockford, Springfield, Decatur, and Peoria are being finalized with local partners.
We continue to schedule sessions throughout the state, including Aurora, Moline and the Quad Cities, Bloomington-Normal, Carbondale and Southern Illinois, and Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. If you're interested in coordinating a session with us for your community, please reach out to info@muslimciviccoalition.org
What Happens at a Session
Each session runs about 90 minutes. No presentation to sit through. No pitch.
We come with four questions and we listen:
What does it mean to truly support Muslim communities across Illinois — especially amid rising anti-Muslim hate?
What are the issues shaping daily life, and what needs more attention?
Whose voices are missing from statewide conversations, and how do we change that?
What does civic power look like when it is built from the ground up?
What we hear shapes the Coalition’s 2027 legislative and organizing priorities. This is not a formality. Every law we have passed started with a community telling us what was broken.
Sessions are open to Muslim community members, faith leaders, nonprofit staff, students, and anyone committed to building civic justice in their region. Free to attend.
Three Ways to Join the Conversation
Attend a session. We will follow up with time and location for later dates.
Host a session. Masjids, community centers, campus groups, businesses, and partner organizations can host. We handle facilitation and materials; you bring the space and help us reach your neighbors. Email info@muslimciviccoalition.org.
Share your input from anywhere. Can’t make a date, or live somewhere we haven't scheduled yet? Answer the four questions here and your input goes into the same record as the in-person conversations. Email us info@muslimciviccoalition.org.
Civic power is built in neighborhoods and carried to the halls of power. We are coming to listen. Meet us there.
Questions? info@muslimciviccoalition.org