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Muslim Link - April 2, 2008
NY native travels across the nation to produce
"Muslims in American" documentary
By K. Fatimah Woolfolk
WASHINGTON, D.C. Umar Nasser is a second generation Muslim American, from New York City, NY. The son of Jamil (Joyner) Nasser of Memphis Tenn, Umar's father accepted Islam in the 1950's from West African delegates to the United Nations in NYC.
Brother Umar is the producer of a documentary called "Muslims in America", and he is filming across the nation. His team comes through the metropolitan area in late May.
While serving as a telecommunications engineer in the United States Air Force during the first Gulf War, he made Umrah and Haj for the first time. He was able to witness and participate in a series of Islamic information programs to US soldiers that ultimately resulted in more than 5000 US soldiers accepting Islam. For the past 10 years, Brother Umar has been working and living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
"Those experiences in Saudi Arabia constituted a spiritual turning point in my life. After my return to the USA I resigned my position in the USAF and after a few years returned to Saudi Arabia. After 911, I decided it was important to use the media to address the many misconceptions in the world about Islam and Muslims," said Brother Umar.
The producer carries a continuously growing desire to educate the world about Islam via Video and Film Production. His work proves that he holds an unwavering dedication and sincere enthusiasm for documenting and sharing some of the in-depth realities of Islam here in America. Presently he is preparing to take on yet another adventurous production of Muslims in America for 2008. Once again Bro.Umar will be returning to the United States for an entire month. The plan is to have a full schedule of back-to-back filming with selected candidates who understand the importance in sharing their story.
Last year's production of Muslims in America took Brother Umar and his production crew to travels primarily along the East Coast. For 2008, the Red Sea Media Productions team is looking forward to visiting Muslims all over the USA -- from California to New York, including with possible subject leads for filming in Hawaii and the Virgin Islands. The fact is that whether it is productions being produced by mainstream companies, or independent producers, the beauty of skillfully extracting this type of dawah for the sole purpose of educating others about Islam has increasingly become one of the most effective resources.
And with today's growing convenience of various Media outlets such as YouTube, MySpace, spreading the message to millions of viewers is amazingly easy.
Umar's shows enter your homes and bring you face-to-face with everyday Muslims. From an array of commonly well-known Muslim activist and entertainers on the East Coast, to Native Alaskan reverts in Anchorage. In 2007 the visit to Alaska was actually a historical one. The Red Sea Media Productions crew where fortunate enough to become the very first Muslims to do a story about Islam in Alaska. Participants who were interviewed for Muslims in America shared how they are living through the beauty and challenges of being a Muslim and how they are still maintaining their sincere dedication to live to please Allah.
In the past, "Muslims In America" was broadcast primarily in the Arab World. But now, Brother Umar has plans to make it available worldwide.
Wanting to cover the whole range of Muslim communities in America, the motivated producer made sure not to forget the Muslim prisoners.
"I am also interested in depicting and conveying the story of Islam from within the Prison Institutions. I aim to reveal how Islam has changed their lives and made it less likely that they will return to the streets, or prison. The films are intended to be a special release for broadcast during Ramadan of 2008," he said.
If you, or someone you know has something rewarding to contribute to the up-coming productions which are set to start filming in May – June of this year, please contact the Red Sea Media Production, Production Coordinator. Contact information is shown below. Not to share it may result in your story being left untold and unknown. In addition, you are likely losing the opportunity to help increase understanding and destroy any misconceptions about Islam and Muslims.
For more information, contact kwoolfolk@redseamediaproductions.com.
http://www.masnet.org/articleinterest.asp?id=5001
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