By Alice Moreno
Helping out the community is the Malikah organization’s biggest goal.
On October 11, Malikah, in collaboration with PERIOD and Frontline Foods Queens, hosted a food and wellness product distribution. Located on Steinway Street in Astoria, Malikah is a non-profit organization that focuses on community safety. To fight against violence and hatred towards genders and ethnicities, they host self-defense classes and educate those about healing justice and financial literacy, according to their website.
To support their community, around 250 halal food was given out by Malikah for free, all being freshly cooked by Frontline Foods Queens. Guests were given the option to choose between two different meals: chicken or beef with vegetables and rice. This isn’t the only time Malikah hosts a food distribution though — every Friday, they give out these halal foods by their office, and on Sundays, they visit local shelters in Jamaica and Long Island City to donate. Those who are unable to attend aren’t out of luck, though. The DarelDawah mosque at 3513 23rd Avenue in Astoria has a halal community fridge placed by members of Malikah, filled with fresh groceries for anyone in need to take.
“I am here today in [the] spirit of community,” said Ayman Mir, the marketing and events coordinator for Malikah. “Today is a Friday, which is a holy day in Islam, and we would love to connect with the community. Make sure that everybody’s fed, everybody’s healthy, and that hunger isn’t a reality for everyone—anyone in our neighborhood.”
According to Mir, it is uncommon to see food pantries give out halal options. Knowing that there are many people out there without the financial stability to have a freshly warmed homecooked meal — including those from the Islamic community — Mir and members of Malikah hope to be inclusive with their organization, making those who need help feel safe and welcome while still respecting and following their cultures.
Across from Malika’s food distribution stand stood PERIOD, the menstrual movement that started in Portland, Oregon in 2014, and now includes chapters all over the nation. As stated by their website, PERIOD distributes millions of menstrual products to those in need, while fighting for equity policies such as repelling the tampon tax and mandating products in public places.
Their table was sprawled with menstrual hygienic products goodie bags filled with pads, tampons, and self-defense kits given out for free. They provided guests with a plethora of information, hoping to inform passersby of the importance of menstruation in reproductive health, erasing the stigma that goes around with discussing and having a period. In addition, they gave out a variety of candies, “PERIOD”-labeled stickers and even hosted a raffle, giving away PERIOD-branded items such as tote bags and t-shirts.
“We’re out here because tomorrow, October 12, is Period Action Day. It’s an annual day [in which] we try to end period poverty and stigma and raise funds to support women, menstrual health and reproductive rights,” said Laila Abed, Youth Advisory Council Member and founder of the Period chapter in Sacramento, Calif. “So we’re just out here giving out free period care packs [… ] and some flyers and goodies for the community.”
PERIOD’s pleas aren’t unheard, though. In 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the “Health Equity and Opportunity Legislation for New Yorkers” act, which rephrased the words “feminine hygiene products” into the more gender-neutral term “menstrual products” and required these products to be provided to students for free in private middle and high school bathrooms.
Regardless, there’s still more work to be done. According to Abed, these legislations are far from being enforced in schools, leaving many students to be without menstruation products, especially in emergencies. Though New York state abolished the “tampon tax” in 2016, many other states are left with a hefty tax when trying to buy menstrual products. PERIOD works towards removing this tax, hosting a petition for congress to sign the 2024 Stop Taxes Against Menstrual Products (STAMP) act. There are currently 449 signatures, all with the common goal of removing taxes from menstrual products.
Since 2010, Malikah has worked non-stop to help out their community. Their volunteer team has reached out to over 20,000 people and 34 cities all over the world, teaching them about the importance of caring for one another in their communities — fighting against prejudice, sexism, and racism. Each woman taught under the Malikah organization has grown to be independent and stronger, fighting back against those who believe otherwise.
“I want to see every woman in my community have her own money. She can, you know, live in [a] safe place. Nobody can tell her, you have to leave the apartment because we will raise the rent,” said Mona Elboghdadi, program director of Malikah. “I need the woman to know how to find the work, to work with money, to make her feel safe and independent.”
