Muslim-Indigenous Connection

Program Structure

Each MIC cohort runs a structured learning journey of roughly 12 weeks (currently October through January), mixing virtual and in-person sessions. A cohort’s journey includes:

• Orientation & Launch – virtual kickoff introducing the program, coordinators, and fellow youth.
• Islamic & Indigenous Worldview Sessions – facilitated sessions on topics such as inter-cultural dialogue, Islamic perspectives on Indigenous relations, Indigenous ways of being and knowing, the Seven Grandfather Teachings, colonial history and residential schools, and the Medicine Wheel – led by imams, Elders, and Indigenous educators.
• Panel Discussion – a joint panel connecting Indigenous and Muslim voices around shared issues (for example, health inequities affecting both communities).
• Full-Day Site Visit – an in-person visit to a former residential school and surrounding Indigenous community sites, guided by an Indigenous facilitator.
• Youth-Led Micro-Projects – small groups design and carry out their own action project on a topic they choose – past examples include awareness campaigns on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), the REDress Project, Indigenous symbolism, and interview projects.
• Mentorship – ongoing guidance from program coordinators and, increasingly, MIC alumni.
• Graduation Ceremony – a celebration event with speeches, certificates, and community recognition.

Site Visit Highlight

MIC’s signature site visit takes youth to Brantford, Ontario – including the Woodland Cultural Centre (housed in the former Mohawk Institute Residential School), a local Friendship Centre, a Longhouse, and the Brantford Islamic Centre – guided by an Indigenous Rights Coordinator. It is consistently described by participants and speakers as the most transformative part of the program.

Who Can Join

• Muslim youth based in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Willingness to commit roughly 2 hours a week, attend all core sessions plus the panel discussion, and take part in the full-day site visit and a youth micro-project.
• A modest application fee applies; the application process asks directly whether the fee is affordable, so no youth is turned away for cost reasons.