CLOVIS, Calif. (FOX26) — A packed room of vendors and community members gathered in Fresno for the Central Valley’s first Muslim business convention, an event aimed at spotlighting Muslim-run businesses while giving neighbors a chance to learn more about a culture and religion they may not know.
The convention featured local businesses and services, with vendors sharing information about their products.
“We really are helping the community and we really have a big part of this town, how it grows and how it does and everything,” Mervat Nageeb, of Sultana Real Estate Agency, said.
Nageeb, who immigrated from Egypt to Fresno more than 20 years ago, described the region as diverse.
“This is a melting pot,” she said.
According to World Population Review, California has the second-highest Muslim population in the country.
Community members at the convention said that visibility has sometimes come with scrutiny over the decades, and they hoped the event would help build understanding.
“Our community is about love, supporting each other, teaching to be happy good people and hopefully grow happy families, grow good rounded children that understand their culture and their religion and still assimilate into this American culture which is the beauty of America,” Dalia Dalia, of Dalia Dalia Realty Concepts, said.
Attendees included people from outside the Muslim community.
Kareena Grewal is not Muslim and she said said she came to learn and to support local businesses.
“I just love to explore other cultures, including all of the different kinds of cultures and ethnicities that are part of the Muslim community here in Fresno. It’s so diverse and I think it’s amazing to see the products of their art and their history,” Grewal said.
Vendors said the convention also offered a chance for Muslim business owners to connect with customers and receive encouragement from the broader community.
“It’s nice to have a community who will not only have amazing events like this, but give you such support and such an amplification and we all got to help each other,” Omar Zacut, of OzPop Balloons, said.
When asked what they most wanted people unfamiliar with Islam to understand, multiple participants emphasized the same message: “We’re a very peaceful people.”
“We are here to work with hard workers. We came here to follow the American dream, to start new lives, get better education for our kids. And we are happy to participate, to help this country grow and become a better place for us to live in because if it’s a better place, it’s a better place for everyone,” Nageeb said.
The event included vendors and professionals such as doctors and lawyers, along with traditional jewelry and clothing.
To learn more about the event, click HERE.