On June 25, 2019, Rumi Forum co-sponsored the book event for Victor Begg’s Our Muslim Neighbor at Busboys and Poets. Islam is the second largest religion in the world. In America, Muslims are becoming our neighbors, co-workers, community leaders, caregivers and, in many cases, members of our families. Yet unfounded bigotry and fear are on the rise. Combatting that dangerous trend can be as easy as enjoying the dramatic—sometimes suspenseful and sometimes funny—memoir of Muslim peacemaker Victor Begg. His new memoir combines the compelling personal narrative in the novel The Namesake with the sharp advocacy on behalf of a minority community found in Hillbilly Elegy.
Author/Speaker:
Victor Begg is a retired entrepreneur. He operated a chain of furniture stores in Metro-Detroit and now spends much of his time in community service and as a Muslim activist at the local and national levels. Over the years, Mr. Begg was a leader in Metro-Detroit, often serving as a liaison between the Michigan Muslim community and local, regional, and national public, civic and interfaith groups. He is a co-founder of the Muslim Unity Center Mosque in Bloomfield Hills, an Emeritus Board Member of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion, and co-founder of the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metro-Detroit. He has appeared on numerous media outlets, including ABC, FOX, NPR, LA Times, CBS, Voice of America, and USA Today, and his opinion editorials on Muslim issues frequently appears in Detroit and the Treasure Coast newspapers nationwide. Mr. Begg holds an MBA from the University of Detroit.