Growing up in a post-9/11 America, Sierra heard many negative things about Muslims. “Looking at the news,” she said, “I saw all the dangers, and people being killed. It was frightening.” But when she was 11 years old, her parents began bringing her to AAi compassion events and her view of Muslims quickly changed. During the first event she attended in Gilroy, Sierra buddied up with a Muslim girl of similar age named Noor. 

“We just clicked,” Sierra said. “I remember telling each other a lot of jokes ... and, of course, we enjoyed serving [a meal to] poor neighbors together.”

That opened the door for Sierra to see Muslims as people, even incredibly kind people who were nothing at all like she’d heard.

In addition to her personal experiences at several AAi compassion events, Sierra credits AAi’s seminar, Loving Muslim Neighbors, with removing numerous misconceptions about Muslims and Islam that are popular among Christians, and with illuminating the immense common ground shared.