US Latino Muslims Bridge Cultures

Racially and ideologically different, Isa Parada, a Houston Hispanic convert, is trying to bridge differences between Latinos and diverse American Muslim community, setting a role model for a growing Latino Muslim community.


"The Islamic community and the Hispanic community don't know much about each other," Isa Parada, who works at several mosques through the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, told Houston Chronicles.


Growing up in New York and Houston, Parada was an altar boy in his family's Roman Catholic parish, reading Scripture with his family regularly.


Converting to Islam in 1996, he was met by huge tension in his family who accused him of rejecting their culture.


"My conversion was a shock for my family; they thought I rejected Jesus, Mary, my culture," Parada said.


For Parada, his conversion was more like a cultural odyssey replete with promise and pitfall.


"When I converted, many Hispanics thought I was rejecting my Latino culture,” he said.


“They thought I had to 'become Arab' to be a good Muslim.”


Not only Latino community.


Parada found that the Islamic community did not know how to deal with Hispanics and lacked resources for Spanish-speaking converts.


Working with Mujahid Fletcher, another Hispanic convert from Houston, the pair now produce Spanish-language videos, audio files and literature to educate Latinos about Islam.


Their website is called IslamInSpanish.org.