|   A Muslim woman who was robbed and brutally beaten by a group of young people last month says the New York Police Department and the Bronx District Attorney’s office failed to properly investigate until she dug up video evidence proving the hate crime.Here is Rowaida Abdelaziz, who covers civil rights for HuffPost, on how she got the story.How did you come to this story?As a part of my morning routine every day, I take the first hour of my day to read stories that are relevant to my beat. These stories run the gamut, from local news to international events happening across the globe. It helps me stay well versed, up to date and prepared for any stories I need to write at any given time. During this process, I also take note of which stories check off my list. Does it pique my interest? Would it be of interest to readers? How is it being shared on social media?It was during this time that I came across a local news story that mentioned Fatoumata Camara in a small paragraph. It was enough to catch my attention. I began to dig in and got in touch with her and was immediately captivated by her story.
What has happened since you reported Camara’s story?Less than 24 hours after publication, the story caught the attention of NY officials like Scott Stringer who tweeted about Camara. Just days after that, activists organized a rally for her in NYC demanding for NYPD to reopen her case and bring her justice.You cover Islamophobia, is this case typical?Unfortunately, it’s not surprising. Hate crimes are already under-reported for many reasons. For Muslims, and black Muslims like Camara in particular, the relationship between those communities and the police are already tense. Concerns about police brutality, surveillance and general distrust with law enforcement has led to marginalized communities to not engage with police and when they do, they find themselves being dismissed like in this case. 👋You may have noticed our website is now www.huffpost.com. Don't worry, it'll still be the same HuffPost you know and love, just with a new URL. Make sure to update your bookmarks! HuffPost is now a part of Verizon Media Group. On May 25, 2018 we introduced a new Privacy Policy which will explain how your data is used and shared. Learn More.The internet's best stories, and interviews with the people who tell them. Like what you see? Forward it to a friend. Or sign up! Can't get enough? Check out our Morning Email. ©2019 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost.
Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe |
