Thursday, May 24, 2012

Southwest Region

Welcome to the Southwest Region
Take a Closer Look
    Amjad Mahmood Khan, LA West Majlis


Below: A shaft of light illuminates a tumbleweed on the
 floor of Antelope Canyon, a dramatic sandstone
 formation carved by floodwaters near Page, Arizona.
Page, ArizonaIf you're from somewhere else—somewhere green, lush, quiet, and humid, perhaps—it’s easy to malign the Great American Southwest as nothing more than one endless, saguaro-strewn desert, stretching out to every horizon in a tedious, pancake-brown blur.  As home to earthquakes, forest fires, smog, mud slides, and extreme heat, to traffic, race riots, car chases, and celebrity trials.  Well, all of this is true. Thankfully, though, like all great enigmas cloaked in stereotype, there’s more.

First, there's the coastline. Rent a car, preferably a convertible, and drive a 200-mile stretch of roadway that hugs the Pacific Coastline - named what else but Pacific Coast Highway (or as the locals refer to simply as "PCH"). From San Diego to Santa Barbara, you will enjoy a stunning view of arguably the world’s most breathtaking beaches. Then, there's the weather­—a warm and breezy 65-70 degrees 330 days of the year (your standard Mediterranean climate), if you’re in Southern California; the same for at least half the year if you’re in Tucson, Phoenix, or Las Vegas. Next, there's the diversity­—there are large and thriving populations of just about every ethnic group in America. There's then the topography­—surf, ski, hike, or fish within a few hours at some of the best locations in America. Where else can you surf and ski in the same day!? Marvel at the millenia-old chasm that is The Grand Canyon.  There's then the economy­—Los Angeles has the 8th largest economy in the world, and Phoenix is the fastest growing large city in America. There's then the history­—Tucson is the oldest continuously established settlement in America.

Of greater significance, of course, are the burgeoning Jama’ats and Majalis. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) laid the foundation stone and inaugurated the mosque in Los Angeles East (Baitul Hameed) and inaugurated the reconstructed mosque in Tucson (Yusef Mosque) in the late 1980s. Jama’at LA West and Jama'at Phoenix own their own Mosques. Las Vegas is a newer Jama’at with fast-growing communities.  There are nearly 1,100 Jama’at members in the West Coast South Region, with nearly 250 Khuddam and Atfal. Over 50% of Khuddam are under the age of 25, and a majority of those attend colleges/universities. The region is home to many prominent institutions of higher education/athletics: UCLA, University of California -Irvine (where there’s an AMSA), University of California -San Diego, The Claremont Colleges, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and UNLV, among others.

In short, there's a lot to be a part of in the American Southwest. The great Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov was once asked about whether he identified himself as more Russian or more American, to which he responded: "I am as American as April in Arizona."  Take some time out and travel to the Southwest in the Spring, and you'll know exactly what Nabokov is talking about.  We’ll be delighted to host you!

 

 


















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