Why Latinos Are Converting to Islam

Latinos are one of the fastest growing groups within Islam in America. VICE's Lee Adams travels to Houston Texas, the home of America's first Islam in Spanish center, to investigate what’s behind this phenomenon and how America’s current political climate might be related.

As a former gang leader, Jaime "Mujahid" Fletcher claims that Islam saved his life, inspiring him to found the Islam in Spanish center. He dedicated himself to translating Muslim texts for a Spanish-speaking audience.

We spoke to Jaime and other recent Latino Muslim converts to find out why two of America’s most discriminated groups are coming together.

American Muslims: Latino Converts to Islam

We visit the Islamic Center of Greater Miami to look at the rising number of Latino Muslims in the US—as many as 250,000, according to estimates. Some of the converts say that in Islam they have found theological simplicity and “no intermediaries with God.” The Islamic Circle of North America reports that more than half of US Latino converts are women. “I just felt that the minute I put my head down to the ground, “ says Nadia Echevrria, “I was really talking to God.” – Friday, June 05, 2015 (Originally published on July 25, 2014)

Latino Converts to Islam

Latino Family Reflects On Conversion To Islam

KPBS: The Arancibia family home sits on a small hillside in rural Bonita in southern San Diego County. Laughter rings out around the house where Spanish and English comfortably co-exist in an ever-growing family of married children, grandchildren and friends.

Despite appearances, the Arancibia’s are not your typical California Latino family. They’re Chilean, not Mexican, having fled Chile shortly after the fall of Allende. And they’re Christian, but not Catholic.

What sets them apart even more is one son - 38 year old Diego, a project coordinator with After School Assistance Provider (ASAP) - who converted to Islam 13 years ago.

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the U.S., with domestic conversion fueling that growth. California Latinos make up the bulk of the domestic conversions.

For Diego Arancibia, the move toward Islam was an evolving process. Read on (+ audio) » | Rebecca Romani | Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Troubling Trends: Latinos Embracing Islam

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