Grand Prairie cancels Eid event after Gov. Greg Abbott's office threatens to pull funding
It's called DFW Epic Eid Celebration. Dr. Aminah Knight started the event two years ago to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Eid.
“If I could curate something for one day where kids and families in my community can feel like, ' Wow, this is for me,' I want to do that,” organizer Dr. Aminah Knight said.
The first year it was held on a public day. Last year, she rented the whole park for a private event for Muslim families with nearly 600 people attending.
This year, there's online backlash because her original flyer said Muslims only.
“It’s really just a private flyer that was shared publicly, and that’s giving people the feeling of, ' Oh, you don’t want me there, but that’s not it,” Knight said. "It’s just a private party, you know.”
Knight said it was not meant to exclude anyone but was intended as the dress code for proper Muslim coverings for women and men. She has since changed the wording.
“That’s not what I’m going for, and if that’s how it’s being taken, I’m definitely willing to adjust and say, hey, this is for modest fashion specifically celebrating the Eid holiday,” Knight said. “So, it doesn’t say Muslims only.”
Online comments even questioned whether a city-owned property was allowed to exclude people.
“That’s where you are mistaken,” Knight said. “It costs money to rent out this park. If you would like to pay about $5,000 an hour to rent out the park, then you should do that for your community.”
The city of Grand Prairie confirmed it is available for rental by individuals and organizations, well within Knight's rights.
“We’re not trying to create a bubble or live in a bubble,” Knight said. "We’re just saying we are going to take a moment just to be with people who want to come together, who highly value modesty, and we are going to do our event this way, and after that, we are back at it with everybody else.”
Knight said that because of some online statements, there will be extra security on the day of the event.