Austin, TX – Addressing the challenges of heightened Islamophobia, a pair of Austin entrepreneurs has taken to ‘GoFundMe.com’ to raise money for a worthwhile endeavor. The two Texas-born partners have developed Muslim survival kits as a means of protection for people of the Islamic faith living in less-than-friendly environments.
The University of Texas alumni and cofounders, 23-year-old Musa Khan, and his partner 24-year-old Ehrab Hassan, call their new company M.E.X., (an acronym for Muslims Enduring Xenophobia).
The hat (which is called ‘The Mex’) is festively designed to protect potential victims from enraged assailants that believe all Muslims (or folks with brownish hued skin tones) are collectively responsible for acts of terrorism around the world.
“We designed ‘The Mex’ to physically protect any individual wearing one, and to introduce the elements of distraction and confusion during a violent encounter,” said Hassan. “This confusion is vital, as it provides the victim just enough time to get away.”
The Mex also complies with the Islamic tradition of head covering for both men and women. However, it’s 360 degree brim makes it difficult to fully prostrate during prayer.
Musa Khan pointed out that The Mex’s function is to enable people to survive, but does not eliminate the risk of marginalization.
“We’re shifting a person’s image from being associated with a demographic viewed with hate and fear, to a profile that is still discriminated against but may elicit a lesser violent reaction… and perhaps even trigger requests for mariachi tunes,” said Khan.
As of Saturday, the company had raised $595 with an initial goal of $5,000. Production is expected to launch in January.
