WHEREAS it is the intention of the Mayor and Council of Cherry Hill Township to focus attention on noteworthy occasions and individuals; and

WHEREAS tonight we come together to honor Muqaddas “Mookie” Ejaz, a woman who has inspired others to live with the same compassion and care she possesses; and

WHEREAS Mookie was the recipient of Camden County’s 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal award, which she earned through her selfless contributions towards making Cherry Hill, and the entire Camden County community, a more accepting, unified, welcoming place to live; and

WHEREAS Mookie grew up in Pakistan in the Muslim faith, came to the United States at the age of seventeen and has committed her life to being a Community Activist and Community Outreach Specialist; and

WHEREAS Mookie works with her Jewish counterparts as a Co-Leader in the South Jersey Chapter of the Sisterhood of the Salaam Shalom, which promotes peace, understanding, and friendship; and

WHEREAS this past June, she led the First Annual Camden County S.U.R.E. Summit and has designed, planned, and led other community events, seminars, and cultural events for our community’s diverse population; and

WHEREAS Mookie has also been the lead for the English as a Second Language and Computer Literacy program at the Muslim American Community Association; and

WHEREAS her leadership skills have been used on various boards, including being an inaugural member of the Mayor’s Human Relations Advisory Committee and the Camden County Cultural and Heritage Commission; and

WHEREAS through her volunteerism, community service, and leadership in the areas of social justice and human relations, Mookie serves as a role model for all of our citizens and exemplifies the core values that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. devoted his life to teaching, and for that, she has made the Township of Cherry Hill very proud.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHUCK CAHN, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the Township of Cherry Hill, County of Camden, State of New Jersey, do hereby proclaim Monday, February 12, 2018, to be

 Muqaddas Ejaz Day

in Cherry Hill Township, and urge all citizens to join with me and the members of Township Council in recognizing her for the countless ways in which she has personally worked to improve our community and in promoting respect, understanding, and friendship among the many faiths and cultures in Cherry Hill.