Fried chicken, cheese burgers, potato wedges, and pasta are all common ECC’s cafeteria food items. Yet, more than half of these options are not permissible for Muslim students to enjoy.

“I usually just bring my own lunch because of the non-halal food options,” said Imaan Ali, an ECC student. 

Halal is an Arabic word that means permissible. Halal foods are those that adhere to the Muslim faith. 

“I don’t generally eat in the cafeteria,” said Zoeya Bhurgari who is in her 2nd year at ECC. “If I don’t totally know what’s inside of the food then I usually avoid it. I typically just eat outside of here.” 

According to Islamophobia in Higher Education Environments, schools should be offering halal food options and accommodations for religious holidays, rather than Muslim students requesting these accommodations.

Although ECC Communications has stated the college doesn’t track the number of Muslim students, the college is home to many Muslim students.

And, they are advocating for adequate campus representation for the upcoming semester, amidst a growing U.S. Muslim population and political presence. They hope to combat stereotypes and Islamophobia.

According to a NPR May 12,2025 article, an estimated 4.5 million Muslims live in the U.S.A. and yet 40 percent of Americans have never spoken to one Muslim. 

“I want people to understand one thing, Islam is a beautiful and simple faith that gives you everything you need,” said a dual credit student Khadejah Somali. “It aligns intrinsically with human nature; and for me, it provides solution, peace, and satisfaction I couldn’t find in any other philosophy or religion.”

According to ECC’s Underrepresented Groups Study Report, Muslim students are considered to be underrepresented and have been underrepresented since 2019. 

“I feel like there’s not that much representation for us here at ECC, as Muslim students.” said Ali, a second year college student at ECC. “Representation will dispel a lot of preconceived notions because a lot of people think Muslims are bad people, when really we just want community and connection. And, representation will help provide that.”

Today, Muslims can see themselves represented in political office. 

Earlier this month, Zohran Mamdani, an openly practicing Muslim, won the New York City mayoral race.

A November 5, 2025 article in NPR described the event as an “historic victory.”

Mamdani, who grew up in East Africa, is the first South Asian man to serve in the New York State Assembly and the third Muslim to be a member of its body, according to the New York State Assembly website. 

“I was so happy I cried to see Mamdani win,” said an unnamed ECC student, who is secretly practicing Islam. “He offered Muslim representation and a sense of humanity. He also knew how to get the attention of the youth and talk about the issues that so many of us face, and the rich seem to ignore. It was time for something different.”

Today, Muslim students are seeking representation within the college. 

“I know ECC tries to represent Muslims,” Ali said. “There is a prayer room in Student Life, but it has pictures and idol statues. Muslims can’t pray in there or at least they’re not supposed to.” 

This room  is located at the end of the hallway of Student Life. 

“The tiny space isn’t big enough,” Ali said. “Men and women are supposed to pray separate from each other. And there are no bathrooms we can make wudu in.”

In the Muslim faith, wudu is an Islamic ritual of ablution or purification that involves washing parts of the body to purify oneself before acts of worship such as prayer, also known as Salah. 

ECC has an Office of Institutional Success and Engagement that “aims to create a culture in which everyone feels they belong and succeed,” according to its website. 

The Observer contacted Jocelyn Santana, the Chief Institutional Success and Engagement Officer, to inquire about ECC’s Muslim students, but she was unavailable for comment. 

Currently, a group of students are working to reestablish the Muslim Student Association. 

“I think seeing other Muslims, and having a space where Muslims can be connected and just having that sense of representation would be beneficial for ECC students,”  Bhurgari said. “Representation matters.”