Cathy Benson speaks with Aisha Sial, Media Watch secretary for the Seattle branch of the Ahmadi Muslim Women’s Association after the Coffee, Cake and Islam event.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Seattle’s director of public affairs Alam Ali said since President Donald Trump’s executive order that attempted to ban immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries, attendance has spiked at regional Coffee, Cake and Islam educational gatherings.

Three of the tenets of the Muslim religion are community outreach, helping others and promoting the ability to attain knowledge, he said.

“The ask of Snohomish County is ‘come meet us,’ if anyone is having any concerns or fears,” Ali said. “Come and meet us and judge for yourself, but not before you come meet us.”

More than 100 people did come to Snohomish Fire District 4 in Snohomish, one of the three Coffee, Cake and Islam events held in the Puget Sound region last week hosted by the 44th Legislative District Democrats.

Party chair Diana McGinness said the event was meant to reach out to community members struggling with the current political climate. The Coffee, Cake and Islam event was planned before the travel ban controversy, but the order “put a point on it,” she said.

Tiffany McIndoe wanted to know how to help. She has participated in some of the recent protests in Seattle, but living in a more rural community has found herself, as she suspects many have lately, not knowing how to participate on a local level.

“ I don’t think people don’t care,” she said. “I just don’t think we know what to do, or where to turn.”

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community outreach director Waqas Malik said his faith teaches the importance of playing an active role, and that people have three options: “to stop it yourself with your own hands;” “voice yourself, let your disagreement be known;” or “at least in your heart know that this is wrong, but that option is the least favorable.”

Kathleen Buchanan and her daughter, Callie, came because “we’re ignorant,” Kathleen said with a laugh.

“It should be something kids do,” she said. “It should be something people should have a