During a tour last week of extensive renovations at the Islamic Association of West Virginia's mosque in South Charleston, Ibtesam Barazi took the opportunity to fight the notion that Muslims are somehow other, or different.
She is deeply cognizant of the rising Islamaphobic sentiment in the country. She doesn't mention Donald Trump, who a few months ago called for a "total and complete" ban on Muslims entering the United States, or other lawmakers who have said they wanted to ban Syrian immigrants from the country. She doesn't have to.
Instead, Barazi, vice president of the Islamic Association of West Virginia, noted that numerous Muslims live, work and contribute to the community. Of the 300 to 400 families that are members of the mosque, she says there are engineers, businessmen, state and federal government workers. Many of them are doctors, doing their part to help West Virginians get well. Their kids go to school here.
About 1,900 adherents of Islam lived in West Virginia in 2010, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives.
"We assimilate just fine," Barazi said.
Barazi also points to interfaith activities they host. In December, over 300 people turned out to hear the imam, two priests and two rabbis speak about the commonalities among the religions. She also mentions an upcoming event outside of Wal-Mart, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on April 17. People representing Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism will answer questions about their faiths, in an effort to show that they're not so different.
"We all seek the same thing - inner peace," Barazi said.
To accommodate the growing Muslim community, members of the Islamic Association of West Virginia are spending approximately $2 million on renovations.
According to Barazi, when the mosque was built in 1987, only about 10-20 families attended services there. Today, 300-400 families are members.
The multi-purpose room is packed wall to wall during events. The teachers have to use dividers to create classrooms. The sanctuary can't hold all the people who come on holidays.
The renovations, which started in June and should be complete this summer, will double the size of the building.
Barazi said she thinks the community has grown because of the appeal of West Virginia. Members have moved here from numerous countries.
"West Virginia is a welcoming state," she said. "... West Virginians have a great heart and we would hope West Virginians would continue to welcome immigrants of all kinds because it is what makes this country great. We are all children of immigrants. Everyone is a child of immigrants, really, unless you are Native American."
Construction has been paid for solely by member donations. They have fundraisers every so often to raise money.
"We just kind of meet for dinner," Barazi said. "Somebody will say I'll buy the oven. ... This is how we operate."
An effort to bridge the gap between Muslims and those other faiths is evident in the construction of the building.
Agsten Construction, the company doing the renovating, built a new multi-purpose room. It's where they'll hold interfaith activities.
They built a big new gym too. That way, when Muslim children visit other churches, they can invite other kids to come back and play.
Carl Agsten, president of Agsten Construction, said the members have been "awfully good people to work with."
"I am very proud of it, and I am very proud of our community," Barazi said.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, 304-348-5163 or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.