The Greater Sacramento region is an area of rich ethnic and cultural diversity, and includes significant communities originating in the Middle East and South Asia. We invite you to explore these communities through a new series of interviews conducted by UC Davis students. Each interview will focus on a specific member of the Middle Eastern/ South Asian communities of the Greater Sacramento region. Following is the first of what will be many interviews to come. 
  
  Interview of Dr. Hamza El-Nakhal for the ME/SA website
By Ambika Kandasamy

1. Could you please give a brief history about yourself?
I was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1942. I am one of 10 kids. My schooling and university education was in Cairo. I got a graduate degree in Food, Science, and Technology from Ain Shams University in Cairo. I moved to the U.S, in 1969. I worked in Minnesota for awhile, and then I came to UC Davis to get a PhD in Microbiology in 1975. After that, I did work in Southern California in a canned foods company for a year. Then I joined King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia, it was a brand new university—no classrooms, no curriculum, so they recruited me from here, and I helped start the College of Agriculture there for 11 years—it was a challenging job, but I learned a lot. When my children grew up, I moved back to Davis. All three of them graduated from the College of Engineering at UC Davis. I really like Davis, it is a wonderful community. 2. You were recently awarded the chancellor’s achievement award for diversity and community, could you talk about your involvement in the Davis community in promoting diversity?
I was given the award in January 2006. I was nominated by Debbie Davis, the editor and assistant publisher of The Davis Enterprise. Also, Chancellor Vanderhoef is so positively involved with the community; he has benefited the whole Sacramento region. I am grateful to the community, because they accepted me, whatever award I get really belongs to the community.
3. I read that you volunteered in the Davis Hate Crime Response Program—could you talk about the program, and your experience as a volunteer?
I was on the community advisory board for the Davis Hate Crime Response Program. We reviewed policies on hate crimes. If anyone had any complaints about discrimination, they came to us, and we reviewed their case.
4. How long have you served on the Davis Human Relations Commission?
I have been a member for about 3 years.
5. Could you talk about involvement in the Davis Human Relations Commission?
The Davis Human Relations Commission is meant to build bridges between people. Any individual who has complaints of being discriminated against or being treated unfairly comes to us, and we advise city council on what is happening, and what can be done to overcome such segregation.
6. How long have you been involved with the Islamic center in Davis?
I have been involved with the Islamic center since I came back from Saudi Arabia, about 20 years ago. I am currently the president of the Islamic center. I have been on the Board of Trustees for a long time. Most of the people in our congregation are students, and people from abroad. I am not an “imam,” or a religious leader, though sometimes I take on that role. We hold nightly and weekly congregation prayers at the center.

7. What are some recent community activities that the center has hosted?
Right now, we’re rebuilding the Islamic center (it is located on 539 Russell Blvd). It’s a long process, because we only use donations to build the center. We’re not holding prayers right now; we have different places in the city where we are doing our weekly prayers. Inshallah (God willing), we hope to finish building the center before the month of Ramadan.
8. Finally, what do you think are the most pressing issues facing the Muslim community in Davis/Sacramento?
People try to impose picture that all Muslims are terrorists; kids are called names, and people are discriminated. People need to have somebody to pick on—and right now, its Muslims. Before Native Americans were discriminated, then it was Japanese Americans in concentration camps, and African Americans. There is profiling of and generalizations made against Muslims.

Faculty Development Seminar
Student Organizations