We Believe in a Better Future for All
AUCC stands for Al Ummah Community Center. Al Ummah is Arabic for "Community." When we started our plans to build a center in Teaneck, NJ for the good of the community, we had no idea that we would face such hatred, racism, and rhetoric in the heart of Bergen County.
This website tells our account of how our good intentions were twisted and perceived as evil, how we tried to create a place for children and young adults to learn, play, and grow in a healthy and safe environment, but were refused because of our religious beliefs and how the political operators in our town that were required to treat us fairly by law, conspired against us.
This website tells our true story of why we have decided to fight back.
The AUCC is place for all people. And like the country that we love, it is here to be used by people of all races, colors, creeds, and religions. We are standing up for our rights in Teaneck because we do not want to hand our children and grand-children a community where racism continues to be tolerated.
"Why is equality so assiduously avoided? Why does America continue to delude itself, and how does it rationalize the evil it retains?"
Read Our Claims Against The Town of Teaneck
The AUCC is supposed to be a place where a community of people can congregate, learn, and play in a peaceful and safe setting.
It stands today half-built and incomplete because of relentless denials, fines and permitting issues by the Town of Teaneck.
We believe that these obstacles are unfounded, but mainly a result of discrimination by people representing the Town of Teaneck.
They Told Us to Change Our Name
As we made our plans, received support from town officials, broke ground, paid our fees, started construction, and pushed forward to create a state-of-the-art community center facility in the heart of Bergen County, NJ, we did not realize that there were people that did not want us to succeed and were willing to illegally conspire against us to prevent the Al Ummah Community Center from ever opening. To add insult to injury, the people that we had trusted to help us, told us to change our name to The People's Community Center because is sounded "less ethnic." And we are sorry to say that we did it... but it didn't help us.
Our Curriculum Includes Acceptance.
We Provide a Safe Place to Grow.
We Feed Our Community.
Where We Came From
Ray Hassan and his family set out to build a place to honor the memory of his mother; where the people and children our community could learn, play and grow in a safe and loving environment. His best intentions were met with discriminatory actions.
We bought a building; but we started a community.
What Is Happening Now
Get the most up-to-date information about the AUCC and our lawsuit against the Town of Teaneck (et al).
Our Community is behind us and we owe it to them to see this through.
Our Story in Our Own Words
Ray Hassan set out to build a place to honor the memory of his mother; where the people and children our community could learn, play and grow in a safe and loving environment. His best intentions were met with discriminatory actions.
Hear his story.
Testimonials
I am part of the AUCC because here I can be free to be who I am and feel comfortable doing the activities that I LOVE to do.
AUCC Community Member
Name
I think a Community Center is a great place for the Community and families to come together and support each other and create and environment of trust and an environment of positivity. I think that sports is an area that this community center will be supporting greatly so that our can grow and play together, spend time with each other and be in a healthy environment.
AUCC Community Member
Name