Goodwill store named in Deah Barakat's honor

Despite his son being taken from him, Namee Barakat — the father of Deah Barakat, one of the three students killed in Chapel Hill during the February shooting — has found a way to give back.

“I wanted to keep their legacy alive,” he said.

MY Project USA — a non-profit organization focused on empowering young American Muslims — has partnered with Namee Barakat to create MY Deah’s Goodwill Store.

“The money goes to them, and then from there we have different projects supporting the youth in all the different programs that they have,” Barakat said.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, MY Project USA has launched eight community service projects so far to help low-income families and neighborhoods.

“This is a good opportunity to have something for the whole community,” Barakat said.

The Raleigh store — located at 3925 Beryl Rd. — became affiliated with MY Deah’s Goodwill Store on Nov. 1.

“With all the refugees that are coming from all over the world, we want to be able to support them and give them what they need, from clothing to furniture to whatever we can offer them,” Barakat said.

The stores accept donations from the community, which will then fuel the projects targeted toward empowering young American Muslims.

“Deah and Yusor and Razan were exactly the people that our project aims to foster and help raise,” Zerqa Abid, president of MY Project USA, said.

As a family friend of the Barakats, Abid said she was shocked by the tragic event.

“Deah was like my own; I knew him since he was a toddler,” she said. “They were the very best of our community. We believe God has chosen them for this thing, and it is such a tragedy, but it is going to affect millions of people around the world and in America.”

Abid said the goal of MY Project USA is to protect young American Muslims by confronting issues like human trafficking, drugs, gangs and bullying.

“I think that the impact was on one side huge and saddening, but at the same time, the sadness and tragedy engaged to embody love and service is amazing,” she said.

Rukhsana Ansari, treasurer of MY Project USA, said this partnership will be able to help low income families.

“Deah always wanted to do good and work with needy people, so that’s why this is going to help people out,” Ansari said.

The Raleigh store will have its second volunteer day this Sunday from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., where all members of the community are welcome to help.

Saliha Baloch — an American-Muslim student studying to be a nurse practitioner through UNC’s Master’s program — said the Muslim community needs these kinds of services.

“I think with the rise of homophobia and Islamophobia, and with people blaming Muslims for things like the Paris attacks, we are seeing a lot of misunderstanding,” she said.

“What a few people do in the name of Islam doesn’t mean that the others are like that.”

Baloch said the example of her decision to stop wearing a headscarf due to the judgments people made reinforces the need for the services that MY Project USA is providing among American Muslims.

“These kinds of programs show the Triangle and non-Muslims that Muslims are good people and they are helping themselves and helping others as well,” she said.

“I’m really impressed with how their families have responded to this tragedy in such a positive way — they are responding with understanding and by giving back to others, and that’s really one of the hallmarks with our religion.”

Namee Barakat said this project fits well with the mission of MY Project USA.

“I’m hoping this project will be a great plus and a great advantage, and what better project than this?” he said.

“This is just something to support the community and make the three winners happy.”

@kianamcole

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