A Stat That Stuck: Three Data Points, One Story

When we asked our team a simple question — what’s one ISPU data point that has stayed with you — we expected a range of answers.

Instead, a clear pattern emerged.

Across data on civic engagement, discrimination, and persistent stereotypes, one throughline connected them all: the gap between how American Muslims show up and how they are still perceived.

In this episode of Deep Dives with ISPU, we hear from ISPU Executive Director Tuqa Nusairat, Director of Research Dr. Saher Selod, and Senior Research Project Manager Erum Ikramullah as they reflect on the data points that stayed with them most.

Together, their insights reveal a larger story — one of a community that continues to participate, engage, and invest in society, even as bias and misperceptions persist. From rising voter registration, to unchanged levels of discrimination, to deeply embedded stereotypes about Muslim women, this episode connects the dots between participation, perception, and the narratives in between.

At first, the connection feels surprising. But as the data unfolds, it becomes clear: this is a pattern we’ve been seeing all along.