Muslim Americans are plugging the gaps in America's healthcare system. After our friend was killed, we knew we had to tell people

Taleisin Namkai Meche was stabbed to death in Portland, Oregon after stepping in to stop the verbal harassment of two women of color

On 26 May 2017, our friend Taliesin Namkai Meche, 23, was stabbed to death on a commuter train in Portland, Oregon. Taliesin had intervened to stop the harassment of two young women of color, one of whom was described as “visibly Muslim”. A few moments later, he gave up his life to protect them.

We flew to Portland for Taliesin’s memorial service in a state of shock. Reunited under these circumstances, the two of us grappled with how to honor his sacrifice.

Much has been said about the idea of Medicare-for-all in the past few weeks as a record number of progressive Democrats jockey for the 2020 nomination. Universal healthcare is a noble aim. Until we get there, it’s important to recognize how the current gaps in our health system are being plugged. Muslim Americans are doing more than their fair share by offering free medical care to nearly 50,000 uninsured patients of all backgrounds each year.

As filmmakers, we decided to collaborate on a short film that would bring attention to this unsung service and present a positive, nuanced representation of Muslim Americans at a time of rampant Islamophobia.

Unconditional Care spotlights the Muslim-run free clinic movement through the voices of volunteers and patients at the Muslim American Social Services Clinic (MASS) in Matt’s hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

In 2010, the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida was bombed in a hate crime. Six months later, members of the center, led by Faisal Sayed and Dr Mohammad Ilyas, founded the clinic that would grow into MASS and opened its doors to any person who is uninsured and earns less than 200 per cent of the federal poverty level. Today, MASS is partially funded by a Baptist hospital system and staffed by a diverse group of volunteer doctors, nurses, and students. It serves nearly 2,000 patients per year — the vast majority of whom are not Muslim.

“This is what Muslims are actually about,” 20-year-old clinic volunteer Danish Sayed said when we interviewed him. “If someone has hate in their heart for my religion, I definitely think I could persuade them out of it because of this clinic.” If ever there were an American success story, it’s this interfaith endeavor to heal the needy that is led largely by first generation Americans from a minority religious community.

When we started the project, we knew that MASS was just one of a number of clinics like it but no one was sure how many existed. Our executive producer, Asghar Syed, went to work to find researchers who could help us figure that out. Eventually, we partnered with Dr Lance Laird, from the Boston University School of Family Medicine, and Nabil Khan, from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. They located and surveyed 69 clinics in 22 states. In their forthcoming report they estimate that by treating nearly 50,000 uninsured low-income patients without charge in 2017, Muslim community-based health organizations have saved public hospitals tens of millions of dollars.

In his aptly titled autobiography, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train, historian Howard Zinn says, "The power of a bold idea uttered publicly in defiance of dominant opinion cannot be easily measured. Those special people who speak out in such a way as to shake up not only the self-assurance of their enemies, but the complacency of their friends, are precious catalysts for change.”

Our friend Taliesin was this kind of catalyst for us. He spoke out against hatred with his body, his life. The volunteers at MASS and all of the Muslim-run free clinics across the US speak out with their selfless work to treat their uninsured fellow Americans. We hope that Unconditional Care will amplify their message to the world, honoring Taliesin's courageous act while helping to transform the story of Muslim-run free clinics into medicine for our ailing society.

We are currently raising funds to hold screening events across the country at which clinic staff, medical professionals, potential volunteers, donors, and members of the press convene to share ideas and strengthen the movement. Currently, there is no formal network of Muslim-run free clinics (up until now there was no directory in which all of their information could be found in one place). We’re hoping that through the screening tour and publication of Laird and Khan’s report, a Muslim healthcare organization will be inspired to take on the task of creating a comprehensive network.

Our goals for Unconditional Care are significant; much remains to be done. But it is imperative to stand up for our Muslim friends and neighbors when they are threatened, listen when they speak, and shine a light on all that they contribute to American society. As history teaches us, as Taliesin embodied, you can't be neutral on a moving train.

You can contribute to the Unconditional Care fundraiser here