Apr 28 ‘We’re just taking space.’ How Arabic music is breaking through to new audiences By Deema Zein, Yasmeen Sami Alamiri Until recently, Arab music had been used by American and European studios and popular media in a way that “was very orientalist,” playing on racist tropes, according to writer and music journalist Danny Hajjar. Continue reading
Apr 28 Why Arab Americans are pushing for a ‘Middle East or North African’ category on the census By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang The federal proposal for a separate MENA category would lead to more accurate federal data collection for Arab Americans. Continue reading
Nov 04 Why Arabic ballots are now being offered in Michigan and what this means for voter access in the U.S. By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang Three days before the inauguration of President Trump, Nada Al-Hanooti’s mother, who was born in a Syrian refugee camp and speaks very little English, was able to take and pass the U.S. citizenship test. Although she was able to naturalize… Continue reading
May 03 A visit to this market turns up Ramadan decorations and growing Muslim visibility in Michigan By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang Metro Detroit is home to the oldest, largest and most diverse Muslim American communities in the U.S. Only in recent years, however, have being visibly Muslim and publicly engaging in some of its practices, including fasting for Ramadan, become less… Continue reading
Nov 03 Arab American and Muslim mayors sweep local elections in Detroit suburbs By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang Voters in three Detroit suburbs chose, for the first time, mayors who are both Muslim and Arab American in historic local elections on Tuesday, marking a shift in political power to a region that has the largest concentration of Arab… Continue reading
Sep 20 Decades after ‘the Arab problem,’ Muslim and Arab Americans are leading political change in Metro Detroit By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang Despite a long history, Muslim or Arab American communities in the metro Detroit area have not had significant presence in local government other than city council -- until now. Continue reading
May 03 War and sexuality overlap in Egyptian-American playwright’s work By Laila Kazmi, KCTS Weaving themes of war, betrayal and sexuality, Yussef El Guindi's latest play addresses the current atmosphere of mutual distrust between America and Arab countries. Continue reading
Sep 11 Watch Americans Still Feel Impact of 9/11 on Life, Politics On the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, memories of the destruction and victims remain fresh in people's minds. Eight Americans talk to Jim Lehrer about how the day's events have impacted their lives. Continue watching