Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month
![Arab American Heritage Month | From Damascus to Chicago](https://image.pbs.org/bento3-prod/articles-pbs/Article%20Images/2021/04/6b4aa2e044_From%20Damascus%20to%20Chicago.jpg)
April 1, 2021
By Beatrice Alvarez
April is here and that means we are celebrating Arab American Heritage Month (AAHM). While not recognized by the federal government, AAHM is celebrated in many U.S. schools, cities, and states. Of course, around here we acknowledge the contributions of our diverse communities 24/7/365, but we like to take special note of heritage months to learn more and uplift the stories of people’s rich heritage.
For starters, it is important to understand what it means to be of Arab descent. Simply put, Arab Americans have roots in 22 countries located in the Middle East and North African regions: Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. And within all those countries, there are various languages, religions, traditions that are now part of our American story.
These films featured here represent some of the millions of voices and diverse experiences of Arab Americans.
Writing an American Story | Borders & Heritage
Yussef El Guindi is among a handful of Arab American playwrights.
Arab American National Museum | Detroit Performs
Arab American National Museum. Ep 605/Seg 3.
Somalia: A Nation of Poets | TPT
Somalis worldwide stay connected to their culture and homeland through poetry.
The Feeling of Being Watched | POV Shorts | Starts streaming April 5
A journalist investigates rumors of surveillance in her Arab-American neighborhood.
A Song for Daniel | POV Shorts
A day in the life of two boys living on opposite sides of the world.
Natour's Grocery | POV Shorts
Filmmaker Nadine Natour tells the story of her parents’ emigration to the United States.
Syrian Plight | Muslim Youth Voices
SYRIAN PLIGHT, a film by Dunya Khalil.
Dalya's Other Country | POV | Starts streaming April 5
A family displaced by the Syrian conflict remakes themselves after the parents separate.
Lalia Lalami | Book View Now
Laila Lalami's "The Other Americans"
Maya | Film-Maker
“Maya” is about a Syrian immigrant newly settled in the U.S..
From Damascus to Chicago | POV Shorts | Starts streaming April 5
A family navigates life in a new city and country.
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