Join us for a night of comedy, storytelling, and community!

The Middle East Institute (MEI) and Rola Z are proud to present:

LIVE at MEI: Voices from the Arab Diaspora, an evening of uplifting storytelling rooted in the rich tradition of Middle Eastern oral narrative. Arab-American comedians and storytellers take the stage to share personal tales of identity, memory, resilience, and belonging—brought to life with humor, candor, and heart.

Comedians and Storytellers:

Yasmin Elhady (Hulu’s Muslim Matchmaker)

Mahmoud Jaber (Performed at Lincoln Theater)

Majdy Fares (The Moth Grand Slam winner)

Omar Kurdi (Advocate, Artist, Singer)

Reem Edan (Drybar Comedy)

Rola Z (The Kennedy Center, Howard Theater)

Doors open 6pm: Visit Art Exhibit: Beyond the Weave

Show at 7pm-8:15pm

Beyond the Weave: Contemporary Dialogues with AlSadu

Curated by AlSadu Society, Kuwait

Sadu, a traditional weaving practice shaped by nomadic desert life and the ingenuity of women makers, translates generations of knowledge into disciplined bands of vivid geometry.

The Sadu Art and Design Initiative (SADI), initiated by Kuwait’s AlSadu Society, engages this cultural heritage as both subject and structure. Since 2016, the residency has invited artists from diverse disciplines to work with Sadu’s inherited knowledge and evolving forms as a foundation for contemporary exploration, reinterpreting its patterns, materials, and meanings for the present.