This Sunday: Celebrating Arab American Literature, Poetry, Art, and Music
By: Ruqyah Sweidan / Arab America Contributing Writer
Introduction
We are fast approaching the second event of National Arab America Heritage month! In this program, Arab America Foundation is proud to be hosting an illustrious group of Arab Americans from the Arts, Literature, and Music industries. These distinguished panelists will discuss how the poetic, theatrical, and visual genres are enriched with Arab heritage. At this event, you will learn how they incorporate their identities and experiences in their work while expanding their talents with diverse influences.
About the Event
The event on April 18th will feature a variety of guests from the arts, literature, poetry and theater fields. Confirmed guests to date include:
Moderator:
Dr. Ramzi Salti, Jordanian/Lebanese Stanford Lecturer; Doctorate in Comparative Literature; Host of Arabology Radio
Panelists:
Nathalie Handal, Arab American (Palestinian), award-winning poet, writer, translator, and editor, professor of English and Creative Writing at Columbia University
Heather Raffo, Iraqi American, award-winning playwright and actress whose work has been seen Off-Broadway, off West End, in regional theater and in film
Dana Dajani, Palestinian American, award-winning, author, poet, and actress who performs spoken-word poetry solo in theatrical style
Dr. Mamoun Sakkal, Syrian American, award-winning calligrapher, artist, and designer of Arabic language typefaces, many of which are widely used as system fonts by Microsoft
Layth Sidiq, Iraqi/Jordanian American, award-winning violinist, composer featured on Latin Grammy-nominated albums, lecturer of Arab music, director, Arab Music Ensemble, Tufts University
About National Arab American Month:
For over a century, Arab Americans have made countless contributions to every aspect of American society. Their work has helped build a better nation. Throughout this commemorative month, we will have the honor of hearing from public officials, educational and community leaders and artists who will pay tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans. The events will also include several Arab American music artists who will grace us with exclusive performances. Join us as we celebrate and recognize the best that Arab American culture and society have to offer.
About the Arab America Foundation:
The Arab America Foundation is a non-profit educational and cultural organization. Our aim is to connect and empower Arab Americans and emphasize our presence and contributions. Thus, the Foundation has formed a national advisory committee and twenty-four state teams of over two hundred fifty Arab Americans to approach governors, state legislatures, mayors, city councils, and school board members to issue NAAHM proclamations.
Meet the Guests:
Dr Ramzi Salti
Born in Lebanon in 1966, Dr. Salti immigrated to the United States in 1983. He earned his B.A. in French and English (1988) from Santa Clara University. He went to earn his M.A. (1991) and Ph.D. (1997) in Comparative Literature (Arabic, French, English) at the University of California at Riverside. Dr. Salti has been a full-time Lecturer in Arabic at Stanford University since 1999-2000. He authors his own ‘Arabology‘ blog, as well, which airs on KZSU Stanford 90.1 FM. Salti has also amassed several prestigious awards, including the Stanford Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, the ASSU’s Honorable Mention for the Teacher of the Year Award, and the Knight Favorite Professor. He has additionally received multiple grants from the Stanford Arts Institute to bring Arab icons to the Stanford campus.
Nathalie Handal
French-American poet, playwright, translator, and editor Nathalie Handal is of a Palestinian family from Bethlehem. Handal’s poetry draws on her experiences of dislocation, home, travel, and exile. She is the author of the poetry collections The Neverfield (1999); The Lives of Rain (2005); and Love and Strange Horses (2010), winner of the 2011 Gold Medal Independent Publisher Book Award. Handal is the editor of the groundbreaking classic The Poetry of Arab Women: A Contemporary Anthology. The piece won her the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Book Award and was named one of the top ten Feminist Books by The Guardian. Handal is co-editor of the W.W. Norton landmark anthology and Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia & Beyond, both Academy of American Poets bestsellers. She has worked on over twenty theatrical productions either as a playwright, director, or producer.
Heather Raffo
Daughter of an Iraqi father and American mother, Raffo received her B.A. in English from the University of Michigan. She went on to obtain a Masters of Fine Acting Arts in performance from the University of San Diego. She also studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London. Heather Raffo is the solo performer and writer of the Off-Broadway hit, 9 Parts of Desire. The story details the lives of nine Iraqi women. Heather garnered many awards including a Lucille Lortel Award, and the prestigious Susan Smith Blackburn and Marian Seldes- Garson Kanin playwriting awards for the play. The performance went on a national and international tour.
Dana Dajani
Dana Dajani is an award-winning Palestinian artist. Her work as an actress, trainer, and consultant has taken her around the world – from performing at the Sydney Opera House to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Dana was honored as Emirates Woman “Artist of the Year” and received the “Young Arab Award for Entertainment” in 2016. As a poet, Dana uses her theatrical background to give her spoken word pieces a performative edge, addressing various social justice themes through her characters. The Human Spirit Project is Dana’s non-profit commitment dedicated to creative storytelling which highlights the resilience of the human spirit.
Mamoun Sakkal
Mamoun Sakkal is a calligrapher and type designer from Aleppo, Syria, who lives and works in Bothell, Washington. In addition to art, he has degrees in architecture from Syria and the United States, along with a Ph.D. in Islamic Art History from the University of Washington. He has lectured on Islamic art, Arabic calligraphy, and Arabic typography at universities and conferences across the world. Sakkal has been the Arabic language expert for Microsoft for the past 20 years. His Arabic typefaces are widely used as system fonts. He has received awards in calligraphy, graphics, and type design.
Layth Sidiq Violinist, Composer & Director
Layth Sidiq is an award-winning violinist, composer, and lecturer. He has toured the world and shared the stage with major artists such as Simon Shaheen, Danilo Perez, and Javier Limon. Sidiq has also performed in prestigious venues like the London Jazz Festival and Boston Symphony Hall. He presents his own compositions, amalgams of Eastern and Western idioms that describe his diverse musical upbringing and artistic taste. Sidiq was recently awarded the 2020 Boston Music Award for ‘Best International Artist, which recognizes exceptional musical achievements in the Massachusetts area. Layth was the director of the Tufts University Arab Music Ensemble. He currently directs the Center for Arabic Culture’s Youth Orchestra Program in Boston. He is an in-demand violinist, composer, and educator in the US and abroad!
Hurry to the link below and sign up for an unforgettable experience!
For Press/Media Inquiries about this Event Contact:
Ruqyah Sweidan: rsweidan@arabamerica.com
Phone Inquiries: 1-877-272-2944
To register for this event: REGISTER HERE
For more information about the Arab America Foundation, please click here
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