April: Arab/MENA Heritage Month
Originally published on LinkedIn on March 27, 2022
The Middle Eastern/Southwest Asian and North African (MENA/SWANA) community in the United States keeps growing, and that means more opportunities for recognition of Arab/MENA/SWANA heritage in April. Last year, the State Department recognized April as National Arab American Heritage Month (AAHM), but observances for this diverse and vibrant community's contributions to American culture have been growing for several years, particularly in localities and states with a higher proportion of Arab/MENA residents, including California, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.
Of course, acknowledging just how diverse this community is means it may be referenced in several ways, based on language, ethnicity, and traditional v modern descriptions of the geographic region involved. It is important to note, not everyone from an Arab-speaking country is ethnically Arab, not everyone from countries in the broader MENA/SWANA region speak Arabic, and not all Arabic speakers are from the MENA/SWANA region. If the intent is to be more inclusive of what the ethnicities and cultures in this region represent, geographic designations may be preferred, and the US Census Bureau has spent several years researching the inclusion of a MENA ethnic category based on feedback from a number of population scholars and community advocacy groups.
The majority of Arab Americans are native-born, and nearly 82% of Arabs in the U.S. are citizens. While the community traces its roots to every Arab country, the majority of Arab Americans have ancestral ties to Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Iraq. -- Arab American InstituteÂ
Whether you consider yourself Arab or have roots in the MENA/SWANA region, this is long overdue recognition of the unique culture, history, and contributions Arab Americans have made since the country's founding.
If your organization is sharing resources or planning events in recognition of AAHM, feel free to share in the comments below.
Reference
Arab American Institute, "National Arab American Demographics," at Demographics — Arab American Institute (aaiusa.org)
Arab American Museum
https://arabamericanmuseum.org/
US Census Bureau, Forum on Ethnic Groups from the Middle East and North Africa, at https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2015/demo/2015-MENA-Experts.html
US Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey, DP02Â SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES
US State Department, Recognizing NAAHM 2021, Apr. 1, 2021, at Department of State on Twitter: ".@StateDeptSpox: The Department of State is proud to recognize April as National Arab American Heritage Month. Americans of Arab heritage are very much a part of the fabric of this nation, and Arab Americans have contributed in every field and profession. #AAHM https://t.co/5oe2R85e46" / Twitter
Wikipedia, "Arab American," at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Americans
Brenton Burkett, "April is Arab American Heritage Month," WTSP, Apr. 12, 2021, at State Department recognizes April as Arab American Heritage Month | wtsp.com