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April: Arab/MENA Heritage Month
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April: Arab/MENA Heritage Month

Originally published on LinkedIn on March 27, 2022

Nivine K. Zakhari
Mar 27, 2022
Share this post
April: Arab/MENA Heritage Month
nivine.substack.com
Photo of Egyptian tomb courtesy of Pixabay

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.

US Census Bureau Map based on 2019 American Community Survey

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.

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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 Institute 

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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

  • Abed A. Ayoub, Abed A. Ayoub #DebtJubilee on Twitter: "Since it’s Arab American Heritage Month, I want to take a moment to recognize the most famous Arab in America — Lady Liberty. Yes, she is Arab, an Egyptian woman was the inspiration for the design. Happy #AAHM! https://t.co/0bJgZZn0uv" / Twitter

  • 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, DP02 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

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