‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ April 28, 2021

April is Arab American Heritage Month

For over a century, Arab Americans have been making valuable contributions to every aspect of American society by sharing their rich culture and traditions with neighbors and friends, while also setting fine examples of model citizens and public servants. Arab Americans have resilient family values, strong work ethic, dedication to education, and diversity in faith and creed that have added strength to our democracy.   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.   There are nearly 3.6 million Arab Americans in the United States and population that identifies as having Arabic speaking ancestry in the U.S has grown more than 72% between 2000 and 2010. 90% of Arab Americans live in urban areas. The Arab American Institute (AAI) reports that more than one-third of the 3.5 million Arab Americans living in the U.S. are in metropolitan Los Angeles, Detroit and New York.

Arab Americans and Muslims are among the most frequent targets of violence and hate crimes in the U.S. According to the government's National Center for Biotechnology Information, anti-Muslim hate crime rates were five times higher in 2016 than they were prior to the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.   Organizations such as the AAI have tried to reverse these trends in recent years. The House Judiciary Committee included the group in its April 2019 hearing, "Hate Crimes and the Rise of White Nationalism."   Arab American groups are also turning to the government for ways to be more equally represented, such as the inclusion of Middle Eastern ethnic options on U.S. Census forms.

Helpful Links:  All ages can celebrate Arab American Heritage Month with these e- & audio-book selections  Arab-American women: Making their mark and sharing their stories - Leigh Hartman. The millions of voices and diverse experiences of Arab Americans PBS.   Please watch: These Arab American Workers Are Behind Ford’s Success  - 6 minutes  Don't Erase Me: The Modern Arab American | Jeremiah Stinnett | TED Talk – 10 minutes                                                        Why 2020 Census Erases Middle Eastern & North African Identity  - 5 minutes                                              #DEIatCTI #ArabAmericanHeritageMonth #ArabAmerican

COMMUNITY TEAMWORK 978-459-0551 CovidResponseCTI@commteam.org www.commteam.org/diversity-and-inclusion