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February 7, 2012 |
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Academic circles are abuzz with the news that the University of Michigan – Dearborn has launched what’s believed to be the nation’s first-ever minor in Arab American Studies. The 15-credit interdisciplinary minor became available to students this semester. |
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The “peopling of America” is the subject of Americans All: The Immigration/Migration Initiative, a new program of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The many museums of the Smithsonian are joining forces to document and interpret the history and culture of immigration to the U.S. and migration within its borders, while also encouraging individuals to preserve their own family history and engage in the national conversation on issues of immigration. The AANM is a proud Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution; we’ll keep you abreast of developments as this project progresses. Meanwhile, check it out on Facebook HERE. |
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In recent months, the AANM has played host to several Arab American comedy spectaculars – you may remember last fall’s Global Thursdays comedy review hosted by Chicago’s Khaled TheComic, who returned here last month to launch his own HaHa-HipHop national tour. In just a few weeks, on Friday, February 24, |
E V E N T S |
February 9 Playwright/attorney/new media journalist Wajahat Ali (Goat Milk Blog) made waves in 2009 when his play The Domestic Crusaders broke box office records during its Off Broadway premiere. When it appeared in the pages of McSweeney’s in 2010, it became one of the first plays about Muslim Americans to be published. Now Ali, from the burgeoning Muslim American arts scene in San Francisco, brings his play to the AANM for a FREE staged reading at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9. The Domestic Crusaders focuses on a day in the life of a modern multi-generational Muslim Pakistani American family who convene at the family home to celebrate the 21st birthday of the youngest child. Click HERE for more on this event. Presented in collaboration with the Michigan State University Migrations of Islam project |
February 12 There is plenty of hands-on fun for kids this winter at the AANM - Free Craft Sundays for children ages 6-12 continues from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, February 12. It’s one of a series of weekly sessions designed to expose young people to cultures and activities outside their normal experience. This Sunday, kids will create Valentine’s Day-themed baskets, perfect for gift-giving! The oldest surviving baskets, found in Egypt, date back about 12,000 years. AANM educators lead all sessions; all supplies are provided. Children taking part in Free Craft Sundays must be accompanied by a parent. Click HERE to view the full schedule and to RSVP for your child. Free Craft Sundays is made possible in part by Blake and Brady Hishmeh and Blick Art Materials |
February 24 Did you catch his Dec. 19 appearance on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams? Dean Obeidallah is an AANM favorite, and he’s opening the 2012 Winter/Spring Global Thursdays season on a Friday, February 24 – what else would you expect from an award-winning comedian?! In addition to NBC, he’s made numerous radio and TV appearances, including Comedy Central’s Axis of Evil comedy special. Obeidallah is a co-creator and co-producer of the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival; his one-man show I Come in Peace was an official selection of the 2006 New York International Fringe Festival. Click HERE to purchase tickets, $10/$9 Museum Members and HERE to see the rest of the Global Thursdays lineup. Presented in collaboration with the Michigan State University Migrations of Islam project |
March 15 The Arab American National Museum is excited to offer educators a valuable opportunity to visit the Museum and learn about the Arab American community – a FREE Teacher Open House from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, March 15. Come tour the AANM, have some refreshments, learn about all of our educational offerings, enter a raffle to win exciting prizes, and leave with free educational materials. Kindly RSVP for this event HERE no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 14. All AANM educational programs are linked with the Michigan Department of Education’s K-12 grade level content expectation standards in Social Studies, English and Language Arts and World Languages. |
I N T H E G A L L E R I E S |
Through June 10, 2012 Arab Americans have been an integral part of the United States of America since its inception, contributing to our society in myriad ways, including public service. Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country tells true stories of heroism and self-sacrifice that affirm the substantive role Arab Americans have played in our country throughout its history. Patriots & Peacemakers highlights three specific areas of service: the U.S. Armed Forces, diplomatic service and the Peace Corps. Personal narratives highlight Arab American men and women of different national and religious backgrounds from across the nation. The exhibition also encourages visitors to consider what role commitment to service plays in their daily lives. In the Main Floor Gallery; free with Museum admission. NEW! Download the Patriots & Peacemakers brochure HERE. This exhibition is made possible by the Ford Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and Chevron |
Through June 10, 2012 The AANM invites everyone to expand the national conversation launched by the Veterans Day 2011 opening of Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country. Fighting for Democracy: Who is the “We” in “We, the People”? highlights the stories of seven diverse individuals, their service to their country during World War II and their civic engagement that helped to change American democracy for the betterment of all. These stories help viewers to understand the conditions facing Americans before and during World War II while challenging them to think critically about freedom, history, and, ultimately, the ongoing struggle to live democratically in a diverse America – themes also addressed in Patriots & Peacemakers. In the Lower Level Gallery; free with Museum admission. This exhibition is presented by the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, an educational program of the Japanese American National Museum, with major support provided by the U.S. Army Center for Military History. The traveling exhibition has been made possible through the generous support of the Boeing Company. |
WEB EXCLUSIVE Where do stereotypes about Arab Americans originate? What effects do they have on us as individuals and as a nation? How can they be defused? These are just a few of the significant questions explored in Reclaiming Identity: Dismantling Arab Stereotypes, the AANM’s powerful web-exclusive multimedia exhibition at www.arabstereotypes.org. Guest curated by Dr. Evelyn Alsultany of the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Reclaiming Identity traces the history of these stereotypes, provides the tools to identify and understand them, and asks viewers to record their reactions and responses to what they have learned in the site’s blog. It also offers perspectives on other segments of American society that are subject to stereotypes. NEW! Blog posts every two weeks; click HERE to view. This exhibition is made possible in part by the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Ford Foundation, The Kresge Foundation and Arts of Citizenship |
WEB EXCLUSIVE The AANM and the Children’s Museum Jordan in Amman have joined forces to engage Jordanian and American youth on environmental issues related to garbage. Middle schoolers in both countries have been contributing to the Watch Your Waste e-Museum, an online platform for sharing information and images as they research the ways trash puts a heavy burden on our planet and how our daily consumption contributes to the problem. The program mascot, Albiss (Super Cat) was inspired by feral felines in both nations for whom trash is a food source. Watch Your Waste is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Museums and Community Collaborations Abroad program, administered by the American Association of Museums |
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Call 313.624.0200 or click HERE to become a Museum Member. |
| The Arab American National Museum documents, preserves and presents Arab American history, culture and contributions. Learn more at www.arabamericanmuseum.org. |
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“It’s historic,” says UM-D Associate Provost Ismael Ahmed (right), who is also a member of the AANM’s National Advisory Board. “The more cultural competence people have, the more they can work with, do business and live with people in the community.” Read more about the program 
The Dean of Comedy, Dean Obeidallah (right), touches down at the AANM for one fabulous Global Thursdays (yep, a Friday show on Global Thursdays!) performance; click