Arab American Rights:  / Optional (Choose 2)

The Arab American person has been met with scrutiny in the U.S. for their brown skin, religious garments, and notably, that many Arabs identify as Muslims in a country that is historically Christian and Jewish. Islamophobia is defined by the Oxford Language Dictionary (2024) as “dislike of or prejudice against Islam or Muslims, especially as a political force.”

In the wake of the number of wars and crises in the Middle East, millions of refugees entered the U.S. in the 1980s, as so many others have, seeking a better life. However, after 9/11 took place on the East Coast, violence against Muslims and Arabs increased dramatically.

Directions (Optional): Please watch these 2 videos to learn more.

Barakat, Suzanne. “Islamophobia Killed My Brother. Let’s End the Hate.” TED, ted.com, Oct. 2016.

New Moon Productions. “We Are All Muslim.” vimeo.com, 2012.

Directions: Choose 2 articles to read.

Fam, Mariam; Hajela, Deepti; Andres Henao, Luis. “Two Decades After 9/11, Muslim Americans Still Fighting Bias.” American Press News, 6 Sept. 2021.

Foley, Aaron. “For Arab Americans around Detroit, a Sense of Betrayal after U.S. Response to Israel-Hamas War.” PBS, 1 Nov. 2023.

Mineo, Liz. “Born to Take on Islamophobia.”  Harvard Gazette, 9 Sept. 2021.

O’Neil, Lorena. “Palestinian Americans on Working While Grieving: ‘How Many Days Off Do You Take When Gaza’s Bombed Daily?‘” The Guardian, 16 Nov. 2023.