A young Palestinian woman from Brooklyn with big black eyes, curly hair, luscious lips, and a sharp face takes the stage at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn. It is March 30th, 2006 and Suheir Hammad is to read from her new book Zaatar Diva. Her voice is soft and deep as she pours words into the microphone, through the speakers and into us. We laugh, and cry. Some words come sharper than a sword, and I am stunned; this is a brilliant launch into a forum on Arab Americans in the arts. I feel certain that the days to follow are going to change my perceptions about being an Arab, a US citizen, an artist, and a wannabe academic.

Her performance was the opening event of Diwan: Arab Americans in the Arts Forum. “Diwan” is an Arabic word that means a space for meeting and conversations. The weekend-long Diwan conference continued with an opening speech by the organizers about the museum, the speakers and logistics. The forum was planned as two sessions happening simultaneously, with long breaks in between for drinks and food, which are a must if you are truly to be amongst Arabs. The speakers and attendees were from diverse art disciplines and different parts of the country. Each person had their own stories to share, but what amazed me were the common issues. Issues of diversity, freedom of speech, discrimination, education, collectivity, political affiliations, sustainability and identity were frequently discussed.

Questions of identity were central to the discussions: are you an Arab, an Arab American, a US citizen, what do these labels means to each person, and how do they effect your art and artistic expression? It was clear to everyone that the events of September 11th, 2001 have permanently affected the lives and identities of Arab Americans in the US forever; Changes that many minorities and immigrants can identify with. Arab Americans have become the target of hate crimes, disappearances, illegal detention and deportation. These civil rights violations pushed us into hiding. Many feared for their lives and the safety of their families. Some attempted to pass as white Americans, and most of us had an identity crisis.

During Diwan I realized that out of oppression and loss comes resistance. Those in hiding were plotting their reappearance, those who lost their identity were searching to reclaim it, and many Arab Americans sought each other for support. The resistance that came is organized and based on creation and rebirth. The Arab American National Museum is one example of creation (opening its doors on May 5th, 2005). Other examples
of the creative energies that came together included artist collectives, political hip-hop, standup comedy, spoken word, visual arts, poetry, writing, music and theater. The artists involved in this work find it valuable for two main reasons. The first is to assert their active presence as important productive individuals and communities in the United States. The other motive is to sustain this artistic movement by focusing on teaching others the various art skills. These artists want to make sure to share their knowledge to ensure the generations to come will have access to these spaces of freedom, collaboration, creation and change.

During the forum, presenters argued that the arts are the media in which they find it best to express who they are, their histories, differences and commonalities. They stressed that through the arts they will be able to express their individual and collective identities. Although they addressed being contained within the politics of Palestine and Iraq, they asserted their work is not limited to these issues, nor is it political propaganda. The Israeli occupation of Palestine and the war in Iraq are global issues of justice and freedom and are linked to worker and immigrant rights, civil liberties in the US, anti-globalization, race and class issues, poverty, isolation, war and hate.

In order to be able to explore new forms of art, to redefine their mediums and their messages they will no longer tolerate being pushed into a certain political ideology or party and find this to be intrusive to their work. These artists are seeking revitalization of Arab American art and maybe even Arab art. They want to challenge status quo conventions of the exotic and create their own stories.

The world changed for Arab Americans after September 11th, 2001 for many reasons. Not only because they have been attacked, lost their jobs and gone into hiding, but also because they have emerged more self determined as artists, educators, and academics to face oppression through working together, sharing knowledge, teaching and learning. I too found my identity challenged. I left the US as soon as I could only to return three years later to face my new-found identity as an Arab American. Because of our meeting at DIWAN, I have found people who are similar to me, who understand my identity crisis and are standing by me as I stand by them.

The author can be contacted by email akhasawn (at) yahoo (dot) com. To learn more about the artists who participated visit the websites of the Arab American National Museum and Slingshot Hip Hop.