Palestine in America Inc NFP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating print and digital magazines that highlight Palestinians in the Unites States. We also pride ourselves on being a platform for Palestinian journalists to jumpstart their careers.
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Ghunim is currently accepting requests for film festivals to screen her most recent and highly anticipated work, Traces of Home, a documentary about her family that “explores migration, trauma and identity through an intimate family journey.” After years in the making, the film is expected to be completed by fall 2023.
While I am not Palestinian, as a Puerto Rican, I can empathize with the feeling of knowing my family's homeland has fallen victim to Western imperialism. Puerto Rico has not known independence since Columbus landed on our shores in 1493. At one point in history, the American government outlawed the very presence of our flag, the symbol of our pride. Because of this, the resiliency of the Palestinian people has always resonated with me, and I am absolutely positive that the story of Farha will resonate with you too.
Nehad Khader, director and managing editor of Blackstar Film Festival, decided to pursue her dream more than a decade ago when she was invited to curate the DC Palestinian FIlm Fest in 2010.
Not long after Nizar Wattad earned his Masters in screenwriting from USC in 2006, he was recruited by Walt Disney Pictures to write The United, the first Arabic-language film produced by a major studio. He was also head writer and lead producer of “Aya and Yusef,” an animated series for Muslim children.
Rolla Selbak is a self-taught filmmaker known for featuring strong female characters in her work. Selback has come a long way since the humble days of her first film, which was shot by a crew she hired from Craigslist.
Writer and director Reem Jubran is best known for her short film Mariam, which tells the story of a young Arab American drag queen who has to confront their father and grandparents about their identity.
Jubran joined the podcast to discuss her dream cast, why she became a film maker and what she hopes to accomplish.
Cherien Dabis broke into the entertainment industry with the film Amreeka, which she wrote and directed in 2009–and she hasn't looked back. Most recently, the Palestinian-American actress and director is known for directing episodes of popular television shows “Ozark,”“Ramy” and Emmy-award winning “Only Murders in the Building.”
Through this edition, I have offered you readers a mere glimpse into the rich world that is Palestinian film–there are so many artists, producers, curators, editors, and more that I would love to share with you, but we only had so much space and time. That said, I am thrilled to be able to offer you a piece of my teachers and peer practitioners who are rebuilding the Palestinian image archive.
Palestine in America is finalizing our first Film Edition. Ryah Aqel (she/her), cultural producer, writer, and multimedia artist, will use her expertise to be our guest editor.
In 2020, she produced Darine Hotait and Hala Alyan's TALLAHASSEE, distributed by The New Yorker. She was previously a Sundance Institute Knight Foundation fellow and a Sundance Institute Women in Film Finance & Strategy Intensive fellow.
It is instead a matter of duty: duty to be conscious of and attentive to the myriad, lesser-acknowledged struggles of Palestinian comrades challenging Zionist settler-colonialism; duty to ensure that I resist, in however limited a fashion, the ongoing dominance of US-centrism by pushing myself to default to Arabic whenever possible; and, finally, duty to push back against seemingly entrenched conventions to allow for new possibilities of communication and connection to take place.
Sabrin Kasem, Noor Qasem and Mirah Abulaban joined the Palestine in America podcast to discuss their thought process, Steve Harvey’s reaction and the stories behind each of the thobes they wore.
Danny Dubbaneh, who joined our podcast to answer some questions for the Palestine in America Food Edition, says he wants customers to have an experience when they visit his family’s bakery. He also gave us insight into his Palestinian identity, his relationship with Palestinain food, and why cultural preservation is so important to him.
Zahr gave Palestine in America insight into being a Palestinian chef in the U.S., why preserving Palestinian food is important to her and her advice for Palestinians wanting to follow her path.
Assil joined the Palestine in America podcast to discuss her experiences in the food industry, why she focuses on Palestinian dishes and why musakhan is her “hands down” favorite.
The founder of Lulu’s Gourmet Crackers joined the Palestine in America podcast to discuss her Palestinian and Brazilian identity, starting her online business, and why she focuses on baking Palestinian goods.
Samir Mogannam, who began as a sous-chef and has dabbled in an array of cuisines, opened San Francisco-based Beit Rima —an ode to his mother — in 2019 and now is working on a cookbook with her to help preserve Palestinian identity.
In our interview with the Palestinian chef, we discussed his family, his thoughts on cultural preservation and his advice for any Palestinians considering joining the food industr
Led by co-owners Omar Falaneh, Yahya Ghouleh, and Barra Abousalem, Eiffel Waffle is a proudly Palestinian-owned dessert shop that specializes in serving massive scoops of ice cream in their signature bubble waffle cones.
The story of Marcelle, while fraught at times, has turned into a beautiful narrative that celebrates the most amazing parts of them. At their core, they are passionate, supportive, and compassionate. They serve as an inspiration to me and many other activists and chefs, both Palestinian and non, and have impacted so many in the short time they have been authentically themselves on the scene. As Marcelle told me in an email recently, “In the face of the attempt to demolish our existence, it’s important to use all aspects of who we are to bring our identities to the forefront.” Looking forward to seeing all the amazing things they continue to bring to our community.
I never set out to be a chef.
I know it seems like a lie. My parents owned a restaurant for most of my life, and I know the ins and outs of the business. I also worked in other restaurants over the years, and I have so many friends and family in the industry. When I moved to Washington, D.C. in 2017, I started hosting dinner parties, sometimes for up to 50 people. I was never happier than when I was feeding people and seeing the joy on their faces as they took that first bite.
