April is Arab American Heritage Month

We are all struggling as we continue to bear witness to the genocide in Gaza, and we know these events do little to change this harsh reality. We do hope that by bringing people together, we may find strength and comfort in each other, and perhaps encourage community building that can manifest as action in support of our siblings in Gaza.

All in-person events take place at AANM unless noted otherwise. Advance ticket purchase or RSVP is required for in-person events.

EVE is a collaborative performance poetry project by George Abraham and Fargo Tbakhi which deconstructs John Milton’s Paradise Lost through the lens of Palestinian liberation. EVE queers, shatters, reimagines and stitches together several timelines. This event will consist of a work-in-progress reading followed by a feedback session with audience and community members.

What can be learned from the shared coalition building, sovereignty and human rights struggles around land, language, self-determination and liberation? Gathering together Indigenous and Arab artists, activists and educators to engage these questions, AANM will convene a panel that centers and acknowledges historical links between these communities and illustrate pathways forward for the future.

AANM, AFMI and ArteEast present a monthly curated online program of contemporary and classic films, followed by discussions with Arab, Arab American and diasporic filmmakers, connecting a worldwide community through film, dialogue and activism. Upcoming dates include April 25-28 and June 27-30. MORE INFO

APPLICATIONS OPEN! AANM invites students of all ages to immerse themselves in art and photography with the SURA Summer Camp. SURA helps youth learn the art of photography as a tool of self expression during this 1-week summer camp designed to help students share stories about their lives, community and culture, using elements of growth and empowerment. MORE INFO

Join our monthly online series Words for Palestine, which aims to center and highlight Palestinian voices during this devastating time. Featured readers this month include Deema K. Shehabi, Lena Khalaf Tuffaha and mejdulene bernard shomali. Words For Palestine is co-sponsored by Mizna, Palestine Writes and RAWI. MORE INFO

Hey, high schoolers! Ready for a hands-on eco-adventure? Get down to earth with practical gardening skills and turn your passion for the planet into action. Plus, get creative with writing and video skills to spread the word about the environment. Join us and let’s make sustainability the new normal! MORE INFO

Join us for the screening of Jacir, which is the story of a young Syrian refugee who faces hard truths chasing the American dream on the streets of Memphis while living in poverty, dealing with social injustice and witnessing his neighbor’s opioid addiction. Immediately following the screening, we are pleased to be in conversation (in-person) with director Waheed AlQawasmi! MORE INFO

This event includes a moderated panel and roundtable discussions featuring Arab Americans in a variety of governmental and public office positions, both in the spotlight and behind the scenes. Join us to hear their personal stories and journeys as they work towards a present and future that includes the full participation of all Arab Americans. MORE INFO

The workshop invites educators to hear from fellow Arab American educators and authors on how to incorporate Arab American voices and perspectives in the classroom curriculum. Featured speakers include Reem Kassis, award-winning author of We Are Palestinian: A Celebration of Culture and Tradition, and The Palestinian Table. MORE INFO

From decked-out garages to infamous restaurant fountain wars–the vernacular architecture of Dearborn tells us a special story of how Arab Americans have made this city a home. Join AANM for a tour of these special spaces. Guests will meet community members eager to share stories of creating space and making home. MORE INFO

Being the primary caretaker of a young child as a working artist is quite the balancing act. As such, artist-in-residence Aneesa will host a crafting circle inviting Dearborn-based artist-parents to connect with one another. Participants are encouraged to bring a handicraft with them to work on throughout the session. MORE INFO

Join us for a light lunch by sampling bites and sweets from some of our favorite grocery stores, restaurants, spice shops and sweets places in Dearborn! Guests who attend AANM’s Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour will explore Michigan Avenue in East Dearborn. MORE INFO

Join us for our famous and tasty Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour experience, which takes guests along a curated food tour on Warren Avenue, in East Dearborn. Guests will be sampling bites and sweets from some of our favorite grocery stores, restaurants, spice shops and sweets places in Dearborn! MORE INFO

Save the date for the annual Arab Film Festival featuring the best of critically acclaimed and award-winning Arab American and Arab world films, many of which are unlikely to reach traditional American commercial theaters and often make their regional or national debut at AFF. Interested in supporting AFF? Become a Sponsor

Join us for a light lunch by sampling bites and sweets from some of our favorite grocery stores, restaurants, spice shops and sweets places in Dearborn! Guests who attend AANM’s Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour will explore Michigan Avenue in East Dearborn. MORE INFO

Celebrate the opening of Al-Hadiqa: AANM Heritage Garden for the summer on the rooftop of the Museum! Learn more about the formation of the garden that features donated seeds and plants from local Arab American community members, highlighted along with stories of their homelands. MORE INFO

Join us for our famous and tasty Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour experience, which takes guests along a curated food tour on Warren Avenue, in East Dearborn. Guests will be sampling bites and sweets from some of our favorite grocery stores, restaurants, spice shops and sweets places in Dearborn! MORE INFO

Join us for an Open Mic Night, featuring the 2024 graduates of AANM Writing Fellows program! In celebration of the students completing their fellowship, they will be sharing work from their upcoming publishing of the AANM Writing Fellows Anthology. Following is an open mic open to the public! MORE INFO

Celebrate Eid Al-Adha with AANM! Open to the public, there will be fun activities for the whole family: exhibit scavenger hunt, special Eid crafts, and storytime! The Eid Party will also feature an Artisan Market with handmade items by local artists and makers. MORE INFO

Experience artist-in-residence Zein El-Amine’s literary journey through Egypt, Ireland and Morocco. Learn to navigate your own journeys through writing! Open to English and Arabic writers. MORE INFO

From decked-out garages to infamous restaurant fountain wars–the vernacular architecture of Dearborn tells us a special story of how Arab Americans have made this city a home. Join AANM for a tour of these special spaces. Guests will meet community members eager to share stories of creating space and making home. MORE INFO

Discover how wielding whimsy in your writing is an act of resistance and one that adds necessary splendor to any piece: be it poetry, prose or creative non-fiction. MORE INFO

As one of AANM’s signature annual events, the Forum is a dynamic gathering of artists, activists and advocates who use art and dialogue as a tool for advocacy and community building. This year’s program will be presented both in person and online. MORE INFO

Immerse yourself in the intersection of art and nature at Al-Hadiqa: AANM Heritage Garden! Join us for inspiring workshops where creativity will blossom. Discover the joy of blending artistic expression with the beauty of nature. Open to all ages and no artistic experience necessary! MORE INFO

Join us for a delicious lunch by sampling bites and sweets from some of our favorite grocery stores, restaurants, spice shops and sweets places in Dearborn! Guests who attend AANM’s Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour will explore Michigan Avenue in East Dearborn. MORE INFO

Join us for our famous and tasty Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour experience, which takes guests along a curated food tour on Warren Avenue, in East Dearborn. Guests will be sampling bites and sweets from some of our favorite grocery stores, restaurants, spice shops and sweets places in Dearborn! MORE INFO

From decked-out garages to infamous restaurant fountain wars–the vernacular architecture of Dearborn tells us a special story of how Arab Americans have made this city a home. Join AANM for a tour of these special spaces. Guests will meet community members eager to share stories of creating space and making home. MORE INFO

AANM is hiring! We are looking for individuals who are interested in Arab American history, culture and art. Positions include Multimedia Graphic Designer, Maintenance Technician and Development Manager. MORE INFO

On View at AANM

Colonial Colonnade partners Arabic and English as a nonlinear and unsequenced format of words without start and end points. Facets of the exhibition include cutout curtains of grouped text, moveable words, steel footholds to swing and hang from, and an encounter with a menagerie of letters and symbols. Video shorts and photographs complete the project’s scope. MORE INFO

Launched on the 7th anniversary of the war in Yemen, الفلق // al-Falaq is a site-specific multimedia sculpture. A “museum within a museum” in the form of a Yemeni futurist starship, it carries cultural artifacts, music, dances, even languages, as it swims through space and radically imagines possibilities for the future. MORE INFO