LBCC’s first ever Arab American Heritage month celebrated with dance and cultural awareness

On April 27, LBCC celebrated Arab American Heritage month for the first time in the school’s history after the event’s approval nearly two years ago.

The event was attended by approximately 35 attendees, the majority of them being faculty, with a few students as well.

The day started with the theme of dispelling misconceptions about Arab Americans that was consistent throughout the entire celebration and was called back to on several occasions.

Superintendent-President Mike Munoz shared the following sentiment before the presentations, “This month is really to challenge some of our assumptions and replace them with real understanding.”

The official celebrations began by exploring the variety of Arab cultures and dispelling notions of homogeneity in religious beliefs. 

Hussam Kashou, the dean of online learning, educational technology and learning resources, said, “There’s a multitude of religions Muslim, Christians, Judaism, there’s Druze and those who are secular.”

However the day was not limited to dispelling notions. Aspects of Arab culture such as food, dance and dress were also explored.

The topic of how dress and culture intersect was discussed by Samira Habash, a communications professor, who gave a talk on the keffiyeh and how it has evolved over time.

^{Samira Habash, a communications professor, talks about the history and culture surrounding the keffiyeh, a traditional Arab scarf, during the celebration for Arab American Heritage month at LBCC on April 27.(Dom Maddan)}

Habash said, “The keffiyeh came to embody not just heritage but also struggle and hope” adding that it has “come to represent resistance, unity and a political identity especially in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

The keffiyeh is most commonly associated with Palestinian resistance in the United States as it has been adopted by many pro-Palestinian advocacy groups.

The most prominent form of cultural sharing occurred through a large Dabka demonstration, an event that included audience participation. Dabka is a form of dance from the Levant that combines aspects of circle dancing and line dancing to create a unique and fun experience.

The instructor for the Dabka, Fatemah Musa-Bahhour, shared the following sentiment when asked about how events like Arab American Heritage Month provide benefits for Arab American students, “Media tends to be biased so when events like this happen, you get to hear it for yourself directly.”

The celebration reflected a shared belief among speakers and organizers that misconceptions about Arab Americans persist, and that events like this one are an important part of changing that.