Art & Poetry: Towers of Humanity
Salma Arastu, a painter from India, expresses emotions through this painting and poem she created a few days after the 9/11 attacks.
A call to action for Egyptians living abroad
Attention all expatriate Egyptians: we have less than three days to make history. For many years, Egyptians living abroad could not vote. Now, for the first time in the past 30 years, Egyptians outside of Egypt are able to cast a vote in the Egyptian elections, after Egypt’s Administrative Court issued a ruling allowing them to take part in elections.
Inside Look at Syria’s military establishment
Last summer, I visited my relatives in Syria during the month of Ramadan. What I didn’t expect was to find myself in the middle of the Syrian military establishment.
Growing up Muslim post 9/11: Lies our Media Told Us
The most challenging experience was having to listen to all of the fear-mongering rhetoric from the media that permeated the education system. When I was 11, I argued with my class (including my teacher) that it would be wrong to invade Iraq claiming that there were no weapons of mass destruction.
Growing up Muslim post 9/11: Ridicule and Alienation
You don’t just easily forget things like this. At the time, I lived in a nice neighborhood in Cleveland. I knew something was wrong on that devastating day on September 11, 2001 when my homeroom teacher told our class that something terrible had happened in the nation a few minutes ago.
Growing up Muslim post 9/11: More open with my Identity
Al-Talib interviews Shahid Chohan, a first year Computer Science major at UCLA, about his experience living in post 9/11 America and where he thinks Muslim Americans are headed.
Growing up Muslim post 9/11: “Randomly” Searched
A cartoon depicting the sometimes ridiculous extra security screenings at airports.
Growing up Muslim post 9/11: A letter to my elementary school principal
Uzair Akbar was harassed by his peers after 9/11 for being Muslim. Akbar writes this letter to his elementary school principal to thank him for his support during this hard time.
Growing up Muslim post 9/11: Forging an Identity
When the two towers fell and America, for one moment collectively stood still in silent, rapt horror, Muslims across the West were forced to look long and hard at themselves in a mirror forged by the fires of those passenger jets.
Growing up Muslim post 9/11: My Religion in the Spotlight
September 2001. For me, it marked turning ten, my family’s move from New York to California and my first time attending a public school after spending my childhood in a private Islamic school. It also happened to be the month where the actions of a few extremist individuals changed the lives of Muslim Americans forever.