Pennsylvania’s Independent Voters May Soon Be Able to Vote in Primary Elections
By Gawhara Abou-eid
The proposal, known as House Bill 280, would allow the state’s roughly 1.4 million unaffiliated voters, 147,891 of whom are registered in Philadelphia County, to participate in primary elections by choosing either a Democratic or Republican ballot without formally joining a party.
Cinema, Etcetera | Why Does the West Ignore Arab Comedies?
By Joseph Fahim
“Comedy doesn’t translate,” distributors and curators insist; cultural specificity, local pop culture references and the very rhythm and tone of humor are seen as impossible to universalize. Yet this is precisely why comedies are arguably the most authentic expression of their cultures.
Student Loan Borrowers Face an Uncertain Future as Courts Rule the End of the SAVE Program
By Amna Khalafalla
The March 10 ruling was not the first time lawmakers had tried to eliminate SAVE, a controversial initiative from its inception.
As the U.S.–Israel War with Iran Engulfs Lebanon, Diasporic Lebanese Feel the Limits of Resilience
By Lauren Abunassar
“I’ve watched my mother go from relatively happy …to just watching nothing but the news. Sometimes it’s a bit unbearable. And you get a little mad, like: ‘Why do we have to constantly worry about our people?’”
Ayat, NYC’s Growing Palestinian Restaurant Chain, Prepares for its Philly Debut
By Gawhara Abou-eid
Along with business considerations, Elenani said he hopes the Philadelphia location deepens awareness of Palestinian cuisine in a way that feels “joyful and human.”
Art as Resistance | For Philly’s Iranian Americans, Nowruz Offers Both Joy and Mourning
By Lauren Abunassar
As the U.S. and Israel have escalated strikes on Iran and the death toll has risen, many in the Iranian diaspora are grappling with how, or if, one should embrace celebratory rituals in the face of such collective grief and uncertainty.