AL-BUSTAN NEWS
Covering Philadelphia’s Southwest Asian and North African Communities
Za’atar and Olive Oil: Fishtown Native Serves Flavors from His Childhood at The Olive Branch Pizzeria
By Ben Bennett
“It’s just a Palestinian’s addiction. You just know [when] you go to your parents’ house, you’ll have a couple big jugs of homemade olive oil.”
‘We Take Care of Each Other’: The Treasured Cafés of South Philly’s North African Community (Video)
By Kenza Bousseloub
At three cafés in South Philadelphia, North African men gather for coffee, company and Kabyle music.
Interactive | Mapping SWANA Philly
By Ben Bennett
The 2030 census will include a new racial category: ‘MENA’. Until then, these interactive maps, based on data from the Pew Research Center, show where some of Philadelphia’s SWANA communities have settled.
At Norristown Farm Park, a Garden Grows Health, Sustainability and Community
By Gawhara Abou-eid
The farm supports immigrant and refugee families in Norristown, as well as other residents, through hands-on agriculture, nutrition education and culturally relevant crop production.
‘English at School, Turkish at Home’: How Immigrant Families Balance Language, Culture and Community
By Gawhara Abou-eid
Maintaining heritage language fluency is not only a personal effort but also a community challenge. Limited language programming in schools and mosques means families often bear the burden alone. That’s where Bilingual Counseling Assistants become vital.
Local Rock Climbing Group Promotes Palestine Solidarity to Raise Funds for Gaza
By Ben Bennett
The three organizers of Philly Climbers for Palestine want to continue fundraising and directly support the people in Gaza.
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