AL-BUSTAN NEWS
Covering Philadelphia’s Southwest Asian and North African Communities
‘We Can’t Afford Mistakes’: The Human Toll of the Crisis in Immigration Advocacy
By Lauren Abunassar
Today, the advocacy landscape is less about idealism and more about triage, grit and the endurance of caring under pressure.
Sudanese Activist Amina Ibrahim Uses Henna to Tell Her Country’s Story
By Elissa Odeh
“It’s one thing to go to protests and give presentations, but to be able to help my people through henna — and for this business to be recognized as advocacy, as power for the people — that’s something truly meaningful.”
Op-Ed | Beyond Ceasefire: What is Next for Palestine Solidarity?
Within the context of organizing, the problem with ceasefires is that they feel like victory. If the problem is defined as "too much killing," then less killing appears to be progress. But the "quiet" periods between military assaults are also a form of violence.
Amid Federal Cuts, Philadelphia Immigrant Aid Groups Fight to Survive New Era of ‘Lawlessness’
By Lauren Abunassar
If this is an era of destruction, it’s also an age of adaptation as organizations like HIAS PA and PIC shift their approaches to embrace collaboration and local advocacy.
In Photos: Protesters Encounter Heightened Police Presence During Weekly Day & Zimmerman Protest
By Ben Bennett
Every Tuesday at 6:30 a.m., members of Philly Palestine Coalition gather for a protest outside the munitions manufacturer’s corporate offices.
Pro-Palestine Faculty at Area Universities Report Censorship, Prosecution and Loss of Academic Freedom
By Ragad Ahmad
When universities can redefine academic freedom to exclude certain perspectives, when they can retroactively criminalize respected ideas and abandon institutional principles in the face of external pressures, then no field of knowledge remains safe.
Have a story idea? We welcome pitches at news@albustanseeds.org.