AL-BUSTAN NEWS
Covering Philadelphia’s Southwest Asian and North African Communities
Football Season Is Underway, and These Arab–American Superfans Are All In
By Ragad Ahmad
Every Sunday night, Fatih Ahmed commits what locals consider football treason. From his Doylestown living room, deep in Eagles territory, he roots for the Giants with the kind of blind devotion that none of his friends can understand.
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.
Cinema, Etcetera | Kamal Aljafari’s ‘With Hasan in Gaza’ and the Challenges of Experimental Arab Film
By Joseph Fahim
The success of “With Hasan in Gaza” in Locarno, where it was seen by thousands of people, has proven that there is a sizeable audience for films like Aljafari’s: an artistically and intellectually uncompromised cinema that rejects a digestible, ready-made message.
Fargo Nissim Tbakhi’s Satirical Solo Show Offers Theatre Audiences Discomfort, Laughter and Catharsis
Gauri Mangala
The festival panel noticed a shift in this year’s collection of applications. While overall application numbers have dwindled, a larger proportion featured strong political themes and messages.
The Destruction of Hebron’s Seed Bank and the Area Growers Helping to Preserve Palestine’s Agricultural Heritage
By Gawhara Abou-eid
The Hebron facility had long played a crucial role in preserving heirloom seed varieties critical to Palestinian foodways and climate resilience. With preservation in the West Bank increasingly endangered, diaspora-based efforts have stepped in to continue the work.
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