AL-BUSTAN NEWS
Covering Philadelphia’s Southwest Asian and North African Communities
Art as Resistance | Artist Naz Khoury Reimagines Glass as a Form of Archive and Memory
By Lauren Abunassar
“I think something that draws me to glass so much is that it is a very experience-based medium where the process itself is so captivating and exhilarating and fun, but also difficult. When you make the work, you're aware that there is a very large chance you're not going to get anything from it. Something may break, something may not exist at the end.”
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.
Nasser Al-Rayess’ Philly Stand-Up Show Celebrates Growing up Arab in America
By Elissa Odeh
At his show, Al-Rayess joked about one of the biggest cultural pressures in Arab culture — getting married. “I’m almost 30, so the questions never stop. Back home I would’ve been married to my cousin by now.”
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.
Cinema, Etcetera | “One Battle After Another” and the Vanishing of Revolutionary Arab Cinema
By Joseph Fahim
“One Battle After Another” is not just about the U.S. — it’s a fable about the failure of the left worldwide. And for the Arab viewer, it’s impossible to watch the film without drawing comparisons to our own failures in the Arab Spring.
‘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.
Al-Bustan News Team
Editor
Nisa Qazi
Current Journalism Fellows
Gawhara Abou-eid
Amna Khalafalla
Columnists
Lauren Abunassar
Joseph Fahim