AL-BUSTAN NEWS
Covering Philadelphia’s Southwest Asian and North African Communities
City Public Schools Expanded Accommodations for Muslim Students During Ramadan, District DEI Chief Says
By Gawhara Abou-eid
“Over the past four years, through information and resource sharing, schools are better equipped to be responsive to the needs of their community.”
A Certain Grit
By Kenza Bousseloub
In this documentary short, two families — Sudanese and Lebanese — share their stories, reflecting on the sacrifices immigrant parents make, the debt their children feel they owe, and how each generation envisions a fulfilling life.
Protesters March in Center City Against the U.S.–Israel Attacks on Iran and Lebanon
By Amna Khalafalla
"I am here today because my country, which gave my grandparents refuge, is now bombing every place in the world where people need safety, for profit,” said one protester.
In South Philly, a Barbershop Offers a ‘Third Space’ and a Sympathetic Ear
By Gawhara Abou-eid
Ali Srour never planned to become a professional barber, but the Arab American regulars at Ali’s Barbershop on South Street are glad he did.
For These Darfuri Activists in Philadelphia, Advocacy is a Family Tradition
By Amna Khalafalla
Fatima Haroun, who has advocated against the Darfur genocide as a member of the Philadelphia-based Darfur Alert Coalition, recalls that at one time, there was a sense of racial harmony in South Darfur, when Arab and African ethnic groups lived peacefully alongside each other.
The Comics Behind Next Month’s Eid Comedy Jam Believe in the Power of ‘Halal Humor’
By Lauren Abunassar
“When I'm on stage, I do feel a huge sense of obligation to make sure that the comedy that I'm doing and the environment that I curate for people is in line with what my ideals are. I’m a representation of something bigger than me.”
Al-Bustan News Team
Editor
Nisa Qazi
Current Journalism Fellows
Gawhara Abou-eid
Amna Khalafalla
Columnists
Lauren Abunassar
Joseph Fahim