AL-BUSTAN NEWS
Covering Philadelphia’s Southwest Asian and North African Communities
Cinema, Etcetera | The Oscars and Berlinale Show the Limits on Political Speeches at Awards Ceremonies
By Joseph Fahim
Film, however politically explicit, can rarely match the immediacy of a speech. Unlike cinema, which, no matter how direct, remains open to interpretation, a speech is an unambiguous articulation of an artist’s political stance, delivered in real time on a global stage.
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.
Al-Bustan News Team
Editor
Nisa Qazi
Current Journalism Fellows
Gawhara Abou-eid
Amna Khalafalla
Columnists
Lauren Abunassar
Joseph Fahim