Arab American Heritage Month commenced with an opening ceremony on Monday. The celebration was held by USC’s Middle Eastern and North African Student Assembly, MENASA, in collaboration with the Middle Eastern and North African lounge and the Saudi Student Assembly. The event explored the theme “Roots grow, branches reach.”
“May our roots forever ground us and may our branches reach farther than we ever dreamed,” said senior and MENASA co-founder Nour Myra Geha.
Geha spoke to students about this year’s theme, which is an homage to Middle Eastern and North African heritage.
“Our roots are deep. They are carried in the call to prayer and the church bells, echoing in our memories,” Geha said.
The annual celebration started four years ago with a budget of $100. During the first year, $60 went to a speaker and the rest to baklava ingredients. Since then, the budget has expanded significantly, as has the student group. MENASA’s co-executive director, Katia Atiyah, explained that this growth has been vital for the Arab community on campus.
“It’s a really important event for visibility in our community. Not only to kick off Arab American Heritage Month, but also to have a presence on campus, have our music, have our food, have our culture represented and seen here,” said Atiyah.
MENASA now works with USC to host the celebration. This year’s event was originally scheduled for last Thursday but was postponed by USC Events for “inclement weather.”
MENASA students say they learned of the postponement through a vendor. The group released a statement on Instagram urging the university for “greater transparency, inclusion, and the active centering of student voices.”
The rescheduled celebration proceeded as planned with traditional folk dance performances, food, speakers, and a henna tattooing station.
Mostafa Deiwdar is a graduate student who said events like this have helped him find community and connection at USC.
“I think it’s super important because, for me, if it wasn’t for some of these events, I literally wouldn’t know that there are some people like [this] that I can share this with,” Deiwdar said.
Since the student group was formed three years ago, MENASA has aimed to be a safe space for Middle Eastern and North African students.
“Let me, MENASA, and all the Arab community around you continue to be your home here and return to it when the world feels loud and confusing. Then let it be the launch pad you leap from when your voice is ready to be heard,” Geha said during her speech.
As the group’s roots dig deeper and its branches grow higher, MENASA will continue to share the food of their ancestors, dance to the tunes of tradition, and most of all, make their voice heard at USC.