How to Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month

April is Arab American Heritage Month. There are many ways to celebrate the rich Arab culture. According to the U.S. census, there are more than 100,000 Arab Americans in the Chicago metropolitan area. Scholars believe this is actually an undercount since the census doesn’t have a racial category for Arab Americans. You can learn more about the Arab American experience from this article from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).

Here are four ways to celebrate Arab American Heritage Month during April:

1. Recognize Arab Americans within your organization. Invite Arab American members of your organization to share their culture with your membership. The Chicago Association of REALTORS^® recognizes their Arab American leaders in a post on their website. 
   
   
2. Donate. The current conflict in Gaza, Israel, and Lebanon has left millions of people without food and shelter. World Central Kitchen (WCK) is an organization that heads to conflict areas and provides meals to those in need. You may have seen them in the news recently after seven of their volunteers were killed by a drone strike in Gaza. By donating to WCK, you’ll support the organization’s work to serve thousands of hot meals daily. According to the organization’s founder, chef José Andrés, their work is “based on the simple belief that food is a universal human right. It is not conditional on being good or bad, rich or poor, left or right. We do not ask what religion you belong to. We just ask how many meals you need.” 
   
   
3. Celebrate Arab culture. Chicago’s diversity is a strength and also a joy when it comes to eating out. Eater Chicago compiled a list of Where to Eat Middle Eastern Food in Chicago. Consider checking out one of these establishments this month. 
   
   
4. Learn more about the Arab-American experience. If you’re looking to learn more about Arab American Heritage Month, you can explore this page from the History Channel. Another interesting source is the Smithsonian’s collection of Arab American documents, photos, and more. Picking up a book (fiction or nonfiction) can also submerge you into the lives and cultures of Arab Americans. The Arab American National Museum, located outside of Detroit, MI, holds a literary contest each year. Visit their site for a list of the most recent winners.