Arab American Heritage Month

Arab American Heritage Month

Each April, we recognize and honor the diverse backgrounds and faiths, vibrant traditions, and contributions of Arab Americans in our campus community and beyond.

Faculty and Staff Resource

  • MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian) Staff Organization
  • UndocuAlly Spring 2026 Training
    • It is important that we acknowledge the intersectional identities that exist within communities. While it is an issue that impacts several communities beyond Latinx, we would like to take this time to invite staff and faculty to join an upcoming UndocuAlly Training to learn about how to support undocumented students, especially in the current times. Visit the UndocuAlly page for more details and to sign up.

A Milestone for SSWANA: From Initiative to Established Student Development Office

The SSWANA Student Development Office has formally transitioned into an independent office within EJCE with expanded staffing and funding, marking a significant institutional investment in South and Southwest Asian and North African communities at UC Berkeley.

In coordination with the Chancellor’s Office, E&I and EJCE leadership, and with the support of ASUC, SSWANA has transitioned from an initiative into a fully recognized Student Development Office.

This transition includes expanded resources, the creation of the SSWANA Assistant Director role, and the SSWANA Living Learning Community becoming its own dedicated residential floor starting Fall 2026, strengthening long-term community building and student success. This moment is a milestone that showcases a campus-wide shift in how SSWANA communities are recognized and resourced. We’re excited for this new chapter, honoring SSWANA’s legacy of student advocacy, and celebrating the future of SSWANA at Berkeley.

Read and Watch

UC Berkeley’s Omar Yaghi shares 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

via Berkeley News

Omar Yaghi, UC Berkeley professor of chemistry, in his lab. Yaghi split the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Richard Robson of the University of Melbourne, Australia, and Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University, Japan.

Nabeeha Ali, Assistant Director; South Asian, Southwest Asian, and North African (SSWANA)

Headshot of Nabeeha Ali, Assistant Director; South Asian, Southwest Asian, and North African (SSWANA)

Dismantling Anti-Palestinian Racism: An Education Video and Discussion Resources

disrupt dehumanization center palestinian life imagine liberation for all text in the center with trees and flowers on the edges and on the bottom people picking from trees. On the right there is a older man and below him there is a young woman holding fr

Arab American Heritage: Contributions, Impact, and Recognition

National Arab American Heritage Month 2026, many voice one community

Whether it is through their cultural heritage and faith, their contributions to the arts, sciences, and humanities, or their advocacy for social justice and equality, the Arab American community and the broader Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian, and Southwest Asian communities have made immeasurable impacts on our nation's history and identity.


Learn more about National Arab American Month

Visit and support a local SSWANA-owned business

Arab American Heritage Month 2026

A message from leadership to the campus community.

Events 

Research

Dr. Hatem Bazian

Dr. Hatem Bazian is a senior lecturer in Ethnic Studies and leads the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project (IRDP), an initiative of the Center for Race & Gender. Bazian is the author of a book examining the structural and global dimensions of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism. He is the founder and editor of the open-access Islamophobia Studies Journal, which advances interdisciplinary scholarship on anti-Muslim racism, with the next volume scheduled for release on March 13.

Dr. Hatem Bazian headshot of him smiling

A note from Somer Alrai, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Sikh, South Asian ASUC Senator 25-26

“As a Palestinian and Arab American student in leadership at Berkeley, my heritage is not something separate from the work I do. It shapes how I lead, how I build community, and how I show up in every space I am part of.

I often think of my identity like tatreez, a stitched embroidery from my heritage where every thread carries history, memory, and intention. Being Palestinian means carrying stories of resilience, displacement, and survival, but also of culture, joy, and deep connection to community. It is something I take pride in, especially in spaces where our voices have not always been centered or understood.

My work in student government and organizing is grounded in that identity. I advocate for students who feel overlooked, push for spaces where Arab and Muslim students are supported, and work to ensure that our communities are not only present but truly valued. For me, leadership is about creating access, building trust, and making everyone feels seen.

Arab American Heritage Month is a time to recognize the depth and diversity of our community. Our stories are complex and powerful, and they deserve to be told on our own terms. I carry that with me in everything I do, rooted in who I am and committed to the communities that shaped me.”

- Somer Alrai, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Sikh, South Asian ASUC Senator 25-26

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