Kicking Off National Arab American Heritage Month 2021

Kicking Off National Arab American Heritage Month 2021

For Starters

Throughout the month of April, the Golden Gate University Race, Gender, Sexuality, & Social Justice Law Journal will focus its lens on lifting up the Arab American community in celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month. More substantive posts will provide insight into how American law and society have both impacted and been shaped by Arab Americans, but today’s post will follow the lead of Warren David, president of Arab America.

“This is the time of the year when we take pride in the contributions Arab Americans are making in education, medicine, law, business, technology, government, military service, and culture,” said David. He went on to say, “This year, we celebrate the accomplishments of educators, writers, poets, and musicians, who promote the Arab American heritage and culture–a testament to the contributions Arab Americans have made to America’s rich diversity.”

What follows is a non-exhaustive listicle of notable Arab Americans you may already know and perhaps admire, but may have had no idea were of Arab ancestry. Why is such a list important? Because representation matters; studies have shown that relatability and identification help stymie unconscious bias by diminishing the brain’s reliance on stereotypes.

Notable Arab Americans

In Academia


In Business


In Arts & Entertainment


In Literature


In Media & Journalism


In Politics

  • Spencer Abraham, U.S. Secretary of Energy and U.S. Senator (R-Mich.).
  • Justin Amash, U.S. Representative (R-Michigan).
  • Ray LaHood, U.S. Congressman (R-Illinois), U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
  • Dina Powell, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy.
  • Chris Sununu, Governor of New Hampshire (R).

In Sports


More to Come

Check the #GGUSocialJusticeLJ Blog throughout the month for more National Arab American Heritage Month content.

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