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plate in ways other mediums do not. “It’s way stronger to make a movie than to go on TV and talk for 20 minutes,” he said. The rapid churn of the news means people “don’t even have time to digest it and to think about it.”

Rahim also hopes the film will put pressure on the Mauritanian and U.S. governments to allow Slahi to travel freely. Released in 2016, Slahi is currently prohibited from traveling outside of Mauritania. “It’s one thing to be released from Guantanamo, but then if you go to an open sky prison, you still have something to fix,” Rahim said.

“The Mauritanian,” distributed by STXFilms, is currently available on demand. Slahi’s book, Guantanamo Diary, is available from Middle East Books and More. —Dale Sprusansky

NAAWA Celebrates Women

The National Arab American Women’s Association (NAAWA) held its sixth annual International Women’s Day Gala virtually on March 7. Nearly 5,000 viewers watched this year’s star-studded event, titled, “Empowering Arab American Women: Empowering Humanity,” skillfully emceed by Ameera David, WXYZ Detroit anchor and daughter of Arab America founders Amal and Warren David. Nearly every speaker challenged listeners to lift each other up.

Singer/songwriter Elise Azkoul, a Lebanese-American contestant from the 17th season of “The Voice,” launched the evening by singing “Rise Up,” a song to empower everyone who is fighting the exhaustion and loneliness of COVID-19. Renowned Syrian singer/composer Badya Hasan sang Arabic favorites.

Dr. Pearlette Ramos, a motivational speaker and author, gave some solid tips on how women can be relentless and authentic. By uniting, they can achieve their goals despite all obstacles like inequality, poverty, violence and earning 71 cents for every dollar earned by men. Ramos concluded, “no one can dim our light and our voices if we are relentless...and support one another.”

Board members, including Janeen Rashmawi, described the educational outreach work NAAWA is accomplishing, providing lesson plans and teaching resources to national and local social studies teachers.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) described the many ways Arab American women can speak up to support communities of color, Black Lives Matter, fair and just immigration reform, equitable education, clean air and water. “It shows who we are as a community that we don’t wait until it’s our community that is a target...help our country stay connected and make sure everyone can thrive.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) urged women to hold the door wide open for others to follow or to leave a ladder in place behind us for the use of the next generation.

Cynthia Terrell, the founder and executive director of RepresentWomen, which seeks to advance women’s leadership in the U.S., provided sobering statistics about women, who are 51 percent of the U.S. population but make up only: 24 percent of the U.S. Senate; 27 percent of the U.S. House of Representatives; 30 percent of statewide elected executives; 31 percent of state legislative seats; 23 percent of mayors in cities with populations over 30,000; and 0 percent of presidents of the United States. At least now there is finally a female vice president, Terrell added.

“Women around the world are entering political office at higher rates than in the United States—we are only 70th for women’s representation in politics.” Terrell urged more women to run for office, win their races and serve effectively.

Iraqi-American Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International and host of “Through Her Eyes” with Yahoo News, said her mother made her read books about women and struggles. Each generation of women pushes the next generation to go further, she said. She admitted that the Arab culture is not in its golden age and Arab women are held back by traditions and religion. Like the other speakers, Salbi counseled viewers to stand up for each other and push the other forward.

International corporate lawyer/activist Lina Hadid congratulated NAAWA on its work and noted that she has founded a lobby to work for Palestinian rights.

Palestinian-American/actress/comedian/disability advocate Maysoon Zayid offered “advice you don’t want to hear” on National Women’s Day. She ended her set with a caution to internet trolls: “Words matter. Never be the person who causes another human being harm...If you feel the need to spew hate online, google ‘cats on glass tables.’ You’ll thank me.” 

Azkoul concluded the evening with an uplifting rendition of “Here Comes the Sun,” to celebrate a brighter future and the approaching end to COVID isolation. —Delinda C. Hanley

NAAWA Emcee Ameera David (l) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

Helping Hands

Lighting Up Young Palestinian Lives with Books

By John Cassel Photos by Dr. Estephan Salameh

The Seraj Library Project empowers readers in Palestinian villages.

ESTEPHAN SALAMEHleft Jerusalem with a scholarship to attend graduate school at North Park University in Chicago and half a month’s rent in his pocket. To help pay the bills, Salameh taught Arabic to North Park students and others in the community. One of his students, Laurie Millner, who was studying for a master’s degree in nonprofit management, became his wife in 2004.

The Salamehs wanted to improve the situation in Palestine, where some 5 million Palestinians live severely constrained lives under Israeli occupation. Their shared love of books kept the couple’s conversation returning to the need for libraries for both children and their families. They launched the Seraj Library Project in 2005 to bring knowledge and engagement with the world to isolated villages and refugee camps in Palestine. Seraj, the Arabic word for oil lamp or light, was chosen as the project’s symbol.

Libraries are a perfect fit in Palestine, where the culture is very family oriented, and education is highly valued. According to the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook, more than half of the West Bank and Gaza residents are under the age of 25 and more than 97 percent over the age of 15 are literate. Palestinians are a people hungry for knowledge. Sadly, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, only 3 percent of households indicate they have access to a library or the Internet after school hours.

There are now 10 community libraries in the West Bank, starting with the Jifna Library, which Seraj launched in partnership with the Jifna Women Charitable Society. Seraj U.S., an all-volunteer organization, has contributed almost $900,000 toward the creation of those 10 libraries as well as a network of cultural programs for children and their families.

The libraries are always developed through partnerships between Seraj and a local community-based organization. Typically, the com-

John Cassel, an officer with Seraj, compiled this article from various Seraj sources. Estephan Salameh, who returned to Jerusalem with a Ph.D. in urban planning and public policy, teaches at Birzeit University and works as an adviser to the Palestinian Prime Minister for Planning and Aid Coordination. Laurie Salameh is on the board of World Vision Jerusalem-West Bank-Gaza.

munity provides the space, volunteers, and leadership; Seraj provides books, furniture, computers and experience.

This year, Seraj Palestine, now a formally recognized NGO in Palestine with its own governing board, is about to launch two major projects, one in Kufor Aqab near Jerusalem and another in Birzeit near the city of Ramallah. These represent a major innovation for the organization, and a major contribution to the cultural life of Palestine.

Storytelling has always been especially important to Seraj. In fact, all Seraj’s work and activities are born out of stories—rediscovering lost ones as well as preserving both the significant and seemingly insignificant ones—to bring them to life again in Palestinian communities through the interpretation of various types of artists.

Stories tell us where we’ve come from and can guide us to where we are going. They tell the truth about our past so that we can begin to heal as we face the future. They connect us to those who have come before, those around us, and those yet to come.

This is why Seraj’s National Storytelling Center, the first of its kind in Palestine, is so exciting. Remarkably, Seraj was invited to be part of a project of the Riwaq Center for Architectural Conservation to renovate two 150-year-old houses in Kufor Aqab. Riwaq completed the renovation beautifully and gave the keys to Seraj to begin the work of furnishing and stocking the interior. These two homes will house a library, a café/study center, a small office for Seraj, and most notably, the new Storytelling Center.

Likewise, the West Bank municipality of Birzeit plans to revitalize its Old City, “activating” the area by bringing together cultural organizations, interesting small businesses and educational institutions. The municipality believes having a library and cultural center would draw people into the historic part of the town. So, the municipality approached Seraj about opening a Library and Cultural Center.

The anchor, of course, is the libraries. There will be enough space for a children’s library and a library for the college students. Right now, there is no library in Birzeit, outside of the university, and no place for the college students to go after the university closes at 4:30 p.m. In addition, Seraj plans to open a music and arts library to house pieces of art and to host music performances created by other Palestinian organizations. Something Seraj has always done well, over the past 15 years, is partner with community organizations to work cooperatively on a shared goal. Seraj’s philosophy is not to compete with the work of other organizations, but to work alongside, to create something different and valuable.

Because partnership is essential to everything Seraj does, working with local organizations, families, artists, musicians and storytellers are the foundation of both the Kufor Aqab and Birzeit projects. But the fundamental partnership is between the U.S. and Palestine. Volunteers in the U.S. raise funds by describing the work and needs to a network of donors. The funds are transformed into libraries and programs by volunteers and a few staff in Palestine. Director, Laurie Salameh, and library coordinator, Fida’a Ataya (a master storyteller), have developed a wealth of expertise during their years of community library and program development.

Seraj Library Project continues to connect with interested individuals and organizations who want to be a part of this important work as they expand their circle of supporters. And, of course, visitors are always welcome to come to the various libraries throughout the West Bank.

For more information about individual libraries or for other contact information, visit <www.serajlibraries.org>. ■

The Seraj Library in Jiftlek, created in honor of James and Mary Wall, who helped establish the Seraj Library Project, is a cooperative effort with the village of Jiftlek, Jordan Valley Solidarity and Sanabel Al Reef women’s organization. James Wall, who launched a “must-read” blog he called “Wallwritings” in 2008, died March 22, 2021. (See pp. 48-49.)

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