Emad: I currently live in New York, but I was born in Jordan and was raised between Jordan and Australia. I’m a student studying media communications.
Munira: What are your ambitions?
Emad: I’ve always loved performing. Whether its standing in front of an audience hosting, on a podcast, singing, or dancing, It’s something I’ve always been interested in. It’s been a passion of mine, but I never pursued it. That was my goal this year. When I turned 22, I decided to focus more on the stuff that I like rather than expectations I had for myself.
Munira: What does the term “Cultural Muslim” mean to you?
Emad: I’ve heard people say they’re Muslim but they’re not practicing, but I feel like this is the first time I’ve heard this term, but it does make a lot of sense. I consider myself more of a Cultural Muslim than a Practicing Muslim. There’s so much beauty in Islam. I feel like every Arab country has a specific way of expressing their culture as well as Islamic culture. I hope the term “Cultural Muslim” won’t be conflated with Arab culture. Even though they’re similar, they’re not interchangeable. I feel like its important to make that clarification in order to highlight the beauties of Arab culture but also be inclusive to other Muslims who aren’t Arab.
Munira: After experiencing the event today, was there anything in particular that you liked or enjoyed?
Emad: One of the artists exhibiting is my friend, it was really nice to see the work in process and the final exhibition. I like the different cultures and perspectives that were included, like how the diaspora Arabs perceive the homeland.
Munira: As a Muslim living in New York, what is that experience like?
Emad: I’m very grateful that I wasn’t just thrown into the city without having lived outside an Arab country. New York City is a tough place to navigate. Honestly, I didn’t have as many challenges here as I did growing up in Australia. I lived in Brisbane, and as a Jordanian-Palestinian, going to a suburban high school, I feel like I faced more challenges and prejudiced comments there. In New York, I never felt it was an issue to express Arabness. Most of the issues I faced were because I’m Palestinian.
Munira: What does home feel like to you?
Emad: Home is where heart is. Heart is where friends, love, warmth, and comfort is. I feel like I really found home in my friends here in New York. We all grew up in the Arab world, but we all came here for college or work. Those similar experiences really make it feel like home. But home will forever be waking up to the music of feroz and having the whole family there. Those are things that the diaspora are deprived of. Where I grew up even has a distinct smell in the winter and summer. As much as you try to replicate, nothing will feel like home as much as where you grew up. I’m very grateful to have been raised in an Arab world; that’s an experience I would never trade.
Karma: I’m half Jordanian and half Palestinian. I grew up in Amman, Jordan. I study drawing, and I’ve been in New York for the past three years. My art is related to my experience as a Muslim and Arab and living abroad.
Munira: What are you hobbies?
Karma: I’m very spiritual. I like yoga and reading. Most of my time is spent in the studio. I’m very into textiles and textures, drawing, painting, silk screens.
Munira: What does the term “Cultural Muslim” mean to you?
Karma: I think that means someone born into a Muslim family. They may not be religious, but grew up with the cultural things associated with Islam like Eid dinners and Ramadan.
Munira: Do you relate to the term “Cultural Muslim?”
Karma: I identify as a Muslim, but I take what I like from the religion and leave what I don’t like. In the Muslim community, I like that we’re diverse and come from different places, but we can all still relate to each other.
Munira: After experiencing the event today, was there anything in particular that you liked or enjoyed?
Karma: When I first came into the space, I felt very comfortable. I immediately started looking at the works, and it was like a conversation; they’re all related to each other. They all really touched me. For me, it’s so important to have Muslims and Arabs represented.
Munira: As someone who was raised in Jordan and then coming to New York, what was that experience like.
Karma: I moved to New York three-and-a-half years ago. I felt very homesick. I always loved art, and I always created art but it was never cultural. It wasn’t about my city or identity, it was very much what medium I was drawn to. When I came here and started experiencing this homesickness, my pieces started becoming about home. I was gravitated towards painting Middle Eastern internal spaces, mosques, and things that familiar and safe to me like landscapes. Being here has even made me listen to Arabic music more to connect to my culture.
Munira: How has it been finding your community here and connecting with people?
Karma: In the beginning, I didn’t want to stick to people that had the same background as me. I wanted to meet new people, but my community is now mostly Muslim and Arab. I used to go to a lot of Arab cultural spaces.
Munira: What does home mean to you?
Karma: Home is a feeling. A feeling of safety, familiarity. Cultural music, art, people, connection, all of that means home to me. Especially now, looking at what’s happening in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, a lot of us had to leave or were displaced. A lot of us are in the West or neighboring countries. So the idea of home is hazy to a lot of us, but music and art really brings us back to home and connects us.
