Celebrating National Arab American Heritage Month

This is a special post written by Charles Warren, Curriculum Developer at Triangle. Charlie is also a member of Triangle’s Racial Equity Task Force. As part of our commitment to the work of our Racial Equity Task Force, we will be sharing more information with you on subjects related to racial equity and disability justice. This post continues our series dedicated to calling attention to the contributions of people with disabilities to American history.

Happy April! All month long, Triangle’s Racial Equity Task Force (RETF) has submitted posts featuring Arab American Heritage Month, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and National Autism Awareness Month. The RETF’s posts will honor intersectionality and highlight people of color with disabilities whose lives cross over multiple identities and issues ALL at the same time. Check out our post on Arab American Heritage Month below!

Maysoon Zayid – Comedian and Actress

Maysoon Zayid is a Palestinian-American comedian and actress who was born with cerebral palsy. She is the first Arab American woman to perform stand-up comedy on national television. Zayid is a strong advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and has used her platform to challenge stereotypes and promote understanding.

Marina Salaman – Disability Rights Activist

Marina Salman is a researcher, disability rights activist, and mental health counselor.  She is the director of SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) for Access Living Chicago.  She is involved in advocacy efforts that focus on the intersectionality of race and disability, as well as healthcare and criminal justice reform.  She is an Arab-American woman with multiple disabilities who looks to empower Arabs with disabilities.