Ahla friends,
The menna website is live. Every event, every cultural moment happening across New York for those of us with SWANA roots, it's all there, searchable, explorable, yours to scroll through at whatever pace fits your life.
But that's not what this note is about.
With the website holding the full picture, this newsletter gets to become something else. Not just a roundup of what’s happening, but a reflection of what we genuinely believe is worth your time and attention that reflect events, projects, and news from our community.
Think of it this way: The website is the archive, everything that's out there, organized and open. The newsletter is the edit and the pulse of the community.
This is the first edition of this new chapter, and I won’t pretend I’m not a little nervous. As always, I’d love to hear what you think about the website and the evolving newsletter. My inbox is open, just hit reply and share your thoughts. As a small thank you, we’re giving away 8 tickets (4 pairs) to see Palestine 36 this weekend at BAM or Angelika. Share your feedback, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a pair.
Here's to building something worth reading.
Samar
THE SHORTLIST
Handpicked events worth showing up for
CINEMA
Palestine ‘36
Now through Thurs April 2d
Angelika Film Center + BAM
The long awaited theatrical release of this movie has been met with rave raving reviews. It depicts the 1936-39 Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule and rising Jewish Immigration.
menna is giving away 8 free tickets. All you have to do is share your feedback on the website and/or new newsletter by responding to this email for a chance to win a pair.
MUSIC
Yeller Tooth
Sat March 28th at 7:30pm
Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
The husband and wife duoYeller Tooth features Sahar Milani, a Lebanese and Iranian singer and actress, Sahar is truly an exceptionally talented artist. Their folky, living room-sound harmonizes Southern Soul and Middle Eastern roots. This night at Sofar Sounds will feature many artists, and is a wonderful way to explore new sounds and make new friends.
WELLNESS
Deep Liberation: Immersive Breathwork and Sound Reset
Sun March 29th from 3-4:30pm
Reforesters Lab, Williamsburg
Slow down and release with this breath and sound healing workshop led by Dena and centering deep liberation. Let’s be honest, we could all use some breathwork right now.
MUSIC
Abbie Roper Ft. Lora Mouna
Mon March 30th at 8pm
Berlin Under A, East Village
It feels so refreshing to see a SWANA artist play outside of its sandbox, meet Lora Mouna, Syrian-American singer/songwriter, an incredible indie rock artist and definitely one to look out for-if you can’t make this show, keep your eye out for her next one!
MUSIC
A tribute to Abdel Wahab By Marwa Morgan
Fri March 27th at 8pm
Symphony Space, UWS
Egyptian vocalist Marwa Morgan will perform a tribute program honoring legendary composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab, featuring songs he performed and composed for others, accompanied by an ensemble led by Ameer Armaly. Marwa is an accomplished and classicaly trained singer who has performed at venues like Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
THE FREE ONE
One free event that got us excited
PHOTOGRAPHY
Hard Feelings: Dean Majd
Through April 8th
CCNY at 154 Ludlow, LES
Through April 8th
CCNY at 154 Ludlow, LES
Catch the final weeks of Hard Feelings, the debut solo exhibition by Dean Majd. Through photography, the Queens-raised Palestinian artist offers a sharp, intimate reframe of masculinity. Majd is very much having a moment right now, and it shows. This one’s worth seeing before it closes and such a great first date idea :)
Want to explore more events?
Check out menna website
COMMUNITY DISPATCH
People, projects, and news from across the community
Women / النساء : The new photography book from Middle East Archives
If you know Middle East Archive, you already know they have an eye for what matters. This European publisher focuses on photography from the region, and their work doesn't miss.
Their new book Women / النساء just came out and I love it so much. It brings together 72 photographers, archival and contemporary, and what it does differently is refuse to make women from our region into a single story. No symbols, no archetypes. Just the full, messy, contradictory truth of women's lives, how we shape families, carry culture, move through society and through our most private worlds. Each photographer gets to stand in their own voice while contributing to something much larger, richer, messier. Something as real as us.
The names alone: Rania Matar, Newsha Tavakolian, Farah Al Qasimi, Tanya Habjouqa, Nariman El-Mofty, this is the kind of book that belongs on our shelf.
These guys are having a NYC Launch event on March 27th, 7-10pm at 48 Ludlow Street
Event Launch Details
Website
EDITOR’S PICK
Products and brands worth supporting
A big YES to YES FOLKS’ Kombucha
I stumbled onto YES Folk by accident. I came across an event hosted by co-founder Adam Elabd, something that blended music and spirituality. It pulled me in immediately. Naturally, like we always do before featuring anything, I looked into it a bit more to see if the values aligned with our community.
They did, and that curiosity led me to YES Folk, the brand he built with his wife Yiyi Mendoza. At its core, it’s a fermentation practice: kombucha, vinegars and shrubs. I started with the kombucha (haven’t fully explored the rest yet), and it’s not what you expect. Softer, more layered, with unexpected flavors like calendula, yaupon, magnolia, palo santo, and hawthorn (still not entirely sure what hawthorn is, but it’s good). the drinks feel almost luxurious in how the flavors unfold. Nothing loud or overly sweet, just thoughtful combinations and great taste.
What makes it land is the intention behind it. Both Adam and Yiyi come from working on organic medicinal herb farms, and that sensibility carries through, plants chosen not just for flavor, but for their functional properties, with a real attention to sourcing and how everything is made.
At the image of their product, their approach to growth is similarly considerate. No aggressive marketing, no influencer saturation. Instead, they’re building something real, quieter, community-led, rooted in education and the beautiful blend of their Mexican and Egyptian backgrounds. Much of that energy lives upstate, where they host gatherings, tastings, and workshops. There’s a real sense of authenticity and intention behind this project, it’s honestly so good to see work like this coming from within our community.
I’ll report back once I’ve spent more time with the vinegars and shrubs (another term I had to Google:), but if the kombucha is any indication, they’re building something worth paying attention to.
Self Funded. No Compromise
Allowing us to stay editorially independent and guided only by our values and the community we serve. If our work resonates with you and you’d like to support it, you can do so through the link below.
As always, thank you for being here.
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— Menna curates cultural content and events for informational purposes only. Event details are subject to change—
