Ahla friends,
There are a lot of great events happening this week, and I'm not trying to squeeze them all in. I've been committing to editing lately, not just the newsletter, but everything. My mind, my closet, my network, my life and of course the events I actually show up to.
So this week I'm leading with the unique and the communal. I find myself prioritizing events where I can bond with others over ones I'd experience alone. I'm also giving platform to lesser-known artists, though we still love a Laylit night and the usual suspects, obviously.
Commitment means choosing. And choosing means letting some things go so you can be present for what gets picked. Spring energy, I guess. Everything gets lighter when you stop trying to hold it all, and deeper when you commit to it.
Below is what I hope will help you make your own edit.
Samar
DANCE & SPIRITUALITY
Road to Dance ft Nur Ala Nur
Wed, May 13th, 6:30 - 11:00 PM
Greenpoint Loft, Greenpoint
Ecstatic dance as spiritual practice. No choreography, no mirrors, no performance, just bodies moving to live music in a container held for release. The kind of experience where you shake off what words can't reach. If you've been holding tension you can't name, this is where you let it go. Look for the Nur Ala Nur performance and Adam, he is wonderful.
MUSIC
Niina Soleil: The California Dreamin' Tour – 2nd SET
Thurs, May 14th at 9:45PM
DROM, East Village
Egyptian-American singer Niina Soleil bringing soul, folk, and Americana with Laurel Canyon energy. We love when Arab artists venture into territories that aren't traditional music or commercial pop, this is what it looks like when we refuse to be confined. Second set of the night.
MUSIC + THEATER
Fouad Dakwar: Amo Juliano
Fri-Sat May 15-16, 7pm
Joe's Pub, East Village
Palestinian artist Fouad Dakwar returns with Amo Juliano, a punk-rock retelling of the life and assassination of Juliano Mer-Khamis, co-founder of the Freedom Theatre and Dakwar's second cousin. We're fans, Fouad is talented, and his shows always deliver.
Promocode: freepalestine for $25 tix instead of $45
MUSIC + FUNDRAISER
Fundraiser Concert for Lebanon
Sat May 16th, 4:30-8pm
The People's Forum, Midtwon
This one is layered. An afternoon and evening of music bringing together clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, violinist Layale Chaker (girl crush very much intact, she's extraordinary), bassist William Parker, saxophonist Aakash Mittal, and more. Jazz, classical, improvisation, all in conversation. All funds go to the Ghassan Abu Sittah Fund, supporting urgent medical care for children in Lebanon and Palestine.
WELLNESS + MUSIC
WELLNESS Extended Release: A Somatic Journey with Sound Healing
Sat May 16th, 1pm
Liminal Yoga, Greenpoint
I find myself gravitating toward events that calm my nervous system right now. Two hours of sound healing by Samer Ghadry and somatic guidance by Suzy Baker. Activation, expression, grounding, restoration. For when your body is holding what your mind can't process
LITERATURE, LGBTQ+
Book Launch: Queer and Muslim: On Faith, Family, and Healing
Sat May 16th, 4-6pm
Bureau of General Services, Queer Division, Greenwich Village
I get happy when I see spaces that hold room for conversations often stigmatized in our communities, and my DMs can attest to that every time I post anything about queer Muslim life. For this book launch expect essays, poems, letters exploring LGBTQ+ Muslim experience.
WORKSHOP
Tatreez Circle Gathering
Tues May 20th
Healing Bean Cafe, Bay Ridge
Palestinian-American artist Sabri Sundos hosts an open-studio tatreez circle. Bring a project or start something new, work at your own pace, learn from others. Sabri will refine technique and troubleshoot patterns. Materials provided.
THE FREE ONE
One free event that got us excited
WORKSHOP + POLITICS
ART Artmaking Workshop: Weaving Sites of Palestinian Solidarity
Sat May 16th, 6:30-8:30pm
Leslie-Lohman Museum, Soho
An evening of decolonial feminist futurity and artmaking with Daarna and Palestinian Feminist Collective. Create patchwork panel designs that contribute to The People's Solidarity Tent, a creative project that literally weaves participants' contributions into collective action. Love the communal aspect of the workshop.
— Want to explore more events? —
menna website
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
Initiatives that got us excited
The Kitab Club: A space For Arab Literature Discourse
Lebanese photographer and writer Maria Sakr started the Kitāb Club out of a craving, the kind that comes from wanting something that doesn't exist yet, so she build it herself. She wanted a group of curious readers to gather once a month and talk, think out loud, and wrestle with Arab works that deserve more than a quick scroll and a Goodreads rating.
The club meets monthly at McNally Jackson and is structured around prompts, but the conversations rarely stay contained. Literature opens into broader discussions. Last month they read The Turn by Hisham Matar and their next May event is already sold out which says something. Maria is fun, vibrant and with a genuine love for books and stories, all the right ingredients for a good book club.
If you've been looking for literary community that centers Arab writers and doesn't treat them like a curiosity or a trend, this is it. The club is open to anyone, and Maria will be posting her June event on our site as soon as the details are finalized.
To a more connected community
Self Funded. No Compromise
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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—
