Ahla friends,
I don't seek out pop culture, but somehow I still know everything. The MET controversy, the Summer House scandal, the Alex/Alix feud I can't keep straight, all of it lands in my brain without permission. It makes me feel hollow. Like I've been fed a diet of other people's manufactured drama.
Working on menna has become a kind of mental wellness practice for me. Not because I'm pretending the world isn't on fire, but because the quality of these events, the spaces, the people, the intention behind them, is what's actually pulling me out from the demise of our society. Rediscovering love through Rumi, freeing our bodies from feelings we've been taught to carry, reconnecting to our shared history through thoughtful walking tours.
So, another week, another set of things worth showing up for.
Samar
FOOD + MUSIC
Lammeh Dinner ft Lour Yasin
Thursday, May 7th at 7PM
27 Allen St, LES
Family-style dinner on Allen Street with Palestinian pop artist Lour Yasin in from Jerusalem. Her music threads Arab and Western traditions with Palestinian narrative running underneath every lyric. Three hours, long table, wine and mocktails. Lammeh means gathering, feels exactly right
THEATER + CINEMA
The Horse of Jenin
Friday, May 8th at 2, 4, 6 & 8 PM
Cinema Village, Greenwich Village
This documentary began as a play that toured across Europe, earning standing ovations at every stop. Palestinian performer Alaa Shehada was meant to bring that same work to the U.S., but was denied entry because of his identity. Watching this screening, then, feels like more than just viewing a film, it feels like an act of resistance, a small moment of justice being reclaimed.
WELLNESS + FUNDRAISER
Grief Circle & Fundraiser for Lebanon
Saturday, May 9th, 11 AM–12:30 PM
Maha Rose, Brooklyn Heights
90 min at Maha Rose with Zaina and Sara, holding space for somatic practices that move grief and rage into action, honoring the link between violation of land and violation of body. Pay what you can; 100% goes to organizations supporting displaced families in Lebanon
HISTORY + COMMUNITY
Remembering Little Syria Walking Tour
Saturday, May 9th, 11 AM–1 PM
Meet at Whitehall St–South Ferry, FIDI
2H through Manhattan's old Syrian Quarter, the first Arabic-speaking community in North America, where Gibran and Ameen Rihani once lived and wrote. Asad Dandia leads. You'll walk past plaques and parking lots and learn what those blocks used to hold. Worth knowing where you're standing. Special thanks to ArteEast
WORKSHOP + FUNDRAISER
Sudan Bakhoor Making Fundraiser
Saturday, May 9th, 2 PM
Boyfriend Coop, Bushwick
An afternoon making dilka and bakhoor, Sudanese self-care rituals passed down at home, with hands deep in scented wood and oil. ADA accessible, masks and air filtration available, alcohol-free. Every dollar goes to Sudan Humanitarian Foundation. Self and community care at once.
CINEMA
Caméra arabe
Tuesday, May 12th, 5:45–6:50 PM
Film at Lincoln Center, UWS
Férid Boughedir's documentary traces the rise of politically engaged cinema across North Africa and the Middle East from the 1960s on, the filmmakers, the clips, the wars that made the work matter. US premiere of a 4K restoration. An hour and five minutes; worth the trip uptown
THE FREE ONE
One free event that got us excited
LITERATURE + SPIRITUALITY
PASSWORDS: Jawid Mojaddedi on Rumi
Wednesday, May 6th, 7–9 PM
Poets House, Tribeca · Free–$10
We all need some Rumi wisdom right now. Mojaddedi, Islamic studies scholar and a leading Rumi translator, on the Masnavi, Rumi's six-volume epic, and the subversively interactive style that turns every reader into an interlocutor
— Want to explore more events? —
menna website
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
Initiatives that got us excited
Our Girl Sabrina Just Launched A Supplement Brand For Women
I want you to meet my friend Sabrina, our new health advocate. She just launched Libré, a supplement brand that respects the needs of women’s biology, because what we need in our 20s is not what we need in perimenopause.
Whether we want it or not, our hormones run the show. They're why we feel sharp one week and completely derailed the next, why our energy crashes at random, why we're dealing with hot flashes at 45 or bloating at 28. The wellness industry mostly ignores this and sells us the same multivitamin for every stage of life, which is, not quite helpful.
Sabrina launched with two formulas: Daily Vitality Essential for reproductive years (balance, energy, gut health) and Life Transition Hormonal Blend for perimenopause and menopause (hot flash relief, bone health, sleep).
The Algerian-American founder spent years in consumer products, so she knows what good looks like. She wanted something transparent, physician-backed, easy to use, no fluff, 3d party tested and the packaging is genuinely cute (as you can see Sabrina is the demanding kind).
What sets it apart: strict EU health standards, Johns Hopkins research backing the formulas, and you can message their Chief Medical Officer directly with questions. In a country where most of us are Googling/Prompting symptoms alone at 2am because healthcare is unaffordable, that kind of access matters.
We're proud of you, Sabrina.
Promocode: menna25 for 25% off
Shop Libré | Follow on Instagram
To better days -
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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—
