Throughout April, join the Arlington Public Library in celebrating Arab American Heritage Month. This month, we recognize the achievements of Arab Americans and celebrate the community’s rich cultural heritage and significant contributions to society. Below is a list of all of our programs for Arab American Heritage Month:
Arab American Heritage Month: Teens Give Back
Monday, March 31, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
George W. Hawkes Downtown Library
Teens, join us at George W. Hawkes Downtown Library for a chance to give back to the community! We use this time to help complete fun projects for the library and to help out our patrons. Past projects have included making cards and craft items for our Books on Wheels seniors, crafting bookmarks for scavenger hunt prizes, or helping library staff to prepare for their programs. All supplies will be provided.
In preparation for Arab American Heritage Month, we will be making bookmarks highlighting Arab Americans and their contributions to American history and society. These bookmarks will be distributed to library patrons.
This is for teens in grades 7th - 12th who are in need of volunteer hours.
Kutub: Arabic Book Club
Saturday, April 5, 1 – 3 p.m.
George W. Hawkes Downtown Library
The Arabic Book Club “Kutub” meets on the first Saturday of the month from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Members will discuss novels, short stories, poetry, non-fiction, music, feature films or documentaries that explore Arabic culture.
Read and discuss what you’ve read. Exploring new cultures, values, and practices is what makes us better human beings as any culture has things to teach us, regardless of differences.
Open for adults and seniors.
Cricut for Beginners: Arab American Heritage Month
Tuesday, April 8, 6 – 8 p.m.
George W. Hawkes Downtown Library
Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month by learning to design and cut with Cricut Design Space in this introductory class. We will creating cards using Hamsa art otherwise known as Hand of the Fatima.
This class is limited to the first 8 in attendance and is appropriate for ages 13+.
Art After Dark: Arab American Heritage Month
Friday, April 11, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Northeast Branch
Explore your creative side in this after hours artsy program for adults, celebrating Arab American Heritage Month! In this special edition, watch a captivating calligraphy demonstration using traditional bamboo reed pens, learn to write your name in Arabic on canvas, and create a Hamsa hand keychain. Explore a gallery featuring beautifully painted works by a local artist.
Calligraphy Workshop: Arab American Heritage Month
Saturday, April 12, 6 – 8 p.m.
Northeast Branch
Discover the art of Arabic calligraphy with master calligrapher Hayder Mohsin. Explore traditional styles like Kufic and Naskh while learning from his expertise in classical Baghdad and Ottoman techniques.
Tea Time – Arab American Heritage Month Focus is April!
Wednesday, April 23, 6 – 7 p.m.
East Library and Recreation Center
Take your taste buds on a trip around the world during Tea Time, the 4th Wednesday of each month!
Every culture has a connection to tea or coffee. At Tea Time, we will dive into the history of different teas, coffees, and other delicious hot drinks while enjoying a good cuppa’ ourselves. Drinks will be free, but supplies are limited. So, join APL as we explore the world one drink at a time.
Vision & Verse: A 2-Day Celebration of Arab Heritage
Saturday, April 26 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Rebrary A & B (1st Floor)
George W. Hawkes Downtown Library
Engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Hatem Al-Sakr, a distinguished Iraqi literary critic, writer, and academic as he sits down with Jordanian novelist Nemah Ayyad. They will discuss the historical depth and personal influences in Ayyad’s work, followed by an interactive Q&A. Afterward, take part in our open mic, where attendees are encouraged to share poetry, stories, or music celebrating their Arab heritage. Wearing traditional Arabic attire is warmly welcomed.
Dr. Hatem Al-Sakr: Born in Baghdad, Dr. Hatem Al-Sakr is an Iraqi writer and academic. He holds a Ph.D. in modern Arabic literature and criticism and has taught at various universities in the Arab world, including the University of Sanaa in Yemen. A prominent literary critic, he has published over twenty books on poetry, criticism, and autobiography, focusing on prose poetry and modern Arabic literary analysis.
Nemah Ayyad: Nemah Ayyad is a Jordanian novelist and writer. She is the author of Hidden Claws, a novel that champions truth, scientific progress, and achievement while challenging outdated mindsets through a unique narrative aesthetic. She has also authored Kuwait in the Embrace of Memory, a documentary book that blends personal recollections with historical insights, reflecting her deep connection to Kuwait and its people.
Sunday, April 27 | 4:00 - 6:00 PM | Excellence Room (3rd Floor)
George W. Hawkes Downtown Library
Immerse yourself in poetry performed in both Arabic and English by acclaimed Iraqi poet Hasan Al-Nassar, whose work powerfully reflects on war, exile, and resilience—particularly the struggles of war-widowed women. Haidar Mazen, a local educator, translator, and video journalist, will provide English translations.
Hasan Al-Nassar: Hassan Al-Al-Nassar is an Iraqi poet whose works explore themes of war, exile, and resilience, with a particular focus on the struggles of war-widowed women. His poetry has been widely published in Arabic literary magazines, and his collection, Widows' Resurrection, received the prestigious Abdul Wahhab Poetry Prize in 1999.
Haidar Mazen: Haider Mazen is an academic educator, translator, and video journalist. He currently teaches research, English, and literature at an early college high school in Arlington. Over the past 10 years, he has worked with various nonprofit organizations to translate books from Arabic to English and English to Arabic. He holds a Master’s in Education and a Bachelor’s in English from the University of Texas at Arlington.
A special thank you to the Friends and Foundation of the Arlington Public Library for their generous support of our programming.
