Adam is a mixed race Arab, with his father coming from Egypt in the late 80s after doing a number of jobs in Europe. He originally grew up in Manhattan, and yet, despite this, he feels like he’s been able to stay well connected with his Egyptian roots. He tells me about oft-remembered yearly trips to Egypt as a child. And, in that same vein, he tells me about his recent marriage to a woman from Giza, and their decision to live in Astoria in order to be closer to the Muslim community. 

Adam, like many I’ve talked to, is firm in his conviction that he is an American. Despite Islamophobia and American foreign policy that he vehemently disagrees with, he doesn’t see a contradiction in his American and his Muslim/Egyptian identities. According to him, his father taught him that America “opens its arms” and provides opportunities through education and employment. This is reflected in Adam’s own career as a public school teacher. And, in figures like Mamdani, it is reflected in the hopefulness of the community and willingness to engage with the ideal of inclusivity.
When I asked him to name an object that represented his faith, community, and/or life story, he responded: “the Masjid,” the Arabic word for mosque. You can hear him discuss how, regardless of any factor like race or creed, anyone can be included in the masjid. Anyone can build community. In a big way, the masjid is not only representative of Islam, but also of the American experiment itself, where anyone can belong.

– Ismaeel El-Shafei

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant