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Barbara Nimri Aziz

Shems magazine recently caught up with Barbara Nimri Aziz, founding director of the Radius of Arab American Writers, Inc. (RAWI). Dr. Aziz is an anthropologist and journalist as well as the host of Radio Tahrir, a weekly radio program on WBAI, Pacifica Radio in New York.

Dean Obidallah

Born in the Great State of New Jersey, Dean’s comedy comes in large part from his unique background of being the son of a Palestinian father and a Sicilian mother. Dean, who was at one time a practicing attorney, has been featured in segments about Arab-American comics on ABC’s “20/20,” CNN’s “News Night with Aron Brown,” and MSNBC’s “Nachman.” He has written jokes that have appeared on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” and CBS’s “Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn.” Dean has appeared on Comedy Central’s “

DJ Amir

Amir Fouad, the DJ, the producer, the audio engineer, also known as DJ Amir, was only 14 years of age when he got his first computer. It opened his eyes to the Internet and gave the access to all music charts around the world.

Dr. Raymond Jallow

Dr. Raymond Jallow is an internationally recognized economic forecaster, financial expert, investment advisor and business executive. He is the chairman of Jallow International Ltd. (JIL) of Los Angeles. Prior to starting his own firm, Dr. Jallow was the senior vice-president and chief economist of First Interstate Bank of California and its holding company, First Interstate Bancorp. For more than 15 years, Dr. Jallow successfully guided the bank's investments and money management strategies to become one of the most profitable banks in the U.S. The bank is the eighth largest financial institution in America.

Jamie Farr

He was born Jameel Joseph Farah on July 1, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, the only son of Samuel, a meat cutter/grocer, and Jamelia, a seamstress. His acting career began at age 11 when Jamie won $2. in a local talent contest. He graduated from Woodward High with honors and was named most outstanding student, having served as class president for three years. He also wrote and acted in two variety shows, was editor of his school paper, president of the Radio Club, and manager of the football and basketball teams. He became a member of the National Honor Society, and after graduation he moved with his family to Southern California where he attended the Pasadena Playhouse.

John Zogby

President and CEO of Zogby International, remains by all accounts the hottest pollster in the United States today. “All hail Zogby, the maverick predictor who beat us all,” proclaimed the Washington Post in November 1996 after Zogby alone called that presidential election with pinpoint accuracy. In the recent razor-thin 2000 elections, daily national tracking polls conducted by Zogby International in the last few weeks foretold a tightening of the race for president while nearly all other polling firms projected an easy victory for Gov. George W. Bush. Zogby International instead was the first to observe the gap closing significantly between Bush and Vice-President Al Gore in the waning hours of the election.

Joseph Y. Qutub

For 25 years the Arab Student Aid International (ASAI) that Yousuf Qutub founded has helped over 17,000 Arab students with their higher education. This is the story of the founder's voyage from his roots in Jerusalem to America. Yousuf's family was born into a world ruled by the Ottoman Turks. Yousuf's grandfather on his father's side, Namiq Al-Qutub, was born in Jerusalem around 1850. Namiq was married twice. His first wife was from AlKhalil. Namiq and his wife had five children, one of whom was Yusuf's father, born in 1900. Namiq worked for the Ottoman Empire as a tax collector. His work took him to Europe and Turkey.

Kathy Najimy

I was born in San Diego. Both of my parents are Lebanese. My mom was actually born in Alay near Beirut and my dad was born in Massachusetts but both of his parents were originally from Lebanon. My mom came to the States when she was 18 or 19. She met my dad in Massachusetts and they moved to San Diego where I grew up with four brothers and sisters.

Khalil Bendib

Arguably the most visible Muslim Arab fine artist working today in the USA, Mr. Bendib is a resident of Berkeley, CA who grew up in Morocco and Algeria and came to California at age 20 after receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Algiers. After earning his Master’s at the University of Southern California in 1982, Khalil Bendib proceeded to become both political cartoonist and professional sculptor/ceramicist. In 1987, he worked as editorial cartoonist with the Gannett Newspapers, at the San Bernardino Sun, a position he later resigned to devote himself entirely to his career in the fine arts.

Marian Haddad

Born and raised in the West Texas desert town of El Paso, Marian Haddad earned her BA in Creative Writing as well as a Teacher's Certification in Secondary English from the University of Texas at El Paso. She then traveled to California and earned an MFA in Creative Writing at San Diego State University where she spent time as an associate editor for Poetry International and also acquired Ingram as the journal's distributor. While in San Diego, she was closely involved with the Border Voices Poetry Program, which brings highly renowned poets to SDSU, fosters poetry with the city's youth, and sponsors Telly-Award-Winning television interviews with well-known poets and students of poetry.

Maysoon Zayid

Maysoon is an actress and professional stand-up comedian who has appeared in some of New York City’s top comedy clubs including Caroline’s Gotham and Stand Up NY. Zayid has been featured on MTV and ABC’s “20/20.” She performs extensively in the United States and abroad and was co-chair of last years sold out Arab American Comedy Festival in New York City. She is co-host of “Fen Mejnoon with Dean and Maysoon,” a monthly radio show on New York’s WBAI focusing on Arab Americans in the arts. She also runs an arts program for disabled and wounded refugee children for three months annually in Palestine.

Nihad Dukhan

Dr. Dukhan’s fascination with the Arabic language, written and spoken, started when he was in grade school. His interest in Arabic calligraphy began when he started learning the Riq’a script from his Arabic language teacher in the sixth grade.

Ralph Nader

Lebanese-American who ran for US President in 1996 and 2000 as the Green Party candidate, and in 2004 as the Reform Party/Independent candidate. For more than four decades, Ralph Nader has saved lives, opened minds, implemented solutions, and inspired citizens everywhere to participate in building a better, more democratic world.

Rashid Choufani

When Rashid Choufani recalls the early days of his career, he tells of the legendary tradition of hospitality which has existed for hundreds of years in his home country of Morocco. “Milk and dates …” he says, “For generations we have extended our welcome in that way at weddings, parties, and banquets.

Tony Shalhoub

From Lebanese descent, Tony Shalhoub is the magician in our TVs and on the wide screen. He reflects his characters so well that one wonders what Tony Shalhoub himself is really like. Accordingly to him, before Monk, people were surprised to hear that he was actually from this country and didn’t speak with an accent. He is one of the rare actors, who has the ability to play a character within the shell of another character.