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Review: Domestic Crusaders

I have to imagine that writing fiction about Muslim-Americans is a thankless task. People from outside the community are already pre-disposed to like it or hate it. Unless you’re Rizwan Manji, Aasif Mandvi, or Aziz Ansari, you can’t quite draw the crowds to be able to change minds. Of course, you also get heat from inside the community. People will invariably say “it doesn’t represent me,” “it’s not my experience.” These same people will simultaneously identify with Lady Chatterly’s Lover, and support Umrao Jaan Ada, but will not have empathy with Muslim-American characters because it is not exactly their experience.…

Vienna Exhibit: Penelope’s Labor

This installation will feature work by a wonderful artist I had the privilege of meeting last year, Azra Aksamija (http://www.azraaksamija.net/) — Penelope’s Labour — Weaving Words and Images Weavings from the collection of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini Collection shown alongside new woven works by: Azra Akšamija, Lara Baladi, Manuel Franquelo, Carlos Garaicoa, Grayson Perry and Marc Quinn. Exhibition by Fondazione Giorgio Cini and Factum Arte. Curated by Adam Lowe Tapestry is the great example of image and word transformed by the materiality of its medium. For centuries, it was valued above paintings, its precious gold, silver and silk thread combining…

Muslim playwright returns to high school stage – chicagotribune.com

Muslim playwright returns to high school stage – chicagotribune.com. As a teenager, Rohina Malik went to great lengths to hide her Muslim heritage.  While some girls her age chose to wear the traditional headscarf, she opted against it. And when teachers read “Rohina” at roll call on the first day of school, she asked them to call her Mariam, her less Muslim-sounding middle name.  Unable to hide her caramel skin or overcome her shyness, the aspiring actress and playwright didn’t audition for a role until her senior year at Niles North High School. She was astounded when she landed the…