April is Arab American Heritage Month. This month, which became federally recognized in 2021, is a time to reflect on the contributions and rich culture of Arab Americans. Each year, the Arab American Foundation establishes a theme to guide the month’s celebrations. The 2026 Arab American Heritage Month theme is Many Voices, One Community. This theme recognizes that Arab Americans trace their heritage to 22 countries (Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen) with distinct cultures and perspectives, while honoring the shared values that unite them as a community.
In honor of this theme, the Michigan School of Psychology is sharing examples of how you can explore aspects of culture that Arab Americans have brought to Metro-Detroit.
Food
Located just down the street on Orchard Lake Road, Damas Cuisine‘s menu features traditional dishes and cooking techniques from Syria. Popular dishes include different types of berak, kibbeh, and shawarma. Just over three miles from MPS is 2Booli, a restaurant where the Ansara family shares the traditional dishes of their village in Lebanon. Their menu features traditional dishes like hummus, fattoush salad, kafta, and more. These are just two examples of Arab American restaurants in the area, but there are plenty of others to explore as well.
Music
Amir ElSaffar is an Iraqi-American trumpeter and composer who blends traditional Iraqi music styles with jazz. His band, Amir Elsaffar New Quartet, will be performing at the DIA on April 10th.
Dance
Zahr Al-Zatoun Dabke will be teaching beginner dabke classes at the Farmington Community Library on April 12, April 20, April 26, and May 3. The classes will focus on Palestinian dabke, but the dabke is popular in many countries in the region. A performance of the Dabke from Wale3Dabke will also be part of the library’s Arab American Heritage Fest.
Art
While there is no dedicated exhibit, the University of Michigan’s Museum of Art‘s collection features numerous examples of Arabic art. These artifacts include both contemporary and ancient art from a range of Syrian, Egyptian, Iraqi, and Sudanese artists, to name a few.
Celebrate the “Many Voices, One Community” with a visit to the Arab American National Museum. The only museum dedicated to Arab American history and culture in the United States is located just 20 miles south of MSP in Dearborn. The museum covers everything from the Arab world to early immigration to famous Arab Americans and more. MSP’s Structural Racism Programming Committee and the Middle Eastern and North African Psychology Club will be hosting a trip to the museum on April 11th.