1 Arab and Muslim Americans: What Social Justice Counselors and Advocates Need to KnowNadia T. Hasan, Ph.D., Texas A&M University-Kingsville Amina Mahmood, Ph.D., HPA/LiveWell March 2nd, 2016 Webinar for

2 Outline Who are Arab-Americans? Who are Muslim-Americans?What’s the difference? Cultural Values/ Worldviews Unique Challenges Cultural/ Religious Strengths Mental Health, Well-being and Help-seeking Behaviors Roles/ Responsibilities for Social Justice Counselors and Advocates Resources

3 Who are Arab Americans? Individuals whose ancestors originate from 1 of 22 Arab- speaking countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen (Abudabbeh, 1996).

4 Who are Arab Americans? About 3.6 million Arab-Americans (AA) in the US AA history dates back to early 1800’s Next US Census will add AAs as an ethnic group and will allow us to collect more details about this population  AAs are concentrated in California, Michigan, New York, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Virginia AAs have diverse religions: Christians, Muslims, Druze, Jewish, and Hindu faiths References:

5 Who are Arab-Americans?Common Elements Differences Experience of immigration Central role of the family Extended family plays an important role Respect for and duty to elders Prioritizing family ties over personal success Importance of religious faith Experience of discrimination Countries of origin Social class Level of education Arabic dialect Religion Race (not quite white) Tribe Level of acculturation Time of immigration

6 Cultural Values and WorldviewHolistic mind-body cultural belief system Attribute mental illness to external entities (evil eye or sin) Distress is expressed in both mental and physical complaints Somatic symptoms are common Reference: Dwairy, 2006

7 Psychosocial StressorsRefugee status Loss of extended family support Discrimination and prejudice Acculturation/ Assimilation Concerns Identity concerns (ethnic, racial, and religious) Gender role conflict PTSD 9/11 Anxiety of fear of being harassed Domestic violence Intergenerational stress/ conflict Abudabbeh, 1996; Haddad, 2004; Moradi & Hasan, 2004; Nassar-McMillan & Hakim-Larson, 2003

8 Strategies for Working Clinically with Arab AmericansAcknowledge the client’s culture and the role it plays in therapy. Be aware of current political events and federal regulations that impact Arab and Muslim Americans Assess the individual’s level of acculturation/ assimilation. Know that this may change based on the social-cultural-political environment. Highlight and respect the client’s confidentiality Use psychoeducation techniques to familiarize the client with your role as the counselor and the goals of therapy Remember the important role of the family and try to incorporate family members into the therapy process when appropriate. Provide translators for clients with limited English proficiency

9 Who are Muslim Americans?Islam means “(peaceful) submission to the will of God”. Muslims are those who follow Islam. 9

10 Muslims Around the WorldAs we can see from this map-Muslims are located in almost every part of the world. Dark green-countries in which % of population is Muslim Popular notion in media and for some Americans that Islam is a Middle Eastern religion and that all Arabs are Muslim and all Muslims are Arabs

11 Who are American Muslims?~ 6-8 million American Muslims First Muslims to arrive in America: African slaves starting with the first slave ship that landed in Virginia in 1619. Muslims migrated to America in 4 waves: Late 1800s & early 1900s: from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan After World War I: relatives of the first wave of immigrants : from Eastern European countries and some from South Asia After 1965: many from South Asia More recently, Muslim immigrants have come from Afghanistan, Iraq, and African countries such as Somalia and Sudan. Muslim Americans are equally diverse and immigrate or were brought here as slaves. Often slaves were stripped of the religion, but future generations will return to faith.

12 American Muslims: EthnicityPercentage South Asian 35% African American 30% Arab 25% Persian or Turkish 5% African 3% European 2% Note: Some estimates stated that African Americans comprise between 30-40% of the Muslim population. Although other ethnicities do not have American attached to them we need to understand that many of them are American to erase the perception that they are “others.” Note: Iowa is home to the Mother Mosque. First Mosque in the USA—right here in Cedar Rapids and on the historic registry of places in the USA! Statistics from: Smith, J. I. (2005). Patterns of Muslim Immigration. Muslim Life in America, Office of International Information Programs, U.S Department of State

13 Pew Research Center 2011 SurveyActivity Percent of American Muslims Who Participate in Activity Percent of General American Public Who Participate in Activity Watch an hour or more of TV nights 58% 62% Regularly use social networking sites 57% 44% Regularly watch pro or college sports 48% 47% Regularly play video games 18% 19% Lots of social networking, blogging (instagram, tumblr, snapchats). Muslim teenagers in American do many of the same things that teenagers of other faith groups do! We have more in common than we think!

14 Sources of Guidance in IslamQuran The Quran is the Muslim Holy Book. Muslims consider the Quran to be the word of Allah (God). The Quran provides guidance for daily life for Muslims. Hadith These are the sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad.

15 Practices 5 Pillars of Islam Religious holidays RestrictionsBelief in one God (Iman) Prayer 5 times daily (Salat) Charity (Zakat) Fasting (Sawm) Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) Religious holidays Eid-ul-Fitr Eid-ul-Adha Restrictions No alcohol or pork products No gambling Note: due to the Islamic calendar being Lunar, the Gregorian dates of these holidays varies annually.

16 Common Beliefs and ValuesCollectivistic culture with emphasis on family Emphasis on education: first words of the Quran instruct Muslims to seek knowledge Modesty in behavior and dress Social justice and advocacy

17 Survey of American Muslims Conducted by Pew Research Center (2011)1,033 American Muslims from a variety of backgrounds surveyed 28% said that people have acted suspicious of them 22% have been called offensive names 21% have been singled out by airport security 48% believe that Muslim leaders have not done enough to speak out against extremists

18 What’s the Difference? Muslim Americans are a religious groupArab-Americans are an ethnic group Islam started in the Arabic landscape, but spread out to other areas The Quran is written in Arabic, and has been translated into several languages The majority of Arab-Americans are Christian

19 What is Islamophobia? Islamophobia: a close-minded prejudice against or hatred of Islam and Muslims Islamophobic Acts: directed at Islam or Muslims in general. Anti-Muslim discrimination is directed at specific individual, institution or group of individuals. Islamophobe: an individual who holds a close-minded view of Islam and promotes prejudice against or hatred of Muslims. CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations)

20 Islamophobia in AmericaA survey found more than half of Americans believe there are more violent extremists within Islam than in any other religion and that the faith encourages violence against non-Muslims. Washington Post-ABC News poll A majority, 58%, of those interviewed now believe that Islam has more violent followers than any other religion. The poll of 1,000 was conducted by phone & has a three-point error margin. Since January 2002 the proportion of those who believe mainstream Islam promotes violence against nonbelievers has risen from 14% to 32%.

21 Islamophobia, a visual summaryFrom employment From management & responsibility From politics & government In employment practices EXCLUSION VIOLENCE PREJUDICE DISCRIMINATION Physical assaults Vandalizing of property Courtesy Motier Haskins What can we do personally and professionally to combat Islamophobia? In provision of services Verbal abuse Education In everyday conversation In the media Health

22 Other Discriminatory PracticesCAIR –Status of Muslims Civil Rights Report CAIRs report on Islamophobia is more up-to-date.

23 Recent Events: Political NewsTrump on Muslims: 'They're not coming to this country if I'm president‘ Require Muslim-Americans to register with a government database, or worse, mandating that they carry special identification cards that note their faith. Open to wholesale surveillance of Muslim-Americans and warrantless searches of mosques.  Open to shutting down American mosques, noting he'd have "absolutely no choice" if "some bad things happen" in a mosque.  Reference:

24 Recent Events: Political NewsMystery of the three young immigrants — two Muslim, one Christian — shot dead execution-style at 'party house' in Indiana An autopsy released on Friday showed 23- year old Mohamedtaha Omar, 20-year old Adam Mekki and 17-year old Muhannad Adam Tairab all died of multiple gunshot wounds.  three-young-Muslims-shot-dead-execution-style-party- house-Indiana.html#ixzz41Y8yIUTy   

25 American Perceptions of MuslimsMuslims the “foreign enemy” Muslim American: An oxymoron? 1998 Roper Poll 50% of Americans polled believed Islam is: Inherently anti-American Anti-Western Supportive of Terrorism Post 9/11 sentiments (Cornell University Poll, 2004) 44% Curtail Civil Liberties of Muslims 27% Muslims should register with government 22% Racial Profiling 48% Muslims’ liberties should not be restricted in any way Example: Local news organization advertised an upcoming story. Anchor reads terror alert elevated paired with Muslims praying and Muslim woman who was wearing traditional head covering and Muslim men praying. Passive observer might just unconciously or consciously pair those together. Reminders of history? 4 in 10 Americans unfavorable view of Islam

26 The “Flip” Side of the Muslim American ExperiencePew Research Center (2007) Survey of 1050 diverse Muslim Americans 72% rated their communities as good or excellent 63% No conflict between being Muslim and living in modern society 51% concerned about the rise in Islamic extremism

27 Post 9/11 Discrimination Violence perpetrated against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim: In 2001, FBI reported a 1,600 percent increase in hate crimes against Muslims Other groups experience the threat Sikh community leaders have reported a sharp increase on attacks against individuals in their communities post 9/11. Non Muslim Asian Indians Latino Americans CAIR’s report: 51 recorded anti-mosque acts during the timeline covered: 29 in 2012 22 in 2011 Spikes in May 2011 (7), and August 2012 (10) A Sikh man was killed in Mesa, Arizona, just days after the Sept. 11 attacks because, prosecutors said, “he was dark-skinned and wore a turban.”

28 CAIR 2006 Survey 89% Muslims vote regularly86% celebrate the 4th of July 64% fly the US flag 42% volunteer for institutions serving the public (compared to 29% nationwide) 84% said Muslims should strongly emphasize shared values with Christians and Jews 82% terrorist attacks harm American Muslims 77% said Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christians. 55% afraid that the war on terror has turned into the War on Islam

29 Muslim Women’s Experiences of DiscriminationTo veil or not to veil (the practice of hijab) Cole & Ahmadi (2003) Muslim women will remove hijab because of harassment Others will choose not to remove it for familial reasons Ali, Yamada, Mahmood (2015) Experience workplace discrimination and job stress US Air Force White paper that the veil is a form of “passive terrorism” In general: the American Muslim population is less than 2% of the American population but accounts for ¼ of the 3,386 religious discrimination claims this past year!! (NY times article)

30 Consequences for American MuslimsParanoia and Distrust Increase in PTSD Depression Closet-Muslims Differential developmental effects Increase in bullying (CAIR 2015 California survey: 55% Muslim students bullied due to religion) Muslims: trying not to look like Muslims, giving there kids more Western/European sounding names.

31 Values and Strengths Collectivistic Culture Family OrientedIntegration of Faith and Culture Resiliency Anousheh Ansari : The First Muslim Woman in Space Iranian-American and the first female space tourist

32 Making History Meet The First U.S. Athlete To Compete In The Olympics In A Hijab: Ibtihaj Muhammad onal/archive/2016/02/first- olympic-athlete-in- hijab/459933/ Also a businesswoman:

33 Attitudes Towards Help-Seeking among American MuslimsOpen towards psychological health care-especially if American born, or primarily raised in America Traditional approaches to healing include family elders, religious counseling and community elders Definitions-depend on cultural background

34 Considerations for Clinicians/Counselors working with American MuslimsKnowledge Awareness Skills Assess for client’s identity with faith, culture, acculturation level Awareness of unique challenges: Islamophobia and its stress and trauma

35 Roles/ Responsibilities for Social Justice Counselors and AdvocatesEducation and Awareness Trainings Get to know a Muslim Visit a Muslim Community Center Attend an MSA event Educate friends and family (remove misconceptions) Speak up on social media/comments etc. Welcome new immigrants and refugees Engage in the political Process Be active in your community Write Letters to the editor Confront Islamophobia in the media, and in your community

36 Roles/ Responsibilities for Social Justice Counselors and AdvocatesPolitical seasons can be a time of divisions among Americans. Don’t allow yourself/ your students/ your clients/ your family to be divided. Despite our differences, we can and must work together to achieve a multicultural community that respects and values each other. Family, safety, peaceful communities, and meaningful work are values we all share. We must continue to work toward our shared goals. Be aware of your bias and misperceptions about these communities. Gain knowledge about groups that you are not familiar with by reading the research literature, watching media from Arab and Muslim sources, and talking to Arab and Muslim individuals. Use culturally appropriate counseling techniques that fit the person

37 Strengths: Creating Identity & ResilienceSocial Media: Blogs, Instagram, Snapchat Building an American Muslim narrative altmuslim/ #IAmArabAmerican #RefugeesWelcome #TAKEONHATE @hijarbie

38 Internet Resources Muslim Americans Arab AmericansMental Health Blog American Muslim Health Professionals Muslim Mental Health Muslim Youth Helpline Council on American- Islamic Relations Arab American Institute Arab American Anti- Discrimination Committee Arab American Action Network

39 Book References Ahmed, S. & Amer, M. M. (2012). Counseling Muslims: Handbook of mental health issues and interventions. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. New York Amer, M. M. & Awad, G. H. (2016). Handbook of Arab American Psychology. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. New York Nassar-McMillan, S.C. (2011). Counseling & diversity: Counseling Arab Americans. Belmont, CA. Brooks/ Cole, Cengage Learning. Dwairy, M. (2006). Counseling and psychotherapy with Arabs and Muslims: A culturally sensitive approach. New York, NY. Teachers College Press. Nassar-McMillan, S.C., Ajrouch, K.J., Hakim-Larson, J. (2015). Biopsychosocial perspectives on Arab Americans: Culture, development, and health. New York: NY. Springer. Mernissi, F. (1991). The veil and the male elite: A feminist interpretation of women’s rights in Islam. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Perseus Books.  Wadud, A. (1999). Qur’an and Woman: Rereading the sacred text from a woman’s perspective. Oxford University Press, New York, NY.

40 Additional Books Esposito, J. L., & Mogahed, D. (2007). Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think. Gallup Press: New York, NY. Hafiz, D., Hafiz, Y., & Hafiz, I. (2009). The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook:For Muslims and Non-Muslims Alike!Artheneum Books for Young Readers: New York, NY. Ebrahimji, M. M. & Suratwala, Z. T. (2011) [Editors]. I speak for Myself: American Women on Being Muslim. White Cloud Press: Ashland, OR. Ali, W. & Suratwala, Z. (2012) [Editors]. All American: 45 American Men on Being Muslim (I speak for Myself). White Cloud Press: Ashland, OR