Arab American Heritage Month
Bayti Baytak:
My Home is Your Home
Join us for a live virtual event
on Friday, April 4 at 10 am PST
“Bayti Baytak” (Bet-bay-tuk)—My Home is Your Home—is a phrase deeply woven into Arabic culture and language, reflecting the values of warmth, hospitality, and community. In celebration of Arab American Heritage Month and the 20th anniversary of the Arab American National Museum, we invite you to a special virtual Coffee Talk featuring speakers from the museum.
The Arab American National Museum is a home for all, whether you identify as Arab American or not. In Arab culture, hospitality goes beyond a simple greeting; it’s a way of life. The phrase Bayti Baytak is more than just words—it’s an open invitation, a way to make guests feel welcome and at ease. Whether near or far, family, friends, and neighbors are always embraced with open doors and open hearts.
Join us for an engaging discussion on the role of hospitality, community, and cultural traditions in Arab American experiences. Discover how the museum embodies this spirit, not just as a space for preserving history but as a home for all who walk through its doors.
This Month’s Coffee Talk
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Educator
Arab American National MuseumSara Alqaragholy is an educator at the Arab American National Museum (AANM), where she leads tours, workshops, and youth-centered programming that bring Arab American stories to life. A proud Dearborn native, Sara grew up attending the museum and now channels that full-circle experience into her work—connecting with students of all ages and backgrounds. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Studies from the University of Michigan–Dearborn. Sara runs Shababeek, a two-week immersive culture camp that introduces middle and high school students to Arab heritage through hands-on experiences like calligraphy, embroidery, and traditional cuisine. Her approach to education centers on empathy, cultural nuance, and community storytelling.
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Community Historian
Arab American National MuseumShatha Najim is a Community Historian at the Arab American National Museum (AANM). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Oakland University and a master’s in Social and Cultural Anthropology from University College London.
Shatha specializes in community history research, ethnography, storytelling, archival preservation, and oral histories. She has experience working in the nonprofit sector, academia, and community services in both the U.S. and the U.K.
At AANM, Shatha brings over a decade of experience in story collecting and community outreach. She is primarily responsible for managing the museum's on-site oral history collection and leading its virtual story collection efforts.
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Community Engagement Organizer
Arab American National MuseumKhadega Mohammed is a 25-year-old Muslim Sudanese-American spoken word artist. Born in Sudan and raised in Saudi Arabia, her experiences have inspired her to explore themes of spirituality, identity, belonging, and home in the form of poetry.
Khadega has been performing around the country for a decade and her work has been featured in various publications nationally and internationally, such as NPR, The Detroit News, AJ+ & AJ+Arabia. She has also taught spoken word workshops, most notably at Harvard University.
Khadega’s story is featured in two incredible documentaries, An Act of Worship directed by Nausheen Dadabhoy and Revolution from Afar directed by Bentley Brown. She currently resides in Michigan, where she leads community engagement work at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, MI.