The Arab Student Union, a new and growing group of 30 students, aims to provide a link between American and Arabic cultures, break down stereotypes and promote new understanding, its directors said.
Co-directors Norma Kehdi and Maya Barrett started this group to express and share their culture, they said. The two friends, who grew up in Portland, said they designed the group to celebrate the music, food and generosity of the Arabic tradition in the face of present day cultural stigma. Kehdi and Barrett, whose mothers are also close friends, recognized the need to maintain their culture and in Kehdi’s case, relearn the language.
“Most people in the group actually aren’t Arab,” Kehdi said, but are taking the language for school.
“Arabs are very prideful about their culture,” Kehdi said, and the group is one way to stay in touch with the customs.
The group presented a concert on Friday night called “Arabian nights,” which group members deemed successful. They are also planning a cooking night where students and community members could make traditional Arabic fare like hummus and baba ghanoush.
The group’s first event, sponsored in part by the Survival Center and Eugene’s Café Soriah, raised money for children in Lebanon. Kehdi hopes they will put on more charity events like this in the future to bring the community together.
Tony Sandiford, who came up from Portland for the event, said that although he won’t be joining the group, he would definitely come up again for another party.
Sandiford found the night fun and relevant because of his personal connection to the group’s motives and the theme of the night.
“Most of my friends are Lebanese, and Lebanese music is my favorite,” he said.