Laila E. Dreidame, an alum of the MS in Professional Writing (MSPW) program, recently published “Bringing your whole self to work: Arab or Muslim Welcome” in Medium. Exploring multiple experiences of what it means to be Arab or Muslim in workplaces across the U.S., Laila was inspired to write on this topic by the timing of the beginning of Ramadan in April, designated as National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM). “I wanted to share the important distinction between the Muslim religion and the Arab people,” Laila explains. “There are so many people from these communities who feel their identity is invisible or misconstrued. With the overlap of NAAHM and the start of Ramadan, I was compelled to share my understanding of these two different groups with my family and friends.”
Laila hopes that her piece will increase awareness of Muslim and Arab identities and experiences and will create opportunities for discussion across professional networks and workplaces. In 2019, Laila was awarded the Professional Writing Impact Award, presented to a graduating student in the MSPW who has demonstrated a commitment to writing and communication endeavors that seek to impact society in positive ways.
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To learn more about the MS in Professional Writing, visit sps.nyu.edu/mspw or email sps.mspw@nyu.edu.