Event Recap

We screened American Jedi: The Salman Hamdani Story as part of "Stories of Belonging," an event sponsored by the City of Bend's Welcoming Week.

After the film, we turned the room over to our panel of speakers centered on the lived experiences of Muslim and South Asian immigrants in the United States. We then heard from Bassem who presented his personal essay "An Immigrant's Journey Across America: In search of Al-Farabi's Virtuous City".

The event concluded with Middle Eastern food/pastries, masala chai, and Persian-inspired food courtesy of Noosh: Food with Spirit. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Community panel

A conversation about stories of immigration, Islam, and privilege, and about how to welcome immigrants during Welcoming Week. The panel covers a range of immigrant experiences.

Panelists: Tina, Kavi, Jaid, and Mello

Meet Bassem

Bassem was born in Syria, left as an infant, and has spent his life between countries including a period in Central Oregon. For more than three decades, he has volunteered in communities across the American West, work he continues today alongside leading his own technology startup. His essays and research draw on classical Arabic philosophy to explore migration, belonging, and what makes communities strong — seeking ancient wisdom for today’s challenges.

Bassem presented his essay, "An Immigrant's Journey Across America: In search of Al-Farabi's Virtuous City."

Our food caterer, Noosh: Food with Spirit

Noosh: Food with Spirit was born out of chef-owner Lily’s reverence for her ancestry, cuisine, language, and people. She hopes to serve as a culture bearer and storyteller for the local community by sharing traditional Persian cuisine through restaurant pop-ups, private events, and her postpartum meal delivery service.