Souad Akib I Community in a foreign land - a podcast by Ose Schwab

Formerly recorded as part of the Inside Malden Ideas and Stories that Inspire series produced as a video and podcast show, this conversation is pertinent to our ongoing challenge to be united though we are different. 

In a day of troubling reports of terrorist attacks around the world, refugee crisis in Europe and the US, war, and the trends of racial and ethnic profiling, Souad Akib, a native of Morocco and a vibrant and well-loved presence in Malden, offers a concerned but optimistic voice of reason and hope to us all in Malden and beyond. 

In 2010, Souad Akib founded the American Association for Arab Women (AAAW). In collaboration with other organizations in Malden, this non-profit organization helps women from Arab countries access the resources needed to navigate the systems, culture, and language of their new home. By this empowering support of women, the AAAW helps families to thrive in Malden. Malden benefits by this service as immigrant families become engaged residents. 

In addition, the AAAW sponsors events that invite all of Malden to workshops that raise awareness about important topics or to celebrations that build community - like a public Iftar during Ramadan or the AAAW flagship offering, International Women's Day. Enabling connection is at the heart of these occasions. The urge for this togetherness is a hospitality that for Souad goes through culture, tradition, language, country of origin, race, or religion. For as Souad says, "we are all human. We should be one." 

Video recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7yHkYe9b2E

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