ALKHOBAR, 3 October 2006 — A new online destination is reaching out to Arab-Americans. Arabisto.com is hoping to become a forum for Arab-Americans across the United States. The site allows Arab-Americans to share views on the news of the day and unite to work together for positive outcomes.
“Arabisto.com is the Arab-American street,” explained site founder Nadia Gergis, 30. “We aim to be the pulse, the leading online destination for Arab-Americans on the web.”
Gergis said that Arabisto.com provides streaming breaking news on the Middle East, a story commenting system, original Arab-American blogs, thought-provoking political commentary and the only nationwide Arab-American community calendar.
The site is aiming to fill a critical gap for one of the nation’s fastest growing, most dynamic, and arguably, least understood population groups, estimated at 3.5 million in the US. Arabisto.com is the only online destination that features blogs from seven experts who’ve spent a majority of their lifetimes immersed in Arab-American affairs.
Arabisto.com’s exclusive bloggers are:
• Asli Bali, a graduate student at Princeton University, president of the New York Chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and a lawyer in private practice in New York.
• Hayan Charara, the author of “The Alchemist’s Diary” and “The Sadness of Others.”
• Ray Hanania, an award-winning journalist and Arab News columnist. Pulitzer Prize-nominated Hanania has performed standup comedy lampooning his Arab heritage.
• Ferial Masry, the Democratic candidate for California’s 37th Assembly District. This Saudi-born woman is the mother of a US soldier who served in Iraq.
• Issa Mikel, a Palestinian-American lawyer, human rights activist and member of the National Council of Arab-Americans, New York Chapter.
• Courtney Radsch, a scholar and freelance journalist who focuses on the Arab media and politics.
• Maria Shehatam who produces her own show twice a week at Joe Franklin’s Comedy Club and has performed at New York’s Arab-American Comedy Festival.
