Arab Brooklynite Linda Sarsour Holds Her Own

If you’re Arab or at all active in community organizing and live in the greater New York area, you probably already know about Linda Sarsour. She’s got her hands in everything – as the director of the Arab American Association of New York, the Coordinator of Community Initiatives for the YWCA Brooklyn, as a member of the Coalition for Muslim School Holidays, a Palestine activist, and a prominent Brooklyn activist for women and immigrants.

To every project, she brings an energy like a gale force wind. And don’t expect her to slow down anytime soon. She recently sat down with elan to talk about her current and future projects. For total transparency, she’s also my boss (and a fabulous if fearsome one at that).

elan: You were recently honored by the Brooklyn DA’s office as one of Brooklyn’s extraordinary women. How does it feel to be placed among such good company?

LS: The Brooklyn DA’s Extraordinary Women of Brooklyn award is a great honor. First off, it’s a Brooklyn honor, and I am a true Brooklynite – born and raised, and I pride myself on my Brooklyn identity. I feel honored to be seen as an ambassador in my community. Looking around the room at the DA’s office, it made me feel so accomplished as one of the only people under 30 in the whole group.

elan: How did you first get involved in community activism? Is it something you were involved in as a youth growing up in Brooklyn or something you came to later in life?

LS: I’ve always had activism in my blood. As a young child, I was always outspoken and confident and that may have something to do with being a child of Palestinian immigrants who lived under occupation in Palestine. My mom’s family was active in the Fatah movement in the 80’s and I remember the outreach and fundraising events for Palestine I attended as a child in Brooklyn. I used to perform debka at these events and perform in skits representing the plight of the Palestinian people.

elan: Can you describe, in your own words, the beginnings of the Arab American Association of New York and how you first got involved there?

LS: AAANY was established in March of 2001, it was an idea of a few community members – they met at each other’s homes and restaurants to get the process of incorporation started but they weren’t exactly sure what they were going to do or what type of organization it would be. Then 9/11 hit and they were forced into opening their doors to the community initially as a crisis counseling center. As a young, bi-lingual woman, I was instantly asked to join the cause as a volunteer. I was later hired through the local hospital to be a liaison to the community, conduct workshops, and community outreach and bring much needed information to the community. I am so fortunate to have the AAANY as a part of my life. I have developed professionally and personally and love to wake up every morning because I love what I do.

elan: What do you think makes AAANY special as a social services agency serving an immigrant population in Brooklyn?

LS: AAANY is a very special organization – what sets us from the rest is that we are a true community organization. Our community is invested in our organization both financially and emotionally. We combine direct service with advocacy – we believe that while you may help one family get public benefits and that’s a great feeling but we also need to think about how do to change the policies that make the government systems so hard to navigate for immigrants and low income families. We are champions and advocates for immigration reform.

elan: Can you describe your job at the YWCA and what that aspect of your professional life means to you?

LS: At the YWCA of Brooklyn, I do many different things. I represent the YWCA Brooklyn in the Northeast Region as their under 30 rep, I chair the under 30 advocacy committee, and I also do development for the organization and oversee their women’s health program. I have learned so much at the YWCA Brooklyn. I learned non-profit management and administration that will help me in my future endeavors. I also love the YWCA – it’s a radical, feminist organization and I am just that, a FEMINIST! and totally RADICAL! And I also pride myself on being the “one” to be out-of-line and speak my mind!

elan: What do you think are the biggest issues facing young Arabs and Muslims in America?

LS: The biggest issues facing Arabs and Muslims in America are the ramifications of failed US foreign policy. These include Islamophobia, hate crimes and racial profiling.

elan: Since 9/11, what are some of the changes you have noticed in the Muslim and Arab communities in Brooklyn, positive or negative?

LS: Post-9/11 I have seen immensely positive changes in the Arab and Muslim communities in Brooklyn: Increased civic engagement, an increase in outreach to our non- Arab and Muslim neighbors, more events to portray our cultures and religions. I think people are really stepping out of the box of fear and isolation.

elan: What are your future professional goals?

LS: My future professional goals are to work nationally – visit Arab and Muslim communities all over the country, provide technical assistance, build capacity amongst our institutions, really to build a sustainable movement of ARAB and MUSLIM POWER, enhance our philanthropic model – ensure that we become a large voting block, like the Asian and Latino communities, where in a Presidential race, we can make it or break it.

elan: What obstacles have you faced as a female community organizer and leader? Have you faced any discrimination or sexism?

LS: I have been so fortunate to be embraced by the community as an organizer. I have learned so much from the elders in the community. I have received the looks of disgust but also looks of surprise that I speak English so well. I had one incident of real discrimination at a bank where a man came literally six inches away screaming at me and the tellers for why they can serve people like me. But I stood my ground and I believe the level of confidence and the pride that I display keeps people quiet. Now the internet is a different story – hatemongers like Daniel Pipes and Emerson Vermaat and others have tried to paint me as a Hamas Sympathizer and they have failed miserably. They actually have helped my career in so many ways. For them to think that I am so important of a person, so influential, that they tried to take me down, has actually made me just that – an important and influential person in the Arab and Muslim community nationally. I am frequently contacted by local, national and international media as an expert on Arab and Muslim issues or to gain the perspective of an Arab and Muslim – so THANK YOU Mr. Pipes!

elan: The life of a young hijabi community leader has got to have some comedy in it. What are some of the things about your work that make you laugh?

LS: When I represent myself at meetings and say that I work for the YWCA of Brooklyn (which technically stands for the Young Women’s Christian Association) I get these really hilarious looks or triple takes. I mean, come on, a hijabi that works for an organization founded by church ladies is pretty darn hilarious and unorthodox – no pun intended.

Also at the AAANY, if I am speaking to someone over the phone, and we are setting up a meeting, I have a heavy New York accent and my name is Linda, so when they meet me in person for the first time, they overlook me to speak to someone else, a non-Arab in my organization, cause boy what a shock it is when they find out that I am Linda Sarsour!

Photo by Carolina Wahnish Rivera

Contact the author:

Email: aisha.gawad@gmail.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ArabRaptor