Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture would like to acknowledge the recent outpouring of support for the Palestinian people and opposition to oppressive regimes, demonstrated by thousands who took to the streets in Philadelphia and across the globe in support of Palestinian rights. Arabs, and Palestinians in particular, have long struggled for equality and justice and Al-Bustan continues to stand in solidarity with our community, and all those who have suffered the oppression and erasure of colonialism. The abuses of systemic and structural prejudice and racism, cycles of perpetual violence, and the cancer which is apartheid sit firmly at the heart of colonialism.
Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture was born from the need for Arabs and Arab-Americans to share and preserve Arab culture and language in the United States. In the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks, our community, whether Muslim, Christian, or unaffiliated faced increased prejudice and abuse. Our mission has been to confront these abuses through the arts, to create a space for Arabs to celebrate their culture and share with others. We celebrate the achievements and diversity of our community and seek common ground with BIPOC and immigrant communities and artists forming new bridges and connections. We refuse to allow Arab culture to be erased. Instead, we strive to preserve and uplift our culture and our connections both historical and contemporary.
We remain as committed as ever to the Arab and Arab-American community, standing in solidarity with communities in the United States and elsewhere against oppression, abuse, and prejudice. We acknowledge the longstanding dehumanization of Palestinians living under occupation and suffering violence legal, physical, and cultural since before the Nakba of 1948. Arab communities have suffered greatly under colonialism and both its legacy and current instantiations continue to have significant impact on the world today. The wounds of this history have thematically and topically infused Palestinian and Arab art for nearly three-quarters of a century.
Our dear friend, Al-Bustan exhibited artist, and recently deceased Palestinian American graphic designer Rajie Cook once said,
“When people tell me there was no Palestine, they’re telling me my parents weren’t real. They were a dream.”
Those who have suffered and lost so much cannot and should not be asked to be further agents of their own erasure. Al-Bustan seeks a society in which our heritage is celebrated, not forgotten nor swept aside when inconvenient or contrary to the ambitions of our friends or neighbors.
Through our programmatic choices and curation, Al-Bustan will continue to showcase Arab artists and uplift Arab voices wherever and whenever possible. We will continue to stand with immigrants and refugees and all those who suffer injustices in our community. Accordingly, Al-Bustan has and will produce arts programming that raises awareness about the plight of the Palestinians and challenges distorted accounts of their history.
