10-31-14 Roxane Assaf on battle to save Chicago's Arab Heritage

Roxane Assaf discusses the battle to save Chicago's Arab Heritage on Talk of the Town Radio with host Ray Hanania. Talk of the Town is broadcast every Friday at 4 pm on WCEV 1450 AM Radio and simulcast on www.YahalaVoice.com and rebroadcast online on Monday's at 11 am.

Roxane Assaf discusses the challenges mounted by anti-Arab activists in the American Jewish community to undermine Arab Heritage events in Chicago and in Illinois. Members of several powerful American Jewish Organizations successfully fought to block the popular Arabesque Festival that was held at Daley Plaza in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was elected mayor in 2011 and his first act was to dissolve the Advisory Commission on Arab Affairs and to undermine the Arabesque Festival, pandering to demands of his anti-Arab political allies. Assaf discusses the battles and also the popularity that Arabesque brought to Chicagoland. An award winning journalist recognized with a Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists and the National American Arab Journalists Association.

Roxane Assaf teaches journalism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and North Park University and also directs and edits short videos. Her reports and opinion have appeared in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs magazine, the Chicago Tribune, the Durham Herald-Sun, Arms Control Today and in television reports from Capitol Hill for the CBS affiliate in Monroe, Louisiana. She is co-author of the 5th edition of the Lonely Planet travel guidebook Israel and the Palestinian Territories. She is Outreach Director for Chicago Area Peace Action, local chapter of the nation’s largest grassroots peace network Peace Action. National 1st Place winner of Society of Professional Journalists "Mark of Excellence Award" for 2003 in Television General News Reporting. She volunteers for lively arts organizations including theatre and opera companies as well as for peace and social justice initiatives.

For more information on Talk of the Town Radio visit www.TheArabDailyNews.com. Talk of the Town Radio is available in podcast format at The Arab Daily News website and iTunes.

Read the story about this interview at The Arab Daily News by clicking here. Nov. 3, 2014