How Does It Feel to Be A Problem: Being Young and Arab in America (2008)

This chapter follows the personal and career struggles of Omar, a part-Chilean, part-Arab-American young man who becomes increasingly devoted to his Palestinian heritage after the attacks of September 11th. Omar jokes, “my father […] diagnosed me with post-9/11 syndrome” (195), suggesting that the obligation to defend his Palestinian roots strengthened his connection to this part of his identity.

Omar enjoys celebrating his heritage through ceremonies such as traditional Palestinian weddings, which include opportunities to partake in traditional food and dancing. As Omar explains, “Since we literally have no country […] the only thing we have is our identity, and it’s important for me, as the oldest son, to preserve that identity” (190). Omar is eager to marry Nadine, a fellow Arab-American woman from a traditional family, but knows that he must have a career in order to pursue this marriage. 

Unfortunately, Omar experiences great difficulty finding a job in his chosen career field—news media—and worries that his Arab-American identity may be working against him on resumes. Specifically, he finds that his internship with Al-Jazeera—a well-respected news organization in the Arab and Muslim world—may have actually decreased his chances of landing a job in cable TV. This anti-Arab bias is revealed when Omar is offered a job at a local nonprofit housing development organization, and his boss tells him, “Congratulations, Omar […] You’ve got the job […] But look [this internship with Al Jazeera] could work against you in the future. Especially if you want to get work with people who feel threatened by the whole Arab thing” (208). On the job at this nonprofit, Omar observes anti-Arab sentiment firsthand in a conversation between co-workers wherein a fellow worker, Brian, refers to Al Jazeera as “a terrorist channel” (208). 

After Omar’s job with the nonprofit ends, he goes through a long period of radio silence as he applies to numerous jobs and considers his options. He even entertains the idea of joining the FBI or the DEA, where his skills as an Arabic translator would be valued (even if he disagrees with the politics of those organizations).