Muslim Enough? Egyptian Enough? American Enough?

Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Essraa has studied, lived and worked in many places, including the Gulf area (Qatar), Washington D.C., where she worked for The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, and Alexandria, Egypt where she worked for Bibliotheca Alexandrina. In 2002, she moved with her husband and family to the United States where they have been studying, working, and living for 20 plus years. In this vulnerable presentation, Essraa will share for the first time her journey navigating motherhood as an immigrant, Muslim women while thousands of miles away from her family in Egypt. Everyday Essraa will ask herself: Is this Muslim Enough, Is this American enough? Through this journey, Essraa and her family discovered that there are no contradictions between being Muslim and being American. She dedicated her life the last 10 years to shattering stereotypes, changing narratives and most recently what she calls Disrupting narratives. All her kids consider themselves equally Americans and Muslims. Her two boys attend Military Academies for college and her 12 years old daughter is a ballerina, hip-hop dancer and a pianist. In addition to her work as an academic librarian, she has been an advocate for interfaith dialogue, diversity, equity and inclusion and storytelling. In 2017, Egypt’s Ministry of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs recognized her as one of Egypt\u27s top 30 Egyptian Women expats. Since then, she collaborated with the ministry on an Interfaith Dialogue Initiative. A project intended to raise awareness and encourage tolerance for other cultures and religions different from our own in Egypt. Last year, Essraa launched her new TV programme Salon Essraa, focusing on telling the stories of the Egyptian American Diaspora. The show chooses guests from different professions from the expected standard. Breaking away from the narrative of Egyptians abroad only being doctors, engineers, and attorneys, Nawar hand-picks interviewees from creative occupations, such as artists and athletes, among others. More bravely, within the topics discussed on her show, Essraa does not avoid subjects considered somewhat taboo in Egypt. For example, the topics of divorce and mental health issues are freely discussed on Salon Essraa. In her role, which has continuously grown in scope during her tenure at Chapman, Essraa has re-imagined diversity at the Leatherby Libraries, creating and implementing the first ever Library Diversity Statement and Plan, leading the library to receive the first-ever Diversity Award. She curated over 50 diverse exhibitions, participates regularly in scholarly activity, and gave a popular TEDx talk at the Technical University of Munich on how to feel welcomed and empowered in a diverse world. She defines diversity holistically and organically. She led and implemented the library’s inaugural Marketing and Fundraising Strategy, helping the library earn two CASE awards, one ALA PR award and raise over 5 million dollars in support of the libraries’ activities and community engagement. A leader on women\u27s empowerment, Essraa was invited by the Egyptian Government to participate in a women’s conference and was honored as one of the top 30 Egyptian women abroad. She works closely with the Ministry of State for Emigration & Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs and the National Council for Women on initiatives that benefit the Egyptian economy, tourism, interfaith understanding, and status of women. As an interfaith advocate, her campaign #changethenarrative aims to breaking stereotypes and promote peaceful coexistence. Essraa was recognized as a finalist for the Orange County Women of Influence as an Orange County Game Changer and recently was named as one of Ora.nge County\u27s 125 most influential people

Stubborn Optimism or Toxic Positivity

A global pandemic, 6,332,783 Covid19 cases, 376,041 deceased and counting, riots in the streets of every major American city, recession on the horizon, 40 million jobs lost, a devastated world economy and more. This is pretty much the world we are ALL living in across the globe and sometimes it is impossible to escape the news. If it is not on TV, you will catch it on any of your social media platforms, if not on any of these two, you will get it through a text from a friend or as you chat with another. Amid all of this, one may ask: How can I continue to be productive, positive or optimistic and also take care of myself, my family, friends and pets? I am writing this today not to preach optimism but to encourage us all to Stay in our lanes as my friend artist Allison Adams put it so well together

Unveiling the Librarian of Tomorrow: Why Librarians Are Needed Now More Than Ever

I fell in love with Libraries the moment I set foot in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt, where I had the privilege of working for five enriching years. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina stands as a modern reincarnation of the legendary ancient library, a beacon of learning and exchange. Reflecting on its revival, I marvel at the timeless significance of libraries throughout history. From the fabled repositories of knowledge in Alexandria, Athens, and Constantinople to their contemporary counterparts, libraries have endured as bastions of enlightenment and progress. The spirit of international collaboration that birthed the Bibliotheca Alexandrina underscores the global significance of libraries, while their technical prowess ensures their continued relevance in the digital age

Does Luck Explain My Life as a Muslim?

Essraa Nawar examines the reactions to her previous article about feeling empowered as a Muslim woman who had immigrated to America, and how much luck plays a factor in her positive experiences

What If We No Longer Call It DEI?

The persistent debate surrounding the term DEI reveals a broader dissatisfaction with its perceived limitations and the misunderstandings around its true meanings and concepts. As DEI initiatives face de-funding and positions are eliminated, there\u27s a risk of the term becoming diluted, associated more with performative gestures than genuine structural change. This backlash against DEI also signifies a growing disappointment with \u27buzzword-driven\u27 approaches to diversity and inclusion, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of equity and justice. In the middle of this critique, the idea of renaming DEI emerges as a means of revitalizing the discourse and re-centering efforts on inclusivity and social justice

Diversity Webinar for Special Libraries Association Academic & Education Community and ACRL’s EBSS Education Committee: Diversity as a Collective Action: A Strategy for Success

In her role, which has continuously grown in scope during her tenure at Chapman, Essraa Nawar has re-imagined diversity at the Leatherby Libraries, creating and implementing the first ever Library Diversity Statement and Plan, leading the library to receive the first-ever Diversity Award. A leader on women\u27s empowerment, Essraa was invited by the Egyptian Government to participate in a women’s conference and was honored as one of the top 30 Egyptian women abroad. As an interfaith advocate, her campaign #changethenarrative aims to breaking stereotypes and promote peaceful coexistence. In April 2022, she was recognized as one of California’s Women of Influence and in December 2022 she was named one of Orange County’s most influential people. Diversity as a collective action: A Strategy for Success: We often let stereotypes influence our perspective. It\u27s the moment we break these walls and embrace each other, sharing stories, words, culture, food, happiness, sadness is what makes us human beings and when misconceptions are erased, and barriers are broken. Through sharing her story in different ways, Essraa has seen a tremendously positive outcome as she unleashes the power of being different yet at the same time connected to the rest of the world without losing her identity. Moreover, Nawar will share the successful organic model she was able to implement at the Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University. In this session, Nawar will share case studies on how the library not only capitalizes on current campus, national and international events but also uses their own staffs’ and students’ diverse skills, background, and connections to bring these programming efforts to life

No, Not Even Water : A DEI Approach to Embracing Ramadan\u27s Richness

As Ramadan commences tomorrow, March 11, 2024, it presents a unique opportunity for both observant Muslims and those from other faiths or practices to come together in a period marked by reflection, renewal, and community. This sacred month offers a window into the discipline and devotion of fasting from dawn until dusk, underscoring values of empathy, gratitude, and solidarity with those less fortunate. For non-Muslims, it\u27s an opportunity to learn about and respect these practices, perhaps by participating in communal Iftars, engaging in dialogue, or simply offering support and understanding to those observing the fast. By embracing the spirit of Ramadan, we can all contribute to an atmosphere of inclusivity and mutual respect, fostering stronger bonds within our diverse communities. Let us welcome this month with open hearts and minds, ready to discover and share in the rich tapestry of experiences it brings

Why I Fell in Love with Ramy and You Will Too?

If you have not watched Ramy on Hulu, you are definitely missing a brilliant show. I have been following this show since the release of its first episode in April of 2019. While I can not claim that I am a media critic nor that I have any expertise when it comes to Hollywood and/or the show business in general. I must say that I was so intrigued by this show that I decided to write about it and interview a few people along the way that also enjoyed the show

Why I Say Merry Christmas : A DEI Perspective

A few weeks ago, Dr. Daniele Struppa, our Chapman University President approached me with a cultural protocol question regarding sending holiday cards to his international collaborators oversees. Dr. Struppa who currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the American University of Sharjah has become professionally and personally acquainted with some members of the Royal family of the United Arab Emirates, some Social Entrepreneurs, Businessmen, Professors, Scholars and others through this academic engagement. Dr. Struppa was wondering whether or not it is appropriate to send a Chapman University Christmas Card during the Holidays even though December is technically not a celebration period in the United Arab Emirates

A Dream Come True -- An Academic Friend\u27s First ALA Annual Conference

Essraa Nawar describes her first time attending the American Library Association\u27s Annual Conference as the inaugural recipient of the United for Libraries/SAGE Academic Friend Conference Grant