Mizna

MIZNA IS A CRITICAL PLATFORM FOR CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE, ART, FILM, AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING CENTERING THE WORK OF SOUTHWEST ASIAN AND NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTS. FOR TWENTY YEARS, WE HAVE SOUGHT TO REFLECT THE DEPTH AND MULTIPLICITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO BEING A SPACE FOR ARAB, MUSLIM, AND OTHER ARTISTS FROM THE REGION TO RECLAIM OUR NARRATIVES AND ENGAGE AUDIENCES IN MEANINGFUL AND ARTISTICALLY EXCELLENT ART.

JOURNAL: IN 2022, MIZNA PUBLISHED THE 46TH AND 47TH ISSUES OF THE LITERARY JOURNAL "MIZNA: SWANA LITERATURE + ART," FEATURING 2 VISUAL ARTISTS AND 53 AUTHORS. IN 2022, WE REACHED MORE THAN 4000 READERS THROUGH SUBSCRIPTIONS, SALES, AND LIBRARY CHECKOUTS. IN PUBLICATION SINCE 1999, "MIZNA" REMAINS A RARE JOURNAL OF ARAB AND SOUTHWEST ASIAN/NORTH AFRICAN LITERATURE. "MIZNA" IS A CRITICAL SPACE FOR AUTHORS, WHO ARE BOTH EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED, IN WHICH THEY HAVE THE CREATIVE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE THEMES AND IDEAS THAT ARE REAL AND RELEVANT TO THEM, OUTSIDE OF THE CULTURAL ASSUMPTIONS MADE BY THE BROADER AMERICAN LANDSCAPE.

FILM PROGRAMMING: THE 16TH ARAB FILM FEST RETURNED THIS YEAR, EXPLORING THE THEME OF DIASPORA. FEATURING SPECIAL OPENING AND CLOSING EVENTS, TWENTY-EIGHT FILMS, DISCUSSIONS, VISITING FILMMAKERS, WORKSHOPS, AND A CLOSING NIGHT SCREENING UNDER THE STARS. TCAFF IS THE LARGEST AND LONGEST RUNNING ARAB FILM FESTIVAL IN THE MIDWEST. THE ARAB FILM FEST PRESENTS LOCAL DEBUT SCREENINGS, SHOWCASING INDEPENDENT FILM, AND INVITING FILMMAKERS. OVER FOUR DAYS, THE FESTIVAL PROVIDES AUDIENCES AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AUTHENTIC FACETS OF ARAB, SWANA, AND MUSLIM STORIES REFLECTEDON SCREEN, SOMETHING NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH MAINSTREAM MOVIES AND MEDIA. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL DEBUT LAST YEAR, THE ARAB FILM FEST RETURNED TO TULSA FOR A SECOND YEAR PRESENTING ACCLAIMED CONTEMPORARY FILMS AND FEATURING SPECIAL GUESTS, LOCAL RESTAURANTS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. THE MONTHLY MIZNA FILM SERIES ENTERED ITS SECOND YEAR OF PROGRAMMING. FILM PROGRAMMED ATTRACTED 2250 AUDIENCES IN 2022.

CLASSES AND SPECIAL EVENTS: MIZNA CONTINUED TO OFFER HIGH QUALITY, AFFORADABLE ARABIC LANGUAGE COMMUNITY EDUCATION COURSES IN 2022. THE 10-WEEK COURSES ARE TAUGHT BY EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORS AT FIVE LANGUAGE LEVELS AND TWO LEVELS OF CONVERSATION. IN 2022, BESIDES THE JOURNAL, THE FILM PROGRAMMING, AND CLASSES, MIZNA PRESENTED IN-DEPTH PROGRAMMING AS A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF ETEL ADNAN'S LIFE, WORK, AND LEGACY. TO CELEBRATE ARAB HERITAGE MONTH, MIZNA WORKED WITH NATIONAL PARTNERS TO PRESENT THE ARAB FILM FEST COLLAB, A NATIONAL, VIRTUAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR THE SECOND YEAR. MIZNA ALSO ORGANIZED A NATIONAL TOUR FOR PALESTINIAN POET MAYA ABU AL-HAYYAT.