Join the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding and the Arts Administrators of Color Network for a powerful in-person gathering in New York City.
This program will spotlight ISPU’s groundbreaking study, Stereotypes on Screen: The Effects of Muslim Portrayals in Entertainment Media on Attitudes Toward Democracy and Policy, the first of its kind to test how portrayals of Muslims in scripted TV affect public attitudes and policy preferences.
Blending research, storytelling, and creative practice, our time together will include a research presentation, a moderated panel with artists and cultural leaders, interactive dialogue, and a pop-up installation of the Native American and Indigenous Muslim Stories: Reclaiming the Narrative project (NAIMS) exhibit.
We’ll also create space to connect through a networking mixer with refreshments provided, along with time to explore the museum and engage with the exhibit.
Together, we’ll examine how narrative harms aimed at Muslim communities ripple across communities of color—and how arts and culture can help shift public narratives toward equity, belonging, and collective liberation.
This gathering is designed for artists, cultural workers, arts administrators, educators, advocates, and anyone invested in the power of storytelling to advance solidarity and strengthen democracy. Come learn, reflect, and imagine new possibilities for narrative justice together.
Featured Panelists
Iman Zawahry is one of the first hijabi American-Muslim filmmakers in the nation. She has worked on numerous films that have played at over 150 venues worldwide. She’s an Emmy Award winner, Princess Grace Award recipient, Lincoln Center Artist Academy Fellow, Sundance Momentum Fellow, Sundance Universal Fellow, and is a part of the Warner Brothers Directing Program. She is also the co-creator of the first American Muslim film grant with the Islamic Scholarship Fund, where she currently serves as Director of Film Programs.
Razi Jafri is a Detroit-based documentary filmmaker and Senior Editor of Visual Features at NPR. His work explores immigration, race, democracy, and belonging in America, and includes the films Hamtramck, USA, Three Chaplains, Rouge, the recently completed Uncommitted, and the PBS series Spice Road.
Dr. Debbie Almontaser is an internationally recognized, award-winning educator, speaker and authority on cross-cultural understanding. She served as the consultant and advisor for Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. Muslim American Series; Independent Production Fund on the Islam Project, and other media projects on cultural and religious diversity issues. Recently, Dr. Debbie Almontaser served on Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani’s Immigrant Justice Transition Committee and was also appointed to Comptroller-Elect Mark Levine’s transition team.
Nathan Alan Davis's writing for the stage includes The Refuge Plays (Roundabout Theatre/NYTW), Nat Turner in Jerusalem (NYTW), The High Ground (Arena Stage), Eternal Life Part 1 (Wilma Theater), Origin Story (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), The Wind and the Breeze (Cygnet Theatre), and Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea (NNPN Rolling World Premiere). For his body of work, Nathan has received a Windham-Campbell Prize (2021), a Steinberg Playwright Award (2020), and a Whiting Award in Drama (2018). His TV/film work includes projects for Netflix, AMC, BET, and Paramount. He is the Director of the MFA Playwriting Program at Boston University.
Community Partners
Thank you to our community partners for helping us amplify this gathering and invite broader communities of artists, advocates, and changemakers to be part of this important conversation.
Event Details
Date: Friday, June 12, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET
Location: El Museo del Barrio, 1230 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10029
Run of Show
5:30 – 6:00 PM — Guest Arrival, Check-In, Exhibit Viewing & Reception
(Featuring NAIMS pop-up exhibit + light hors d’oeuvres)6:00 – 7:30- Formal Program
7:30 – 8:00 PM — Networking Mixer & Exhibit Reception
Learning Outcomes
Participants will:
Gain insight into how media narratives about American Muslims shape public perception, policy, and democratic belonging
Gain insight into the connection between media narratives about American Muslim and other communities
Explore the role of arts and culture in shifting harmful narratives and advancing equity
Engage with artists and cultural leaders working at the intersection of storytelling and social change
Build connections with peers across the arts, cultural, and advocacy sectors
Who Should Attend?
This gathering is designed for artists, cultural workers, educators, policymakers, and advocates invested in the power of the arts and storytelling to advance solidarity and strengthen democracy. We’d love to have your voice and community in the room.
Tickets
Space is limited to 100 tickets.
General Admission: $10
We are committed to accessibility. A limited number of pay-what-you-can and discounted tickets are available. Please contact us at ehawthorne@aacdmv.org to request a reduced rate.
About the Hosts
Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU)
ISPU provides objective research and education about American Muslims to support well- informed dialogue and decision-making.
Arts Administrators of Color Network (AAC)
AAC is a national network that supports and connects BIPOC arts administrators, artists, and cultural workers, advancing equity and leadership across the U.S. creative sector.