An Arab American New Yorker who’s been living here for more than a decade. In recent years, I’ve found myself craving a deeper, more intentional sense of culture. I began searching for MENA-rooted events, projects, and creatives across the city, only to realize how invisible many of them are. So much talent and creativity, tucked away in scattered corners of New York, shared quietly from one person to the next.
Menna means “of us” in Arabic, and that’s exactly the point.
This is a space to spotlight what rises from within our own community: the events that speak our rhythm, the artists reshaping SWANA identity, the brands, ideas, and projects born from our shared roots, the talent building our presence. A living archive of who we are and how we move through this city we call home.
Menna is built on the belief that when we see one another clearly, we move differently, with intention, solidarity, and expanded reach. It is more than a platform for cultural presence; it is a conduit for opportunity, directing attention, and resources toward the people and ideas shaping our collective future. Because visibility alone is not enough, a culture endures when it is supported, circulated, and materially sustained.
…and today, you are part of this unfolding
anti-Colonial
People first
Supportive OF BIPOC
communities
Inclusive across faiths and
spiritual practices
Affirming of LGBTQ+
identities
menna is self-funded by design, no grants, no investors, no backers.
That independence is what keeps our voice clear and our values intact.
If you believe in what we’re building, we hope you can support.
“I joined menna to bring people in the diaspora together in meaningful ways to celebrate our culture and feel a sense of warmth and home”
“I joined menna because it’s where my identity, my passion for design, and New York City all converge.”
