Keynote Performance: Stories of Belonging: Immigration, Arts, and Community
Keynote Performance and Conversation at the Leaving and Belonging Symposium
Friday, April 17, 2026 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM EDT
Lecture Hall, 1
Image: Helen Zughaib, Coming to America (2021). Gouache on board, 15 x 20 in. Courtesy of the artist.
PERFORMANCE & CONVERSATION
Stories of Belonging:
Immigration, Art and Community
Friday, April 17, 2026
7:00 - 8:30 pm
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Lecture Hall (Building 34)
Lecture Hall 1
The Middle East Institute’s Arts and Culture Center and George Mason University’s Institute for Immigration Research are pleased to present Stories of Belonging: Immigration, Art, and Community, a keynote panel featured in the Leaving and Belonging symposium, hosted by George Mason University (April 17–18).
The program will feature live performances by acclaimed artists Omar Offendum and Yasmine Elhady, whose work spans spoken word, music, and comedy. They will be joined in conversation by Cara Mertes, a multiple award-winning independent media leader and Founding Executive Director of the International Resource for Impact & Storytelling (IRIS), and Monna Kashfi, an Emmy Award–winning VP of Content and Communications at Welcome.US, a national nonprofit that mobilizes Americans to support and welcome refugees and newcomers. The conversation will be moderated by Lyne Sneige, MEI’s Arts and Culture Center Senior Director.
Through storytelling, performance, and dialogue, the panel will explore how creative expression can reframe migration narratives, foster a sense of belonging, and challenge dominant portrayals of displacement. It will also highlight how collaboration across the arts, research, advocacy, and media can transform creative practice into meaningful social impact.
This panel is MEI’s featured program in celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month.
PANELISTS
Yasmin Elhady is a comedian, attorney, and host of Hulu's Muslim Matchmaker, where she connects hearts with humor and heart. Born in Egypt and raised in Alabama, Yasmin blends her world with her voice to challenge stereotypes, amplify voices, and foster empathy. She's toured internationally, performed at The Kennedy Center, and was a "Yes, And... Laughter Lab" finalist. An advocate for refugees and women's rights, her comedy explores identity, offering a lens on today's issues.
Monna Kashfi leads Welcome.US's content, marketing, and communications strategy. She is a national Emmy award-winning senior media professional and seasoned creative producer with more than two decades of experience in broadcast, documentary, and digital media production. Prior to joining Welcome.US, she was Chief Content Officer at WAMU 88.5, overseeing a staff of more than 90. Previously, Monna was Executive Producer at CGTN America, developing a 60-minute weekly show aired globally and across the United States.
Cara Mertes is an award-winning independent media field builder who has deployed significant resources internationally. She believes in artists as leaders and stories as essential to social progress. Cara founded IRIS (International Resource for Impact & Storytelling), a donor collaborative integrating creative storytelling into social justice efforts. As JustFilms Director at the Ford Foundation, she piloted a film and narrative grantmaking strategy. Previously, she led the Sundance Institute Documentary Program and served as Executive Producer of PBS's POV.
Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper, spoken word poet, and theatrical storyteller with a 20-year career blending Hip-Hop and Arabic poetry. He was named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" recipient, and has toured the world promoting his music while raising millions for humanitarian relief. His off- Broadway hit Little Syria earned him a place in The Public Theater's "New York Voices" program, with performances at venues nationwide.
Lyne Sneige (moderator) is the Director of the Arts & Culture Center at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, D.C., where she leads the MEI Art Gallery and its programs. Since joining MEI in 2014, she has built a platform to amplify Middle Eastern and diaspora artists and forged partnerships with galleries, museums, universities, and cultural institutions. Sneige brings more than 20 years of experience in international and cultural development in the Middle East.
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Lecture Hall Building (Building 34)
Lecture Hall 1
PARKING: Visitor parking is available on campus in the Rappahannock (closest to symposium) or Mason Pond parking decks (findable on GPS).
With support from the AbuSulayman Center for Global Islamic Studies at George Mason University.
