On this edition of Parallax Views, long-time Palestinian-American human rights activist and attorney Huwaida Arraf joined me to discuss her political awakening, spending most of her adult life fighting for justice, and her run for Congress in Michigan's 10th Congressional District. In 2001, Huwaida, her husband Adam Shapiro, Israeli activist Neta Golan, and Palestinian activist Ghassan Adoni founded the International Solidarity Movement that has sought to support the cause of Palestinian liberation. However, Huwaida says she isn't a single-issue candidate and has a broad list of priorities including making leaders accessible and accountable in an age where they've often become distant from their constituents. Armed with years of activism and experience as a practicing human rights attorney, hard-working mother, and energetic, community involved activist Huwaida believes she can represent the new 10th district of Michigan. She also explains how redistricting of the thumb region of Michigan a game-changer for her campaign may well be. Additionally, Huwaida talks about the need for visibility of Palestinian and Arab Americans in the U.S. today, the need for campaign finance reform, and the pivotal experience in her young life that began her political awakening.
In the second segment of the show, Dr, Poua Alimagham, author of Contesting the Iranian Revolution: The Green Uprisings, joins us to discuss the continued attempts to reach a new nuclear deal with Iran over the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). Donald Trump had the U.S. renege on the deal during his Presidency. Talks meant to bring about a new deal have commenced in the post-Trump era, but some forces in the U.S., specifically within the GOP, hope to see such efforts scuttled claiming that it will weaken America. Meanwhile, talks have continued amidst Putin's invasion of Ukraine and the crisis it has wrought. Dr. Alimagham and I discuss all of this as well as the ways in which the discourse around Iran and Iranian-Americans has been tinged by racism over the years.
