99 Arab American Women {Resource}

February 9, 2017September 2, 2020 acraftyarab

I created this list of 99 well known Arab American women to show that Arab Americans have been woven into the quilt of the United States for hundreds of years. We have been your neighbors, teachers, cashiers, doctors, firefighters, and entertainers.

The immigrants that spoke Arabic arrived in various times in US history from the 22 Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa, also called MENA.

Arab Christians first started coming to America during the time of the pilgrims, shortly followed by their Arab Muslim relatives. Today, they make up 63% of the total Arab population.

Arabs all came to America for the same freedoms that were promised to other immigrant grandparents. By 2008, there were 3,500,000 Arab Americans, accounting for 1.14% of the US population.

I have compiled this list inspired by all the women’s marches that were organized in the US in January 2017. I will update links to these notable women as I research them. If you are a visual person, check out this list on Crafty Arab American Women on Pinterst.

Here are 99 Arab American women that you may already know.

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Paula Abdul, is a songwriter, singer and actress
Diana Abu Jaber is a writer
Susan Abulhawa, is a writer and human rights activist
Reem Acra is a fashion designer
Etel Adnan is a poet, essayist, and visual artist
Jawahir Ahmed is a model
Hanan Alattar is an operatic soprano and actress
Joan Alexander was an actress
Lorraine Ali is a journalist
Saddeka Arebi is a social anthropologist and author

Sarah Attar is a track and field athlete
Nadia Azzi is a classical pianist
Katya Bachrouche is a record breaker swimmer
Rosemary Barkett is a United States Circuit Judge and Chief Justice
Zaida Ben-Yusuf is a portrait photographer
Summer Bishil is a actress
Doris Bittar is an artist
Yasmine Bleeth is an actress
Cherien Dabis is a director, producer, and screenwriter

Nadia Dajani is a actress
Pat Danner is a politician
Jenna Dewan is an actress and dancer
Sahar Dika is a reality TV actress
Fadwa El Guindi is a professor of anthropology and actress
Rosalind Elias is a mezzo-soprano
Shannon Elizabeth is an actress and former fashion model
Amy Fadhli is an actress and fitness model
Rima Fakih is an actress, model, professional wrestler and Miss USA 2010.
Paula Faris is a television correspondent
Susie Gharib is a journalist
Isra Girgrah, is a professional world champion female boxer
Hala Gorani is a television anchor and correspondent
Adele Khoury Graham is a an educator and the former First Lady of Florida
Deana Haggag is the President and CEO of United States Artists
Gigi Hadid is a model
Khrystyne Haje is an actress
Lisa Najeeb Halaby (Queen Noor of Jordan) is a queen dowager of Jordan
Suheir Hammad is a poet, author, performer, and political activist

Sanaa Hamri, is a film director, music video director, television director, and television producer
Yasmine Hanani is an actress
Mona Hanna-Attisha is a pediatrician and public health advocate
Teri Hatcher is a actress, writer, presenter, singer, and former NFL cheerleader
Salma Hayek is a film actress, producer, and former model.
Iman is a fashion model, actress and entrepreneur
Anissa Jones, is an actress
Colette Justine is a multimedia artist
Reem Kadem is an actress
Mohja Kahf is a poet, literature professor and an author

Kerri Kasem, is a radio personality
Catherine Keener is an actress
Elizabeth Keener is an actress
Victoria Reggie Kennedy is a lawyer
Callie Khouri, is a film and television screenwriter, producer, and director
Hoda Kotb is a television news anchor and TV host
Laila Lalami is a novelist and essayist

Candy Lightner is an advocate
Lisa Suhair Majaj is a poet and literary scholar

Wendie Malick is an actress
Adrienne Maloof is a businesswoman, reality TV actress and shoe designer
Christa McAuliffe was a teacher and astronaut
Claire Messud is a novelist and literature and creative writing professor

Laura Nader an anthropologist
Kathy Najimy is an actress and comedian
Octavia Nasr is a journalist
Jehane Noujaim is a documentary film director
Nawal M Nour is a obstetrician/gynecologist and advocate
Naomi Shihab Nye is a poet, novelist and songwriter

Mary Rose Oakar is a politician
Ilhan Omar is a politician
Judge Jeanine Pirro is a reality court show judge
Dina Habib Powell is a business executive, philanthropist and policymaker
Heather Raffo is a playwright and actress
Yamila Diaz Rahi is a model
Diane Rehm is a public radio talk show host
Selwa Roosevelt was a Chief of Protocol of the United States
Najla Said is an author, actress, playwright, and activist
Zainab Salbi is a humanitarian, media host, author, and CEO.
Linda Sarsour, is an activist and executive director
Sumayyah Samaha is an artist
Shakira is a singer, songwriter, dancer, and record producer
Nada Shabout, is an art historian and professor
Donna Shalala, is a US Secretary of Health and Human Services
Alia Shawkat is an actress
Mona Simpson is a novelist

Soraya is a beauty queen, philanthropist and fashion model
Jaclyn Stapp is a beauty queen, philanthropist and fashion model
Tiffany is a singer, songwriter, actress and former teen icon
Helen Thomas was an author, reporter, member of the White House press corps
Marlo Thomas is an actress, producer, and social activist
Rashida Tlaib is a politician
Mary Tuma is an artist
Paola Turbay is an actress, model, beauty queen, and television presenter
Amy Yasbeck is a film and television actress
Diva Zappa is a is an artist, a film and television actress, as well as recording a one-off comedy single
Moon Zappa is an actress and author