2026 Southwest Asian & North African American | Arab American Heritage Month
April marks the celebration of Southwest Asian and North African American (SWANA) Heritage Month and Arab American Heritage Month—a time to honor the diverse cultures, histories, and identities of communities across the SWANA region. In 2022, Congress, the U.S. Department of State, and most state governors issued proclamations officially recognizing National Arab American Heritage Month, further affirming the importance of celebrating Arab American communities nationwide.
The term SWANA is a geographically based identifier that encompasses the many peoples of Southwest Asia and North Africa, including but not limited to Arab communities. By using SWANA, we recognize and uplift groups who may not identify as Arab while celebrating the shared richness, complexity, and interconnectedness of the region.
Throughout the month of April, San Diego Public Library invites our community to explore the vibrant stories, contributions and lived experiences of Americans of Southwest Asian, North African and Arab heritage.
Featured Program
Author Talk with Huda Al-Marashi
Saturday, April 9 | 2 p.m. | Carmel Mountain Ranch Library
Join us for a visit from local author Huda Al-Marashi. She’ll share her brand-new middle grade novel, Hail Mariam — a funny, heartfelt story about friendship, faith, and finding where you belong.
Huda will talk about how she became a writer, what inspired her story, and read an excerpt from her book. Kids will have a chance to ask questions and learn what it’s like to write a real novel!
Programming
SWANA Craft: 3D Mosque | Carmel Mountain Ranch Library
Saturday, April 18 | 3 p.m. | Ages 7 – 11 | Registration Required
Make it! IDEA Lab Craft: Paper Lanterns | Skyline Hills Library
Monday, April 13 | 4 p.m. | Ages 12 & Up
Video
Cooking Around the World | Persian Mulberry Candies
Cooking Around the World features staff members sharing recipes from their diverse backgrounds. Youth Services Librarian Linda Dami, goes over some basic staples of the Persian kitchen such as how to bloom saffron and where to get ingredients, Persian New Year and how to make a Persian marzipan candy shaped like mulberries, called toot.
Displays
Resources
Booklists