Arabs and Arab Americans

This presentation is an interactive talk about Arabs and Americans whose ancestry is Arab.  The objective is to encourage cross-cultural understanding. The audience learns about Arab citizens in the US, their beliefs, religions, principles, and traditions by engaging in a conversation through a carefully-constructed self-quiz. 

May Kamalick was born in Beirut, Lebanon to Palestinian, Anglican parents.  She graduated from the American University in Beirut with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She then taught English at the American University, until she married an American Foreign correspondent and moved to the US, residing first in Chicago and then in Houston, TX where she and her husband raised two daughters.  She taught college English, Public Relations, Mass Communication and Arabic in Houston for more than fifteen years. 

May began her US government service shortly after 9/11, working for the FBI, first as an Arabic linguist and by the time she retired thirteen years later, as a manager. May moved first to Tennessee from the DC area in 2018 where she taught intermediate and advanced Arabic at the University of the South before finally retiring from all paid work and moving to Austin last July 2023.  She is now enjoying spending time with her friends and one set of her grandchildren and volunteering where needed.