SWANA Heritage Month
April is SWANA Heritage Month!
The office of Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy (MICA) of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union and a dedicated committee of students and staff is excited to announce the University of Maryland's campus-wide celebration of Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) Heritage Month every April!
If you have any questions regarding SWANA Heritage Month or how your organization can be involved, please contact our office at mica-office@umd.edu. We are looking forward to a wonderful month of programming and engagement with the community!
Untangling Our Common Threads
Pulling at a single thread of a tapestry eventually reveals how the entire piece is held together. For SWANA Heritage Month 2026, "Untangling Our Common Threads" is an invitation to look closer at a community that refuses to be a monolith; it is a kaleidoscope of over 20 countries, hundreds of languages and dialects—from Tamazight to Turoyo to Darija—and a rich mosaic of faiths and secular identities. To look at the SWANA experience is to see a vibrant interplay of textures, where the uniqueness of a Maghrebi sunrise meets the ancient echoes of the Levant.
There is a specific poetry in our geography. The Levant takes its name from the rising sun, and the Maghreb from where it sets—but our identity reaches even further East than the dawn. We are built on these cycles of light, yet we are also defined by our "knots and frays." These are the tensions, the migrations, and the shared histories that make our fabric resilient.
"Untangling Our Common Threads" moves beyond the surface level of "representation" toward collective power. It is the realization that while our individual patterns are distinct, our liberation is tied together. By bridging the gaps of geography and generation, we prove that our differences aren’t voids to be filled—they are our greatest assets.
Let’s weave a future where every unique thread is seen, and where our combined strength becomes an unbreakable force for justice and belonging.
The calendar of events coming soon.
April 9, 2026 from 6 to 9pm
Location: Heritage Quad (Rain Location Johnson-Whittle MPR)
Experience a vibrant fusion of fashion, music, and performance at the Embrace the Heritage Showcase! This annual event is designed for our campus community to experience the expression and appreciation of various cultures through clothing, music, dance, and food! This year's show will include: Live bands | Singing performances | KPop dance performance | Runway competition | APIDA/SWANA Heritage Trivia | Henna stand | Terp to Terp Open Shop | DIY crafts | And much more! Join your fellow Terps for a night of art, appreciation, and inclusivity as we celebrate culture through clothing, music, food, and more.
Sponsors:Resident Life Heritage Community, Resident Life, Terp to Terp, Find Your Squad
April 14, 2026 from 12 to 1:30pm
Location: LCSL Lounge, Stamp 1110
Interested in leadership and looking for a free lunch? Join Tarif Shraim, UMD's Muslim Chaplain and alum, for an informal lunch conversation on his story, the intersections of leadership, faith, values and more!
Sponsors: LCSL and Memorial Chapel
April 17, 2026 from 2 to 5pm
Location: Nyumburu Amphitheater
Join us on Friday, April 17 2PM at UMD's Nyumburu Amphitheater for a student-led People's Tribunal holding the Board of Butchers accountable for their complicity in the ongoing accelerated genocide in Gaza, and war crimes around the world.
Sponsors: Students for Justice in Palestine and USM Divestment Coalition for Palestine
April 19, 2026 from 6 to 9pm
Location: Colony Ballroom
This Semester, Students for Justice in Palestine at UMD is bringing back our annual fundraiser gala and invites you to join us in a night of acknowledging the culture, history, and legacy of the Palestinian people.
Sponsor: Students for Justice in Palestine