Islamic Art and Culture
American Creations
a reporting project of Round Earth Media

Tom Franklin for Round Earth Media

Laila Lalami • Ellen Schmidt for Round Earth Media

Iftar • Paul Middlestaedt for REM

Eslah Attar for Round Earth Media

Ifrah Mansour • Caroline Yang for Round Earth Media

Rahim AlHaj • Pinar Istek for Round Earth Media

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our purpose

In an era of misinformation and outrage, one of the most fraught relationships is the one between 3.5 million American Muslims and their neighbors. This project is Round Earth Media’s contribution to addressing that tension.

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Time and again, the arts and culture have proven to be among the most effective ways of overcoming misunderstanding. Literature, fashion and food have a role, as well as music, drama, comedy, rituals and celebrations. One of the surest ways of putting culture before a broader audience is to share the stories of the thoughtful, energetic people who create it.

Round Earth Media is reaching out across the country in an ambitious two-year effort to dig out underreported stories. We are seeking examples of those who are using culture to put an innovative spin on the American Dream, and those who are shutting out the vitriol to learn more about each other’s lives, culture and traditions. Our aim is to give them the widest possible audience – through publication in mainstream media, both in the United States and in Muslim-majority countries.

Ramadan Mubarak lantern | Tom Franklin for Round Earth Media
Ramadan Mubarak lantern | Tom Franklin for Round Earth Media

Recent Stories:

IWMF Connections: Muslim Culture in America Today

By Beverley Abel | June 29, 2022 | Comments Off on IWMF Connections: Muslim Culture in America Today

Connections, an audio documentary, focuses on contemporary Muslim culture in America from fashion to food to hip hop and opera as we look at the myriad ways contemporary Muslim culture has mixed…

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How one teacher equips students to stop trafficking before it starts

By Areeba Shah | August 24, 2020 | Comments Off on How one teacher equips students to stop trafficking before it starts

Why We Wrote This Teachers often take their responsibilities beyond the subjects they’re expected to teach. In Ohio, Mona Al-Hayani developed a curriculum for human trafficking that raises awareness among adults and…

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A World Champion Slam Poet Pivots To Medicine

By Sonia Narang | August 15, 2020 | Comments Off on A World Champion Slam Poet Pivots To Medicine

Emtithal “Emi” Mahmoud is a world champion slam poet known for her vivid language and dedication to uplifting others. Memories of my childhood live/between the rings of sand around my ankles/ and…

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U.S. Latino Muslims Speak the Language of Shared Cultures

By Aqilah Allaudeen | July 2, 2020 | Comments Off on U.S. Latino Muslims Speak the Language of Shared Cultures

The growing number of Latino Muslims in the U.S. say they share historic and cultural ties to Islam, the Arab world and the Spanish language. MIAMI – The smell of freshly made…

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Our Method

At Round Earth Media, we believe that there is power in good journalism; that there is a hunger for real information extending deep into our growing “news deserts.”

We also believe that, even as the collapse of their traditional model has hollowed out U.S. media organizations, a generation of young journalists is eager for the chance to reinvent that model for the 21st century.

We know the stories haven’t disappeared; it’s just that there often is no one left to tell them.

Our experienced editors prioritize finding knowledgeable young journalists, and then work with them to create vivid stories – in works, in images and in sound – that meet the craft’s highest standards

Need to get in touch?

Use the form below to contact us.