Colorado Filmmaker Explores His Arab-American Identity

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Photo: Filmmaker Usama Alshaibi from his film Arab American
Usama Alshaibi in his film, 'American Arab'

A new film on WORLD Channel's "America ReFramed," aired on PBS stations, asks what it means to be Arab-American. Usama Alshaibi, who teaches film studies at Colorado State University and CU Boulder, looks at his own family's identity. He moved from Iraq to the United States before 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

His film, "American Arab," recounts his experience as the victim of what he calls a hate crime, where a group of teenagers attacked him after hearing his name. Alshaibi spoke with Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner.