April | The Daily Hookah

RAY HANANIA

راى حنانيا
Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War he is the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, (1985, 2002, 2006, 2009) and the National Sigma Delta Chi Award. Hanania was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New America Media in November 2006.

Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, Middle East Monitor, and The Arab Daily News analyzing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict & Arab World. A critic of mainstream news media bias, Hanania advocates for peace & justice for Israel & Palestine, & the empowerment of Arabs in America.

“I write about three topics, the Middle East, politics and life in general. I often take my life experiences and offer them in an entertaining way to readers, and I take on the toughest topics like the Israel-Palestine conflict and don’t pull any punches about what I feel is fair. But, my priority is always about writing the good story.”

What Editor & Publisher Magazine says about Ray Hanania: Dec. 28, 2006 — “Ray Hanania, a former Creators columnist who’s now self-syndicated, is a Palestinian-American writer married to a Jewish woman. He writes about Mideast issues in an evenhanded way that makes him seem positively radical in a sea of columnists who back Israel almost unconditionally. Hanania’s approach, as former President Jimmy Carter discovered with his latest book, is not popular with much of the mainstream media. But it would be interesting if U.S. dailies followed the lead of Israeli newspapers in allowing a much wider spectrum of debate about Mideast issues. By the way, Hanania is also a stand-up comedian who’s hilarious when he opts to use humor.”

Hanania launched a standup comedy career immediately after Sept 11, 2001 bringing together Palestinians and Israelis to promote peace and coexistence. He was immediately attacked by Palestinian fanatics, Arab comedians and Israeli extremists who all reject “normalization” and the performance of Palestinians and Israelis together on the same stage. Many Arab comedians only perform with Jews, and many Jewish commedians boycott Palestinians. In August 2002, Hanania was removed from a show at Zanies Comedy Club in Chicago by Jewish Comedian Jackie Mason. Click here to read about the incident.

Click here to email Hanania. Click Here to LISTEN to Hanania’s live radio show on 2nd Friday every month 7 AM CST. Click here to listen to Ray’s Podcasts.

Illinois has a strong history of Arab heritage month

By Ray Hanania | February 9, 2019

Illinois has a strong history of Arab heritage month

Illinois has a strong history of Arab heritage month I explore the history of Arabs in Illinois and how they have been recognized and marginalized over the years. Illinois has designated April as Arab American Heritage Month and I detail the history of how Arabs have been recognized and treated in Illinois over the years in…

Blogger, Commentary, Culture, OpinionApril , Arab American Heritage Month , cultural engagement , History , Illinois , new law

April named Arab Heritage Month by new Illinois Law

By Ray Hanania | January 10, 2019

April named Arab Heritage Month by new Illinois Law

April named Arab Heritage Month by new Illinois Law Illinois Legislature passes law to designate April as Arab American Heritage Month. The bill was introduced by Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, and co-sponsored by State Senator Steve Landek and Representative Mike Zalewski. The bill restores respect for Illinois’ Arab American community which was disrespected…

Arabs of Chicagoland, Blogger, Chicagoland Topics, Commentary, Opinion, politics, Religion, Suburban ChicagolandApril , Arab American Heritage Month , Arab culture , Bruce Rauner , Chicago , House , Illinois , Mayor Rahm Emanuel , Michael J. Madigan , Michael Zalewski , new law , Racism , Senate , Steven Landek

Illinois legislator introduces law to recognize Arab Heritage month in April

By Ray Hanania | October 23, 2018

Illinois legislator introduces law to recognize Arab Heritage month in April

Illinois legislator introduces law to recognize Arab Heritage month in April Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan announced he has introduced a law to recognize April as Arab Heritage Month in Illinois. If approved, the law would add Illinois to the seven other U.S. States that now recognize April as a national commemoration month for…

Arabs of Chicagoland, Blogger, Chicagoland Topics, Commentary, Culture, Features, Good Government, Mainstream, News, Suburban Chicagoland, US & National Politicsanti-Arab racism , April , Arab American Heritage Month , Arab Americans , Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel , culture , heritage , Illinois , Illinois Legislature , Michael J. Madigan

Ray Hanania’s Books

PoweR PR: Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications
PoweR PR is a simple to follow blueprint for Ethnic and Minority Activists to help them develop strategic communications plans to overcome the bias in the mainstream news media to advance their narrative. The mainstream news media is biased, especially against "minority minorities." This book helps you write the message and create the products to help promote the message directly to the target audience. It details the 10 Fundamentals of Strategic Communications.
****************** I'm Glad I Look Like a Terrorist: Growing up Arab in America
I'm Glad I Look Like A ... Terrorist is a humorous and realistic look at the American ethnic experience by an award-winning Palestinian-American journalist. Hanania describes the subtle and not-so-subtle bigotry facing Arab Americans and offers some solutions for improving America's perceptions of Arabs.

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