‘Our house is your house’: Beitna returns to celebrate Arab culture in Davis

The Davis Arab Community Diwan’s annual gathering invited community members to experience solidarity during Arab American Heritage Month 

By IQRA AHMAD — arts@theaggie.org 

On Sunday, April 19, the Davis Arab Community Diwan hosted its second annual Beitna gathering at the Davis Senior Center — a celebration of Arab heritage, culture and solidarity during Arab American Heritage Month. 

“Diwan is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization,” Reem Awad-Rashmawi, president of Davis Arab Community Diwan and a UC Davis alumna, said. “Our mission is to gather and empower members of the Arab community in the City of Davis, Yolo County and the region. We seek to honor, preserve, support and disseminate awareness and education about our Arab cultural heritage and histories.”  

As a longtime Davis resident, Awad-Rashmawi emphasized that Beitna represents more than a single event, but rather an effort to connect campus and community members in a shared space. Organized in collaboration with student organizations and community members across campus, the event aims to create a welcoming space rooted in tradition, representation and unity. 

“Beitna” which translates to “our house” in Arabic, reflects the spirit of hospitality at the heart of the event, according to ASUCD Senator Jenna Younes, a fourth-year international relations major involved in organizing the event. 

“When someone comes into our home, you’re a guest and you’re going to get treated the best we can treat you,” Younes said. “‘Beitna, Beitkum,’ ‘Our house is your house.’” 

Beyond its literal meaning, Awad-Rashmawi explained that the name reflects a deeper cultural value. 

“The name is so important to us,” Awad-Rashmawi said. “We’re a very generous community and I think the term ‘Beitna’ for us is another way of expressing that this is our home and we’re welcoming you.” 

Planning for Beitna began months in advance, with organizers securing dates as early as November due to scheduling challenges during April’s Arab American Heritage Month. Religious holidays, campus traditions and other community events all factored into the planning process, which involves a range of student organizations and community partners. Regular meetings ensured that voices across the community were included in shaping the event. 

“We try to get everyone involved,” Younes said. “We hold a meeting every couple of weeks where at least one or two representatives from every student organization is at the meeting — everyone’s able to voice their opinion.” 

Unlike many other events, Beitna is intentionally hosted off-campus to ensure accessibility and inclusion to the broader community. 

“This is an event that brings people, no matter what their backgrounds are, together to learn about culture, our community and to share that with our neighbors,” Awad-Rashmawi said. “We have professors, students, staff members who work on campus, but there are a lot who don’t work on campus like real estate agents or attorneys. We wanted to make sure that there was one event every year off-campus so anybody living in town could work together and do something as a community across the board.”

The Davis Arab Community Diwan, formally established as a nonprofit last year, has quickly become a space for both on-campus and outside community engagement. Through events like potlucks and their annual “Evening on the Quad” gatherings, the organization has focused on fostering connection across diverse Arab identities. 

“We’re here to represent the whole community, make sure everyone feels welcome in the Arab community,” Younes said. “We’re here to [make sure] that you get a real look into our culture, who we are as a people and to celebrate the diversity of different Arab cultures, because people think Arabs are kind of just one [group], but there’s so much diversity within the community. And so, Beitna really aims to highlight and celebrate all of those cultures.” 

Beitna is the event that brings together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and community members.

“It’s honestly a really great community,” Younes said. “Every time you go, you meet a new person.”

This year’s gathering featured a variety of cultural experiences, including traditional dance, food, art, poetry and interactive activities hosted by various vendors and over 60 volunteers. Attendees participated in creating Arabic calligraphy and cooking demonstrations, as well as tatreez, or Palestinian embroidery, displays and poetry. 

By showcasing traditions, clothing, food and art from across the Arab world, organizers shared their hope that attendees would leave with a deeper understanding and appreciation of that diversity. 

“I just want people to understand that even though we're all different from one another, we do always stand in solidarity with one another,” Younes said. 

Beyond solidarity, Beitna aims to carry a deeper message of representation and visibility throughout the event. 

“There has been so much community building on and off-campus, bridging together all the communities in Davis, because in the past there’s been a disconnect,” Younes said. “Standing in solidarity with each other means community supporting students, students supporting community. It’s about representation; in the past, Arab students have been so severely underrepresented.” 

One of the most anticipated highlights of the event was Dabke, a traditional Palestinian dance meaning “stamping of the feet.” 

“Its the one thing that brings people together,” Younes said. “Everyone wants to watch Dabke.” 

A live performance and workshop hosted by student organization Dabket Watan also invited attendees to participate, which reinforced the interactive nature of the event. Other activities, such as trying tatreez or calligraphy, were intended to create lasting memories. 

“When you participate, it’s unforgettable,” Younes said. “It’s definitely persevering both material and the memory aspect of it [the event], because you see it and think, ‘I went to this event and I saw all these clubs, I participated and it was really fun.’” 

That sense of collaboration extended beyond planning the event itself. Many elements were community-driven, with families contributing items from their own homes to represent their heritage. 

“All the decor came from community members’ houses,” Awad-Rashmawi said. “People brought things off their walls, off their shelves to represent their [home] countries or countries they visited, it really reflected the community home.” 

In addition to its celebratory elements, Beitna also carries a deeper emotional significance. Amid current conflicts affecting different Arab communities and homelands — such as Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians and the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran — organizers emphasized that the event serves not only as a celebration, but a space for reflection and solidarity. 

“As you can see, today is a time for the Arab community to come together in solidarity,” an organizer, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “It is a time for all of us who believe in justice, dignity and shared humanity to come together: a time to understand one another, to uplift each other and to reject any devaluation of life.” 

They also shared that the event was intended to create a welcoming space — one where people can gather and feel a sense of belonging. 

“Today’s gathering isn’t an escape from that reality: It’s a response to it,” the organizer said. “Our songs, dances and poetry will forever speak of a people who will always remain steadfast on their land and a people and community who will come together no matter where they land. It is about welcoming family and friends into our homes, and today, we are welcoming you into ours.”  

Participating students groups included the Arab Student Union, Arabic Language Club, Dabket Watan, Davis Arab Graduate Student Collective, Davis Graduate, Medical, Veterinary, and Law Students for Palestine, Epsilon Alpha Sigma, Lebanese Student Association, Middle Eastern North African South Asian Law Student Association, Middle Eastern North African South Asian Veterinary Student Association, Middle Eastern Pre-Law Student Association, Saudi Student Association and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Also tabling at the event were the Arabic Language Program and the Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian (MENASA) Resource Center. 

At its core, Beitna is about opening doors — both literally and symbolically. With a free RSVP and a welcoming atmosphere, organizers emphasized that they hoped to see both familiar faces and newcomers in the future. 

As the event returned for its second year, it continues to grow as a cultural celebration and a space of connection, learning and solidarity. For more information on when the next Beitna may be, the Davis Arab Community Diwan shares updates and announcements via their website and Instagram @davisarabcommunity. 

Written by: Iqra Ahmad — arts@theaggie.org