I often feel magnified, as if I am the representative for half a billion Arabs and over 1.5 billion Muslims. As if my actions, or the actions of any Arab or Muslim, are some how indicative of the character of over a quarter of the world’s population. I occasionally joke with my colleagues in Challenge Detroit about my ethnic and religious identity and about the stereotypes that haunt me each day. Whether these jokes ease the situation, or just aid in spreading the stereotypes is a debate that will continue for years to come.

Stereotypical Arab images are abundant in Hollywood films. This charming character is from the Disney classic film “Aladdin.”

I often feel like a voiceless minority. Arabs do not have a box in the United States census, so we are categorized as White, yet we do not share in the privilege that comes along with being the majority.

I often feel trapped. One of the beauties of Metro-Detroit is its diversity, however, I do not feel safety in numbers. I love the United States, but why do I feel the need to make that clear? Why does my patriotism need to be proved?

In these ways, I can relate to the City of Detroit. Over 700,000 beautiful living, breathing humans, each with a mind of their own, with their own passions, beliefs, and choice are judged as a single entity. Detroit has always been full of great people, but many non-Detroiters judge the city by the actions of the few. This needs to stop. People need to see the beauty and brilliance of the city.

So the question, with no simple answer, is how do we begin to change this mind set? I am eager discover some of its answers.