Zawaya is a non-profit enriching the Bay Area through Arab arts. True to its name meaning “aspects,” or “corners” it reveals Arab culture’s many facets via music training and performance. We build bridges between communities, creating spaces for education, expression, and unity through art.
Founded in 2003 by Nabila Mango and Haya Shawwa Ben Halim, two Arab-American women who recognized that the challenges faced by the Arab-American community in the Bay Area requires a creative response.
How We Started
What We Do
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
We provide an opportunity to train and perform in folkloric and classical Arab music in the Bay Area. Our work emphasizes inter-community collaboration in the arts, effectively building bridges between the Bay Area's diverse communities. Through the universal languages of music and art, we create spaces for education, expression, and community building.
Why We Do It
At its heart, Zawaya is a service organization. The past decades have witnessed a dramatic spike in explicit hate crimes and daily prejudice against Arabs. For a community that feels besieged, music is a powerful source of pride and celebration. By aiming to address stereotypes and misconceptions, Zawaya offers an authentic image of Arab Americans and their rich civilization—a valuable source of strength for American society.
Our Impact
For over 20 years, Zawaya has been a pillar of culture, art, and music for the Bay Area's diverse Arabic-speaking population. Since Aswat Ensemble's first performance in 2000, we have consistently presented music, poetry, and dance from all corners of the Arab world. Just imagine the hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of hours our community members have collectively spent humming, strumming, and drumming to the beat of the darbuka.