Going to Indianapolis? Hit up these Arab spots!

It’s such a rewarding experience to get to talk to someone whose work you’ve admired for a while.

That’s how it felt interviewing Edward Curtis IV, a Syrian-American historian who grew up in Indianapolis. I found him on Twitter a few years ago when his books Muslims of the Heartland and Arab Indianapolis were published and was super impressed with the work he does to catalog and honor Arab communities in the Midwest. Considering how many people respond, “There are Palestinians in Alabama?!” when I tell them where I’m from, this resonated with me.

So I was thrilled to get to chat with him for Arts Midwest! He essentially gave me the Arab tour of present-day Indianapolis, so be sure to support these incredible spots next time you’re in the area.