I’m Karim Shamsi-Basha, a Syrian American journalist, author, photographer and occasional stand-up comedian. I created Arab in Alabama to share stories of identity, family, culture, food and the quirks of life in the South through reflection, humor and a dash of irreverence.

This newsletter is a space to explore the past that shapes us, the challenges that teach us and the laughter that connects us. Through memoir-inspired essays, offbeat observations, Syrian and Southern collisions and food-filled musings, Arab in Alabama celebrates the shared humanity beneath our differences.

Here, roots meet red clay, family reckonings share space with family recipes, and aunny riffs soften the sharp edges of belonging.

These are the stories between the stories, the ones that do not always fit into magazines or newspapers but live vividly in memory, kitchens, conversations and quiet reflections. These stories are personal.

You can expect new essays in your inbox weekly, each rooted in lived experience, cultural crossings and the gentle absurdities of everyday life.

I say the following with humility: My work has appeared in NJ.com, AL.com, HuffPost, National Geographic Traveler, Sports Illustrated, People, Time, Newsweek, Southern Living, Coastal Living, Aramco World, The New York Times and The Washington Post. My children’s book, “The Cat Man of Aleppo,” received the 2021 Caldecott Honor, the Middle East Book Award and five starred reviews. I write a monthly humor column for WritersDigest.com and have spoken worldwide about books, writing, photojournalism, belonging and what it means to live between America and the Middle East.

If you enjoy thoughtful storytelling, cultural reflection and finding humor in unexpected places, you will feel at home here.

Welcome to Arab in Alabama.