Itascan lose Arab United States Of America desires challenge stereotypes

As a Catholic schoolgirl exactly who was raised in Itasca and is studying is a dental practitioner, Christina Rafidia states the woman new part as neglect Arab American enable the girl to change some stereotypes of Arab females. Burt Constable | Employees Photographer

During a break in courses during the University of Illinois at Chicago, Itasca native Christina Rafidia enjoys the girl basic day as lose Arab USA. Burt Constable | Workforce Photographer

Within her brand-new part as Miss Arab American, Christina Rafidia says she wants to emphasize the range and achievements of Arab female. The Itasca local, a product of Catholic schools, intends to be a dentist. Courtesy of Skip Arab USA 2011

As a Catholic schoolgirl at St. Peter the Apostle college in Itasca, Christina Rafidia open sight and broadened heads by simply ingesting lunch.

«we liked revealing my personal food, my personal tunes, my community, my vocabulary,» remembers Rafidia, today a 22-year-old biology major in the University of Illinois at Chicago who’s getting ready the woman applications for dental school.

When you look at the peanut butter and ham sandwich arena of residential district class lunchrooms, Rafidia would unpack a meal of hummus on pita bread and explain to this lady friends that the woman entree was a staple inside her house, affected by the Jordanian origins of their mommy, Marlin, therefore the Palestinian upbringing of the girl daddy, Munir.

My mom and dad experience the most incredible relationship on earth

«folks found it truly interesting that I happened to be from another customs. Every person was really cool,» the brown-eyed Rafidia states of this lady suburban childhood. She have the same knowledge at Driscoll Catholic highschool in Addison, in which she was actually a cheerleader for four ages, is chosen to homecoming and prom courts, and competed as a gymnast on park region teams.

As recently crowed Miss Arab American, Rafidia today receives the possiblity to communicate the woman cultural credentials with her other Us citizens.

«i am thus pleased. I couldn’t consider any other ethnicity I’d desire to be,» claims Rafidia, exactly who contributes that she however «cannot feel» the moment whenever she was actually crowned neglect Arab United States Of America during a huge ceremony last sunday at mentioning Stick hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Her first complete day as neglect Arab United States Of America ended up being Sept. 11, as soon as the nation was consumed together with the tenth anniversary for the assaults on America and also the nation’s perceptions of Arabs after that and after this.

«It actually was great just to show that this is exactly what is going on today,» notes Sara Massoud, a spokeswoman for any pageant in addition to American Arab Association that sponsors it.

«i truly sympathize because of the men and women and people which experienced that,» Rafidia says with the victims of . «i am devastated by that nonetheless.»

The pageant included ladies symbolizing the 22 Arab regions, although some ladies used the hijab headscarves of these Muslim religion, the pageant is actually «nonpolitical and nonreligious,» Massoud says.

«You have to be open-minded,» states Rafidia, just who notes that she embraces this lady identification as an United states, an Arab, a woman and a Christian. This lady work, she states, should instruct people who may get bogged lower by bias or stereotypes.

«Everybody comes with the label of Arab ladies to be closed off, extremely meek, inferior compared to the boys. That’s not real,» Rafidia states with a laugh. «You will find the biggest mouth. There isn’t that problem. My task is always to depict Arab ladies in a unique light. Its totally a 50-50 thing.»

Creating not ever been a contestant in a pageant before, Rafidia says she had been amazed to make the top 100, let-alone survive the cut to 50 before being one of the 22 contestants delivered onstage for all the finals. She needed to keep reminding herself not hearing the girl identity revealed as among the runners-up was a very important thing.

«And now it’s just myself as well as the other female onstage,» Rafidia recalls. «Next thing, I have a crown on my head and I’m weeping like a tiny bit baby.»

I like that

As the vibrant Rafidia states she operates at preserving her in shape figure and constantly tries to search their top, the neglect Arab American pageant doesn’t include a bathing suit competitors or pay attention to physical elegance. Rafidia was chosen «based upon their common style, studies and world wisdom, set of skills, abilities, area contribution and solution,» according to the pageant rules.

She answered four inquiries the evaluator in English and one in Arabic, and performed the united states struck «I’m hoping your dancing» (really the only contestant whom performed in English) during an ability opposition that included everything from stomach dancing to poetry to a photography show.

«everyone ended up being amazing,» says Rafidia, exactly who adds that sharing the success of Arab female is one of the lady primary aim during the lady yearlong rule.

As a child in 1998, she visited her father’s Palestinian hometown of Nazareth in Israel and her mother’s loved ones in Amman, Jordan. As neglect Arab USA, she’s going to check out different parts of this country before she begins dental care school. Since 2007, Rafidia has-been being employed as a dental associate for the Arlington levels workplace of 1st family members Dentistry, which has organizations in Roselle, Aurora, Elgin and Chicago.

Her parents, who live in Barrington, also are sending this lady brothers, Amir, 21, and Jeremy, 18, to the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Just like she performed as some lady training class mates about hummus, Rafidia claims she wants to carry on bringing folks collectively.

«my personal favorite thing are seeing cultures mix,» Rafidia says, noting society is apparently getting decidedly more open-minded day-after-day. «Going to the supermarket and witnessing hummus can be so cool. «