How the MPAC Hollywood Bureau is Rewriting the Script on Muslim Representation

From breaking bread throughout coasts to advocating for an inclusive Hollywood by means of trustworthy op-eds, the tutorial work that MPAC® Hollywood Bureau conducts has at all times stored group on the forefront. This system is led by Director Sue Obeidi, the center of MPAC’s Hollywood Bureau.That group ensures Islam is precisely portrayed in media, and that creatives from these communities and past are related, creating probably the most nuanced, absolute best movie and tv works. This was a robust dialog about Hollywood and the state of the world.Let’s dive in.Credit score: MPAC Hollywood BureauNFS: Hello Sue! Can you start by describing the MPAC Hollywood Bureau’s mission and function throughout the leisure business? SO: After all, however first, I wish to thanks for this chance. The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau is a division throughout the Muslim Public Affairs Council Basis (MPAC®). MPAC is a public coverage group doing work on the intersection of coverage (by means of our outreach in Washington) and cultural/societal change (by means of leisure media). We’re not a lobbying group, however we focus our efforts on outreach, training, and analysis. We consider that what occurs in leisure in the end impacts laws in Washington, DC.Right here is the elevator speech in regards to the MPAC Hollywood Bureau:The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau modifications the narrative of Islam and Muslims within the leisure business in order that audiences see Muslims as important contributors to creating social and cultural change in America and world wide. We do that by partaking resolution makers and creatives to enhance the standard of genuine, nuanced, and inclusive depictions of Islam and Muslims. We additionally create alternatives for Muslim storytellers to inform their very own tales.Our principal function throughout the leisure business is to advertise cultural change by means of consulting on TV/movie initiatives, develop and create/preserve a expertise pipeline by means of our screenwriting labs and fellowships, and thought management by organizing and talking on business panels.Credit score: MPAC Hollywood BureauNFS: I perceive the group has had a gentle presence at a number of notable festivals this 12 months, together with Tribeca, SXSW, and ATX TV Fest. Are you able to inform us extra about your programming throughout these totally different business occasions?SO: These and different festivals just like the Sundance Movie Competition give the MPAC Hollywood Bureau a powerful platform to have interaction with business creatives and executives throughout the business and from each Muslim and ally communities. It permits us to current our thought management by means of our panel discussions, the place we talk about necessary points like illustration, movie financing and distribution, and the way the leisure business can influence coverage and laws. These occasions enable us to heart Muslim voices in an area that doesn’t proactively embody us. It permits different rising communities, together with different creatives and resolution makers, to have interaction with Muslim expertise. These occasions are an ideal networking alternative for everybody. It helps in having us be seen as international contributors and the fantastic folks we’re.NFS: Do you’ve gotten a favourite reminiscence or anecdote from MPAC’s programming all through the primary half of 2025?SO: On June twenty fourth, Zohran Mamdani gained the Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York. That is historic for American-Muslim communities, and actually America at giant. Nevertheless, the extent of vitriol in direction of him is unreal. I’m not positive why I’m stunned, as a result of folks worry what they don’t know. Now that we’re midway by means of 2025, I’m reflecting on all of the programming the MPAC Hollywood Bureau has finished to raise conversations round Muslim narratives and storytelling, which after all, contains the fixed and delicate training that’s wanted of others about Muslims and Islam, to not preach however undo numerous mis- and disinformation.The anecdote is a reminder of simply how important this work is, not simply to the business however to the nation. This isn’t misplaced on me.NFS: Inform us extra in regards to the MPAC Hollywood Bureau’s artistic consultancy work. How do you method your collaboration with writers in making certain acceptable and nuanced Muslim illustration of their storytelling?SO: Our method may be very easy. We need to be additive and wish of us to love working with us, not as a result of we wish or have to be “likeable” however as a result of we perceive that there’s a lot of unsuitable details about us and need to create an atmosphere the place outreach and training are comfy, enjoyable, however most significantly, enlightening. We determined way back that the MPAC Hollywood Bureau isn’t going to be a watchdog of the business. There are many advantages to being a watchdog group, however we felt that, as a result of that is the lengthy sport, we’d be higher off being “companions” to the leisure business for the explanations above. Our consulting entails focusing not simply on constructive portrayals, however genuine and nuanced ones. We additionally concentrate on separating “Muslim tradition” from the faith of Islam. There are such a lot of cultural practices that come out of the Muslim-majority nations that even Muslims get them confused. We work laborious to separate the 2. Moreover, we work with writers’ rooms to raised develop characters and narratives that embody Muslims and Islam. Oftentimes, we’re simply accessible to reply questions so the writers’ room can do its factor. Our most up-to-date enjoyable mission was consulting on Deli Boys, which is on Hulu. We hope that it will get renewed for a second season and will get nominated for tons of Emmy Awards in July.Credit score: MPAC Hollywood BureauNFS: At such a politically fraught interval in U.S. and international historical past, your advocacy work should tackle explicit significance. How does a company like MPAC navigate the present political local weather whereas nonetheless staying true to its mission?SO: These are fairly loopy occasions for positive. I grew up as an immigrant from the Center East. I’ve lived by means of the racism after the Arab oil embargo within the mid-70s, the Iranian hostage disaster within the late-70s, and 9/11 in 2001. Typically I’m stunned at how used to the ache I’m, which is a bit scary. Getting used to ache isn’t essentially an excellent factor. At the moment, in moments of worldwide battle just like the struggle in Gaza, Islamophobic political rhetoric throughout the nation and from our nation’s management, anti-semistism, the disaster with our immigrants – each documented and undocumented – the worldwide refugee crises, it’s sort of laborious to remain constructive, however we now have no different selection. The opposite selection we don’t have is to deviate from our true selves. We keep on level by persevering with to succeed in out to decision-makers throughout the leisure business to supply roundtable discussions to studios on how these points influence storylines and narratives, and honestly, how folks really feel about Muslims and Islam. We additionally care very deeply in regards to the morale of American-Muslim creatives whose voices and abilities are essential in telling tales that talk to the second. The leisure business is probably the most highly effective business there may be as a result of it impacts folks’s considering and beliefs.NFS: Islam can clearly embody every kind of racial and ethnic variety. How does MPAC advocate for such variety in Hollywood past its emphasis on Muslim illustration?SO: Nice query. There are virtually 2 billion Muslims across the globe, and we’re undoubtedly not a monolith. If the faith of Islam is being represented in a screenplay or sequence, then the primary focus is to ensure it’s being represented precisely, particularly when the Quran (Islam’s scripture) is quoted. Almost about the racial and ethnic variety, when we now have roundtables with writers’ rooms, then we talk about the make-up of the worldwide Muslim group.If a specific Muslim group is a part of the story/narrative, then we are going to be sure that there may be accuracy and authenticity there. If we’re not subject material specialists, then we are going to pull in those that are. The Black Muslim group is the biggest Muslim group in America, making up round 25%. Hollywood normally focuses on Arab and South Asian Muslims as characters. The Black Muslim group is the one one we proactively attempt to elevate when consulting. What I imply is – if there’s a character of Center Jap or South Asian descent, we talk about altering the character to a Black Muslim as a result of this group is almost all of Muslims in America, and but their narratives are virtually invisible within the leisure business. Typically that works, generally it doesn’t. Credit score: MPAC Hollywood BureauNFS: Are there any creatives within the business whose profession trajectory you might be particularly enthusiastic about?SO: Oh, sure. Apart from the extra seen ones like Mo Amer, Ramy Youssef, Hasan Minhaj, be looking out for comic Yasmin Elhady of Muslim Matchmaker, author/director Nida Manzoor of We Are Girl Elements, author/director Iman Zawahry of American-ish, and author/director of Queen of My Desires, and author/actor Aizzah Fatima of American-ish but in addition the nationwide Capital One commercials. They’re performing some nice stuff.NFS: Do you’ve gotten any upcoming packages or occasions you wish to inform us extra about?SO: I’m excited to be talking on a panel at Comedian-Con on July 24, 2025. The Muslim Home® can be again on the Sundance Movie Competition on January 25 & 26. This would be the final one in Park Metropolis, so we anticipate it to be big.Thanks once more for this chance.