To future Arab Americans considering service: Know this—your identity is not a burden to carry.
By Deena Duwaik (RPCV Morocco 2016-18)
My name is Deena Duwaik—a proud and unapologetic Palestinian American woman, systems thinker, and lifelong advocate for liberation and equity. I’ve spent my life bridging worlds, uplifting the voices of the marginalized, and reimagining what justice looks like in action.
From 2016 to 2018, I served in Morocco as a Youth Development Volunteer with the Peace Corps, living in a small town tucked into the Middle Atlas Mountains. I arrived with a deep desire to build community and cross-cultural understanding. For me, service was never about charity—it was about connection.
As a Palestinian American, I’ve always lived in the tension between erasure and visibility. I wanted to show up in the fullness of my identity, to build relationships rooted in mutual respect, and to challenge narratives that have historically excluded people like me. I saw service as a form of resistance—grounded in empathy, listening, and shared humanity.
Peace Corps fundamentally reshaped my understanding of systems, power, and proximity. It made me sharper and more attuned to the nuances of community-driven work. I became relentless in my pursuit of equity and justice. Service expanded not just my language fluency but my capacity for cultural humility and transformative leadership.
That experience set the foundation for the work I do today. I currently serve in the Division of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs for the City and County of Denver, helping ensure our immigrant and refugee communities have meaningful access to government services through language justice and equity initiatives. I also sit on several nonprofit boards and lead equity audits, trainings, and systems-change efforts across Colorado.
One of the most influential moments during my service came during a storytelling workshop I facilitated with local youth. After the session, a young girl approached me and said, “I’ve never thought I had anything worth saying before.” That moment will stay with me forever. It reminded me that creating space for others to be heard is a radical act—especially for those the world so often silences. That same girl now leads women’s empowerment classes in her community, passing down those lessons to future generations.
Morocco changed me. Every moment of my service helped shape the trajectory of my life.
To future Arab Americans considering service: Know this—your identity is not a burden to carry. It is a legacy of resistance, survival, and unwavering pride. You come from a lineage that has endured borders, bombs, and betrayals—and still found ways to dance, to love, to create. That is revolutionary.
You hold multitudes—languages, landscapes, ancestral memories—and that depth equips you to build bridges where others only see walls. You will not always be understood. Sometimes your very presence will disrupt. Let it. Disruption is often the first step toward transformation.
In rooms that were never built for you, you will challenge assumptions simply by existing, by speaking your name, by telling your story. Your visibility is a form of reclamation. Your joy is a form of protest.
Service, for us, is not about assimilation. It’s about showing up fully, unapologetically, and demanding a broader definition of belonging.
Carry your culture like a compass. Let it guide you. Let it ground you. Let it remind you that your voice, your history, and your people deserve to be centered—not sidelined. You do not need to become palatable to be powerful. You belong not in spite of your identity, but because of it.
So walk into every room with your head high, your back straight, and your ancestors behind you.
You are not just serving. You are shifting the narrative.
April marks Arab American Heritage Month—a time to reflect on the rich cultural traditions, lived experiences, and far-reaching contributions of Arab Americans across the United States. One of the powerful yet often overlooked arenas where Arab Americans have made a lasting impact is international service, mainly through the Peace Corps. Since its founding in 1961, the Peace Corps has invited Americans to serve communities around the globe, and Arab Americans have been essential to this mission. Their service reflects a deep dedication to cross-cultural exchange, mutual respect, and global citizenship. Roughly 20 percent of Peace Corps Volunteers have served in predominantly Muslim countries, reflecting the agency’s long-standing commitment to building relationships across cultures. As we celebrate Arab American Heritage Month, we honor the dedication, courage, and vision of Arab American Volunteers—past and present—whose stories remind us of the power of service to unite and transform.
Thank you, Deena, and all Arab Americans who have served!