Friend,

As we continue to celebrate Arab American Heritage Month, I hope that we take this opportunity to recognize the great prgress our community has made and the power we have built. We have faced challenges in having our contributions recognized in politics, business, and culture, and through the hard work of people like you, we are now celebrated for our talents and endeavors.

This week, I am excited to honor our heritage by highlighting Gigi and Bella Hadid, both accomplished leaders in the fashion industry and compassionate advocates in their own right. We hope you will read more about the careers and activism of both Gigi Hadid [[link removed]] and Bella Hadid [[link removed]] and look out for another feature of an inspiring Arab American next week!


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Gigi Hadid is one of the most recognizable and admired names in fashion and beauty. As a supermodel, she has risen to the top of her field, doing it all while establishing a reputation for her incredible work ethic and compassion. As a human rights advocate, Gigi Hadid has been a fierce advocate for refugees and in 2018 partnered with UNICEF to engage with refugee communities in Bangladesh and Senegal. More recently, she has been outspoken on aiding Ukranians. And given her deep pride in her ethnic heritage, Hadid uses her hard earned platform to amplify her solidarity with Palestine and lift up her heritage.

She began her modeling career at two years old in a Baby Guess campaign. After signing with IMG Models in 2011, Hadid made her New York Fashion Week debut in 2014 and has since walked for top fashion brands internationally including Versace, Chanel, Fendi, Prada, Burberry, Balmain, and Marc Jacobs. She has also appeared on the cover of numerous fashion magazines, American Vogue among them. In addition, Gigi works as a designer and has collaborated with well-known brands like Tommy Hilfiger in this role, demonstrating the reach she has in the industry.

Her many modeling accolades include the “Model of the Year” Award she received at the First Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards, the Models.com Industry Awards “Model of the Year: Women (Reader’s Choice)” award, and more. And when not winning prestigious awards, she can be found sharing her favorite recipes on her Instagram story highlight,“From My Kitchen,” including her famous pasta sauce.

Born to former Dutch model Yolanda Hadid and Palestinian real estate developer, Mohamed Hadid, Gigi has engaged in activism around Palestinian human rights and causes for years. Most recently, following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Hadid pledged to donate her earnings from the Fall 2022 fashion shows to aid those in Ukraine and continue supporting Palestinians who suffer from occupation. Like other Arab Americans who have been targeted for speaking out in support of Palestinian human rights, Gigi has faced attacks for showing support for Palestine. Despite these harmful episodes, Gigi remains committed to her activism and solidarity with Palestinians. In the summer of 2021, with the escalating violence and forced evictions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah, Hadid was again vocal using her powerful platform to lift up human rights abuses under occupation, speaking on what it means to be Palestinian, and condeming bigotry in all its forms.

Gigi Hadid is a young and prominent leader both in fashion and activism, and we are proud to recognize her achievements and honor her this month.


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“She leads with her heart, and that’s beautiful,” says sister Gigi Hadid. “That’s the magic of Bella.”

Bella Hadid is an American supermodel and former equestrian who boldly speaks out about mental health, her experience with lyme disease, and human rights violations committed against Palestinians.

She made her modeling debut in 2015 at New York Fashion Week, modeling for Tom Ford. As her career began to take flight, she walked runways for Diane von Furstenberg (DVF), Tommy Hilfiger, Jeremy Scott, Marc Jacobs, and more. She has also been an ambassador for Dior makeup for the last six years and has contracts with top brands, Bulgari and Fendi.

Growing up, Bella was a talented equestrian and aspired to continue the sport in a professional capacity, though ultimately she shifted her focus to modeling.

Hadid has used her platform to contribute positive change to the world, and she has shown this through her activism. Following the election of Donald Trump, Bella, alongside her sister and fellow supermodel Gigi, participated in a #NoBanNoWall protest against the former President’s travel ban on Muslims and refugees and border wall construction. She is also consistently active on social media around Palestinian human rights, including engagement on the displacement of and violence against Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

Bella has advocated for environmental justice by donating 600 trees to compensate for the carbon emissions used for her air travel in 2019. In recent years, she has also opened up about her mental health struggles and the invisible pain and fatigue she experiences from Lyme disease, which she was diagnosed with in 2013. She makes it a point to prioritize her health, though she is still committed to going above and beyond in her work.

Bella and Gigi Hadid engage thoughtfully in any endeavor they take on and this is apparent in their modeling and advocacy. We are eager to celebrate their contributions during Arab American Heritage Month.

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Arab American Institute Foundation
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Washington, DC 20006
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