RIYADH: In 2014, Lebanese millennial Mikey Muhanna was living in New York. Despite having a healthy social scene swirling around him, he yearned for a community in which he could connect with fellow Arabs in a way that made sense to him and his “nerdy” sensibility. His brainchild, Afikra — a platform for salon-style community gatherings — was born out of a personal quest to reconnect with his Arab roots.
In doing so, he unknowingly embarked on a journey that would eventually lead him to become the steward of a unique global movement. As a former school teacher, Muhanna was inspired by the Pen League, a collective of active Arabs and Arab-American wordsmiths living in New York a century before. He, too, wanted to collaborate and collide with fellow Arab residents in the area who wanted to explore and reflect upon their heritage and their sense of belonging.
He didn’t want to linger on stereotypes associating Arabs with violence and oppression; he wanted to exchange ideas about other Arab identities and histories, to be part of something that went deeper than a text book or social media. He started small with a humble gathering of like-minded people in Brooklyn, hosting Afikra nights first in his own apartment, and then in those of other members. Fast-forward to 2024, and Afikra (which roughly translates to “and by the way”) now has more than 200,000 members globally and has become a brand in its own right.
When people see the Afikra logo, they know they can expec.
