HOLLYWOOD – In collaboration with Hollywood Bureau at the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) in Lower Manhattan, the Writers Guild of America East hosted a panel on March 25 that calls for a better media portrayal of Muslims, Hollywood Reporter reports.
“There’s some wonderful representation that’s happening in the industry, but the little that we’re seeing isn’t nearly enough,” director of MPAC’s Hollywood bureau, Sue Obeidi said.
Obeidi said that MPAC has consulted on Muslim portrayal in some series including Grey’s Anatomy, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Affair, and The Looming Tower.
MPAC hosted the 90-minute panel to shed light on current bright spots of Muslim representation in American media.
The event also emphasized the need for improvement and offered insight for the audience of aspiring writers and industry peers on the next steps necessary to accomplish those goals.
“We’re excited about the momentum that’s happening in the industry, and we don’t want this to be a fleeting moment but a movement towards not only inclusion but respect and appreciation of the Muslim community,” he continued.
The event included a discussion with Muslim writers and creators like Negin Farsad of ‘The Muslims Are Coming!’, Farhan Arshad of ‘CBS Man With a Plan’, Amber Fares of ‘America Inside Out With Katie Couric’, and Maysoon Zayid, a disability advocate and founder of the annual New York Arab-American Comedy Festival.
