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Anisa Mehdi

Anisa Mehdi is an Emmy Award-winning journalist specializing in religion, and the arts. She is Artistic Director of “Documentary Voices: Pulling Focus,” Dubai 2008 ( www.documentaryvoices.com) and media consultant to the Abraham Path Initiative ( www.abrahampath.org). For over 20 years she has reported, written, directed and produced television news and documentary programs for major American media outlets, including National Geographic, PBS, ABC News, and CBS. Her commentaries have been heard on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” She has written perspective pieces for newspapers, magazines and Internet sites. Anisa Mehdi is founder and president of Whetstone Productions, a New Jersey-based production and consulting company. She is adjunct Professor of Communications at Seton Hall University ( www.shu.edu).

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Communication professor, Anisa Mehdi, has been awarded a 2009-2010 Fulbright Fellowship to teach in Jordan. The entire page can be found at http://www.shu.edu/news/news-details.cfm?customel_datapageid_12463=159320

Anisa Mehdi named 2009-10 Fulbright Scholar. Anisa Mehdi will be off to Amman, Jordan, to work with professionals and students in media and communications for the upcoming academic year. The Fulbright Scholars Program is designed to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.” http://www.cies.org/about_fulb.htm

North Dakota State University hosted Anisa Mehdi on April 27 as part of its Social Justice Series. Anisa gave a talk on Muslim women, using clips from her documentary films "Inside Mecca," "Muslims," Nightline's "UpClose," and Unity Productions Foundation's "Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet." http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/winjum/ Diversity%20Website/calendar.php?cid=211&m=04&y=2009

Middle East Debate Set For April 22 At Bridgewater College

BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Anisa Mehdi and Michael Lame will debate "Disagreeing on Everything: A Debate on Attaining Peace in the Middle East" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, in the Carter Center for Worship and Music at Bridgewater College. Please click on thelink for more information.

Mehdi family announces $800 prize for 2009 Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. Applications due:May 1, 2009. Please click on thelink for more information.

Thursday, March 19, 2009 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm: Intersections International is proud to present Anisa Mehdi and Michael Lame atThe West End Lectures. This year's series focuses on the theme, 'The Heart of Conflict: Pathways to Peace and features four national and internationally known presenters who will speak about various aspects of conflict transformation from their own personal histories. http://www.intersectionsinternational.org/node/272

Tuesday, March 17: “Inside Mecca” will be screened at Duke University. Anisa Mehdi, producer/director, will present the film and answer questions.

Thursday, March 12, 6:30pm: Women in Religion, a series of lectures at the Center for Religious Inquiry, St. Bartholomew’s Church. Womenin Islam is presented by Anisa Mehdi. http://www.stbarts.org/cri-courses.asp

February 7-8: The Iranian Revolution: Thirty Years, a conference at Rutgers University. Featuring the debut of photos by Randy H. Goodman, the only American photographer in Iran, 1980-1983. http://mideast.rutgers.edu/EVENTS/Upcoming%20Events/Iran%20Revolution.html

February 5: ItaliaArabia at the Chelsea Art Museum. Panel discussion: “The Role of Art in Cross Cultural Exchange.” ItaliaArabia juxtaposes 80 works by mid-twentieth century Italian and Egyptian, Lebanese, Syrian, and Iranian artists. Panel includes Sam Bardaouil, curator, ItaliaArabia, Jay Levenson - Director of International Programs at MoMA, Pippin Parker - Director of Betrayed, Head of Writing at The New School, Pari

Shirazi, Dean of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and Anisa Mehdi, arts and religion specialist. http://chelseaartmuseum.org/events/

Winter 2008: Anisa Mehdi featured in the French magazine“Femme du Monde,” a Muslim women’s magazine.

November 20, 2008:Islamorama at Wellesley College. Anisa Mehdi invited to speak on a panel during this week-long intensive at her Alma mater, called “Muslims in America: Combating Islamophobia in an Age of Change.”

Governor Jon Corzine and Muslim elected officals, activists and leaders. October 24, 2008: Governor Jon Corzine, surrounded by elected officials, activists and leaders of the Muslim and Arab-American community, signed an executive order at the Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, creating the New Jersey Arab-American Heritage Commission, the first of its kind in the nation. Hany Mawla, Chair. Anisa Mehdi, Commissioner. http://www.tsmmedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=44%3Anew-jersey&id=59%3Ahistory-making-in-new-jersey-launch-of-the-arab-american-heritage-commission&Itemid=66

October 23, 2008: Images and Perceptions of Arab Americans: A Cultural Workshop at Arab Detroit. Anisa Mehdi, keynote. http://www.arabdetroit.com/images/workshop.pdf

September 2008: US Department of State launches Whetstone Productions’ five-part extreme short series on Ramadan in America. http://www.america.gov/multimedia/video.html?videoId=1476684053

Whetstone Productions launches documentary film initiative in Dubai. “Documentary Voices: Pulling Focus” brings American, Arab, and Iranian filmmakers for screenings and networking sessions at Dubai’s Knowledge Village, July 4-8, 2008. Anisa Mehdi is project Artistic Director.www.documentaryvoices.com

Whetstone Productions initiates training program for documentary filmmakers at Jordan Television. http://www.jfsfilms.com/prJORDAN.htm

Anisa Mehdi named media consultant to the Abraham Path Initiative. API began at the Global Negotiation Project of Harvard University. API aims to inspire and support the opening of a long distance route of cultural and historical tourism following the journey of Abraham 4,000 years ago. See www.abrahampath.org.

Britain’s CTVC comes to the USA to make four episodes of “Shariah TV.” US project producer: Catherine Sadjedi Oberg. Senior project consultant: Anisa Mehdi. http://www.ctvc.co.uk/shariah_tv.html

Now available: Complete texts ofAnisa’s Star Ledger perspective pieces.

"Disagreeing on Everything" a new lecture series featuring Anisa Mehdi and Michael Lame discussing and debating the Middle East. For information and
booking, go to:http://www.wolfmanproductions.com/disagree.html

“You made important points about the role of art and creative expression [inThose who have faith know art cannot threaten it, Star-Ledger, September 29, 2006]. The piece is needed both for Muslims and others. Your message seems to be speaking to all quarters.”

David Bossman, Professor, Department of Jewish-Christian Studies, Seton Hall University; Editor, Biblical Theology Bulletin

“I really enjoyed the interview I had today with Anisa Mehdi. She gives such thoughtful and clear answers. I could talk to her over and over.”

David Lile, KFRU radio talk show host

“I was asked to name the 15-20 most influential US Muslims who are shaping what Muslims and non-Muslim think about Islam and Muslims and [Anisa Mehdi was] on my list.”

Tayyibah Taylor, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Azizah Magazine

“INSIDE MECCA”
A NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC SPECIAL
ON PBS

Learn more about this
documentary

View other documentaries
by Anisa Mehdi

Did you know the late Dr. Mohammad T. Mehdi, head of the American Arab
Relations Committee and National Council on Islamic Affairs?

How did he impress you?

How did he inspire you?

In what circumstances and when did your paths cross?

As she begins an in-depth biography of her father, Anisa Mehdi requests your input as a source of primary research. Please send a story about or a memory of Dr. M.T. Mehdi to "An Arab Looks at America": anarablooksatamerica@hotmail.com .

Include your contact information for possible follow-up.