Chicago Arab American woman’s craft business Always Arabic bridges culture gaps with Arabic products for home and school [Video]

CHICAGO (WLS) — A local Arab American woman is combining her culture with her craft and taking her business nationwide with the help of a local grant.

Manal Taqatqa was just about to give up on her craft business Always Arabic, when she received a $5,000 grant from the Arab American Business and Professional Association. Now her dreams of putting Arab culture on the map are coming true.

“This is something related to identity that you cannot change,” she said.

Taqatqa started Always Arabic in 2020 when she noticed a lack of Arabic products in the U.S.

“The American culture is beautiful, but when the kids step out of the house, it is different and it will cause them some type of confusion, especially if the parents are born in the Middle East,” said Taqatqa, whose parents are from Jordan.

She’s bridging that culture gap by customizing things like notebooks, bookmarks, bags and …