NFS: Hi Sue! Can you begin by describing the MPAC Hollywood Bureau’s mission and role within the entertainment industry?
SO: Of course, but first, I would like to thank you for this opportunity. The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau is a department within the Muslim Public Affairs Council Foundation (MPAC®). MPAC is a public policy organization doing work at the intersection of policy (through our outreach in Washington) and cultural/societal change (through entertainment media). We are not a lobbying organization, but we focus our efforts on outreach, education, and research. We believe that what happens in entertainment ultimately impacts legislation in Washington, DC.
Here is the elevator speech about the MPAC Hollywood Bureau:
The MPAC® Hollywood Bureau changes the narrative of Islam and Muslims in the entertainment industry so that audiences see Muslims as vital contributors to creating social and cultural change in America and around the world. We do this by engaging decision makers and creatives to improve the quality of authentic, nuanced, and inclusive depictions of Islam and Muslims. We also create opportunities for Muslim storytellers to tell their own stories.
Our main role within the entertainment industry is to promote cultural change through consulting on TV/film projects, develop and create/maintain a talent pipeline through our screenwriting labs and fellowships, and thought leadership by organizing and speaking on industry panels.
Credit: MPAC Hollywood Bureau
NFS: I understand the organization has had a steady presence at several notable festivals this year, including Tribeca, SXSW, and ATX TV Fest. Can you tell us more about your programming across these different industry events?
SO: These and other festivals like the Sundance Film Festival give the MPAC Hollywood Bureau a strong platform to engage with industry creatives and executives across the industry and from both Muslim and ally communities. It allows us to present our thought leadership through our panel discussions, where we discuss important issues like representation, film financing and distribution, and how the entertainment industry can impact policy and legislation. These events allow us to center Muslim voices in a space that does not proactively include us. It allows other emerging communities, including other creatives and decision makers, to engage with Muslim talent. These events are a great networking opportunity for everyone. It helps in having us be seen as global contributors and the wonderful people we are.
NFS: Do you have a favorite memory or anecdote from MPAC’s programming throughout the first half of 2025?
SO: On June 24th, Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York. This is historic for American-Muslim communities, and really America at large. However, the level of vitriol towards him is unreal. I am not sure why I am surprised, because people fear what they don’t know. Now that we are halfway through 2025, I’m reflecting on all the programming the MPAC Hollywood Bureau has done to elevate conversations around Muslim narratives and storytelling, which of course, includes the constant and gentle education that is needed of others about Muslims and Islam, not to preach but undo a lot of mis- and disinformation.
The anecdote is a reminder of just how vital this work is, not just to the industry but to the country. This is not lost on me.
NFS: Tell us more about the MPAC Hollywood Bureau’s creative consultancy work. How do you approach your collaboration with writers in ensuring appropriate and nuanced Muslim representation in their storytelling?
SO: Our approach is very simple. We want to be additive and want folks to like working with us, not because we want or need to be “likeable” but because we understand that there is a lot of wrong information about us and want to create an environment where outreach and education are comfortable, fun, but most importantly, enlightening. We decided long ago that the MPAC Hollywood Bureau is not going to be a watchdog of the industry. There are plenty of benefits to being a watchdog organization, but we felt that, because this is the long game, we would be better off being “partners” to the entertainment industry for the reasons above. Our consulting involves focusing not just on positive portrayals, but authentic and nuanced ones. We also focus on separating “Muslim culture” from the religion of Islam. There are so many cultural practices that come out of the Muslim-majority countries that even Muslims get them confused. We work hard to separate the two. Additionally, we work with writers’ rooms to better develop characters and narratives that include Muslims and Islam. Oftentimes, we are just available to answer questions so the writers’ room can do its thing. Our most recent fun project was consulting on Deli Boys, which is on Hulu. We are hoping that it gets renewed for a second season and gets nominated for tons of Emmy Awards in July.
Credit: MPAC Hollywood Bureau
NFS: At such a politically fraught period in U.S. and global history, your advocacy work must take on particular significance. How does an organization like MPAC navigate the current political climate while still staying true to its mission?
SO: These are pretty crazy times for sure. I grew up as an immigrant from the Middle East. I have lived through the racism after the Arab oil embargo in the mid-70s, the Iranian hostage crisis in the late-70s, and 9/11 in 2001. Sometimes I am surprised at how used to the pain I am, which is a bit scary. Getting used to pain is not necessarily a good thing. Currently, in moments of international conflict like the war in Gaza, Islamophobic political rhetoric across the country and from our country’s leadership, anti-semistism, the crisis with our immigrants – both documented and undocumented – the global refugee crises, it is kind of hard to stay positive, but we have no other choice. The other choice we don’t have is to deviate from our true selves. We stay on point by continuing to reach out to decision-makers within the entertainment industry to offer roundtable discussions to studios on how these issues impact storylines and narratives, and truthfully, how people feel about Muslims and Islam. We also care very deeply about the morale of American-Muslim creatives whose voices and talents are crucial in telling stories that speak to the moment. The entertainment industry is the most powerful industry there is because it impacts people’s thinking and beliefs.
NFS: Islam can obviously encompass all kinds of racial and ethnic diversity. How does MPAC advocate for such diversity in Hollywood beyond its emphasis on Muslim representation?
SO: Great question. There are almost 2 billion Muslims around the globe, and we are definitely not a monolith. If the religion of Islam is being represented in a screenplay or series, then the main focus is to make sure it is being represented accurately, especially when the Quran (Islam’s scripture) is quoted. With regards to the racial and ethnic diversity, when we have roundtables with writers’ rooms, then we discuss the makeup of the global Muslim community.
If a particular Muslim community is part of the story/narrative, then we will make sure there is accuracy and authenticity there. If we are not subject matter experts, then we will pull in those who are. The Black Muslim community is the largest Muslim community in America, making up around 25%. Hollywood usually focuses on Arab and South Asian Muslims as characters. The Black Muslim community is the only one we proactively try to elevate when consulting. What I mean is – if there is a character of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent, we discuss changing the character to a Black Muslim because this community is the majority of Muslims in America, and yet their narratives are almost invisible in the entertainment industry. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Credit: MPAC Hollywood Bureau
NFS: Are there any creatives in the industry whose career trajectory you are especially excited about?
SO: Oh, yes. Besides the more visible ones like Mo Amer, Ramy Youssef, Hasan Minhaj, be on the lookout for comedian Yasmin Elhady of Muslim Matchmaker, writer/director Nida Manzoor of We Are Lady Parts, writer/director Iman Zawahry of American-ish, and writer/director of Queen of My Dreams, and writer/actor Aizzah Fatima of American-ish but also the national Capital One commercials. They are doing some great stuff.
NFS: Do you have any upcoming programs or events you would like to tell us more about?
SO: I am excited to be speaking on a panel at Comic-Con on July 24, 2025. The Muslim House® will be back at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25 & 26. This will be the last one in Park City, so we expect it to be huge.
Thank you again for this opportunity.
Credit: MPAC Hollywood Bureau
Credit: MPAC Hollywood Bureau
Credit: MPAC Hollywood Bureau
Credit: MPAC Hollywood Bureau
