The Santos Manuel Student Union Cross Cultural Center and the Cal State San Bernardino Center for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies will present “Syrianamericana: A Nation-State of Mind,” a performance by Syrian-American rapper and poet Omar Offendum. The event will take place beginning at 6 p.m. at the Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center on the CSUSB campus. The event is free, but tickets are required and can be obtained at the SMSU Cross Cultural Center’s Eventbrite page online. From the jasmine tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbani's Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughes’ Harlem Renaissance poems, “Syrianamericana: A Nation-State of Mind,” Offendum’s unique performance-lecture, is equal parts presentation/conversation. Offendum is known for his unique blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, and has been featured on prominent world news outlets, lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions, and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups. A graduate of the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture, Offendum was born in Saudi Arabia and raised in Washington, D.C. He has been able to carve a distinct path for himself as a thoughtful entertainer/activist, able to speak to a multitude of relevant issues and diverse global audiences over the course of his decade-long career. Offendum was named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow for 2018-19.