In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Arab and Muslim-American children often found themselves caught between two worlds — the American world in which they lived and felt a part of, and a perceived identity, marked with discrimination, suddenly assigned to them because of their appearance, ethnicity or religion.

Author Moustafa Bayoumi is author of How Does it Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America, which tells the stories of seven young Arab Americans who struggle to navigate through a post-Sept. 11 world. Bayoumi explains why he wrote the book, shares thoughts on whether national tensions toward Arab-Americans have eased since the 2001 attacks, and if the U.S. government is working hard enough to help curb negative perspectives.

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