Dalel B. Khalil, author of FROM VEILS TO THONGS: An Arab Chick's Survival Guide to Balancing One's Ethnic Identity in America

About the Author

Dalel B. Khalil is a Syrian-American who survived growing up in the cross-fire of two of the most diametrically opposed cultures—the East and the West. She has worked as a reporter, anchor, talk show host and morning show co-host for three of Pittsburgh's top radio stations (WDVE, WAMO, KDKA). This is her first book.

Dalel just came back from spending three months in Damascus, Syria. This was her first trip alone to the Middle East, during which time she traveled extensively all over Syria as well as to Lebanon, Jordan, and Dubai.

While in Damascus, she volunteered with Iraqi Refugees and did public relations work with the Middle East Fellowship and IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) meeting directly with UNHCR officials, and NGO's such as Mercycorps and the Red Crescent to see first hand how Syria was dealing with the Iraqi Refugee Crisis. ( Syria has open its doors, providing food, housing and medical assistance to the over 4 million Iraqis who have fled into Syria). She worked very closely with MEF and IOCC volunteering to provide critical assistance to Iraqi refugees, regardless of religious/political affiliation or income.

She also got yelled at by rude taxi drivers who begged her to speak English because they didn’t quite understand her “ghetto-fabulous” Syrian accent. (Yill an…!)

Dalel engaged in many cross-cultural forums as well as multi-faith discussions in order to create cultural understanding and promote dialogue between the East and the West—and between Islam and Christianity. Activites included exchanges with the peoples of Holland, Italy, Syria and Iraq, an exhibition featuring Iraqi artists, the Jazz Lives in Syria Summer Concert Series, the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra, visits to ancient mosques and churches, as well as panel discussions with Imams and Bishops.

Dalel has a profound love of cultures—this is primarily due to her amazing mother (and father) who instilled in their children a love for cultures, well before being multi-cultural became fashionable. Whether Malaysian, African, Brazillian or British, Agnes "Aggie" Khalil loved people from every corner of the world.

And she loved peace, too.

On the eve of the Yom Kippur war, when Middle East tensions were particularly high, her family's restaurant (Khalil's) was jammed packed with patrons waiting to be seated. So Aggie, in natural form, sat a party of Jewish diners down to eat dinner with a party of Arabic diners—on one table. That was Aggie. Most certainly, she did it with a twinkle in her eye.

It is my sincere hope that readers will not only discover the beauty and richness of the Arabic culture and its people, but also become inspired to promote peace by understanding each other—one human being at a time.

Come, let us share, delight and discover each other. Let each culture bring its own unique dish to the world banquet, and let us celebrate this wonderful feast of life, together!

Ahallan Wa Sahallan!

(Welcome, in Arabic)

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Yup! That's President Bill Clinton...and he's got my book.

ADC Convention, Washington, DC, June, 2009

Here's How It Happened:

And that's me giving my business card to Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan

AAI Inaugural Ball, Washington, DC, January 2009