In an article for Elle published on Thursday, Ms. Tlaib explained why she decided to wear the thobe. “Throughout my career in public service, the residents I have had the privilege of fighting for have embraced who I am, especially my Palestinian roots,” she wrote. “This is what I want to bring to the United States Congress, an unapologetic display of the fabric of the people in this country.”She described her experience as a girl watching her mother, who came to the United States at age 20, hand-stitch the traditional dresses. “Just like any immigrant parent, she wants all of her children to succeed, but without giving up on our roots and culture,” Ms. Tlaib wrote. She added a special hashtag for her mother in her Instagram post: #ForMyYama, an Arabic word for mother.

Source: New York Times January 03, 2019 22:41 UTC