In an interview at her former workplace, former CNN anchor Hala Gorani discussed her journey growing up in the United States in a Syrian-Arab family and why she felt the need to switch to her mother’s maiden name and hide her Arabic language skills while job hunting.
Struggles as Young Graduate
Gorani, who speaks three languages, said, “Yes, I deliberately changed my name. In the 1990s, I was in my twenties, a recent graduate from one of the most prestigious universities in France. I thought finding a job would be easy.”
Gorani noted that despite her qualifications, she struggled to find work when her resume bore the name “Hala Basha”—her father’s last name being Ibrahim Basha.
Institutional Racism in Hiring
She continued, “A friend from school advised me, ‘Listen, remove Arabic from your resume because France has institutional racism and clear discrimination against minority groups.’ This has been proven in multiple experiments where fake resumes with Arabic names were sent out alongside ones with Western names.”
As a result, Gorani adopted her mother’s maiden name, which sounded Western. “I’m blonde with blue eyes—I don’t look Arab. I also removed any mention of speaking Arabic, which is strange because it’s an asset and shouldn’t be seen as a hindrance,” she said.
Her Book: “But You Don’t Look Arab”
The interview with Gorani was about her new book, “But You Don’t Look Arab: And Other Tales of Un-Belonging,” and the challenges she faced abroad to avoid racism.
Gorani pointed out that her past as an immigrant in a new country isn’t much different from what Syrians experience today. She wrote, “Even if people show immense goodwill and curiosity, you still feel mislabeled, misunderstood, and sometimes even belittled.”
About two months ago, Gorani posted on her LinkedIn account about the printed version of her book being available for pre-order in the UK, Europe, and the US.
Early Life, Family Background
Hala Gorani was born in Seattle, Washington, USA, to Syrian parents who immigrated from Aleppo. She grew up in Paris and lived in Algeria for some time.
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Researcher and academic Salam Kawakibi, also from Aleppo and based in Paris, told “Al-Muhajiroun Now” platform: “The Aleppine family name is spelled ‘Kurani.’ One of her ancestors was the late former Minister of Justice, Asad Kurani, born in Aleppo in 1907, who drafted the civil law and secured women’s right to vote and run for office in 1949. He was also head of the Aleppo Bar Association from 1945 to 1946 and again from 1960 to 1961.”
Education, Career Beginnings
Gorani holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from George Mason University near Washington, D.C., and graduated from Paris’ Institute of Political Studies in 1995.
She began her journalism career at La Voix du Nord and AFP before joining France 3 in 1994. She later moved to CNN in London in 1998.
Hala Gorani speaks English, French, and Arabic and currently resides in London.
Award-Winning Journalist, Global Coverage
Hala Gorani is an award-winning anchor and correspondent with over 25 years of experience. She has covered history-defining stories and events, most recently as a primetime anchor for her show Hala Gorani Tonight on CNN, and is one of the most internationally recognized names in journalism.
She has covered elections, revolutions, natural disasters, and conflicts on five continents. Additionally, she has interviewed some of the most senior political leaders of our time, including Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Malala Yousafzai, the Dalai Lama, Tony Blair, and Nicolas Sarkozy.
Expertise, Industry Recognition
Gorani has regularly hosted important events at gatherings such as the World Economic Forum in Davos and at the United Nations General Assembly. She is regarded as an expert in the media industry, human and social rights, women’s empowerment, and international affairs, especially Middle-East politics.
Gorani is the recipient of several Emmy awards and other notable industry journalism recognitions.
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