Just Like Dad, Nadia Dames Reflects
Growing Up Muslim in the Shenandoah Valley
Third Thursday Talk with Nadia Dames, July 16, 2026, 7 pm
What was it like to grow up as the daughter of the Shenandoah Valley’s first Muslim family?
Join local business owner and community advocate Nadia Da’Mes as she shares the story of her family’s journey from Palestine to Rockingham County and the remarkable legacy of her father, Awad Da’Mes. Arriving in the Valley in 1978, Awad helped establish the region’s first Muslim community, build the area’s first mosque, and foster friendships across faiths through decades of dialogue, education, and service.
Through personal stories, Nadia reflects on growing up between two cultures, discovering her own identity, and unexpectedly following in her father’s footsteps as a business owner and community leader. Along the way, she traces the growth of the local Muslim community—from a single family to hundreds of families who now call the Shenandoah Valley home.
This presentation explores immigration, faith, family, and the power of building bridges across cultures. It’s a story about one family’s experience—and about how communities grow stronger when neighbors choose understanding over fear.
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