He lives in upstate New York, is a native of New York, and a U.S. citizen. He is Muslim, looks Middle Eastern, and has recently traveled to Jordan in order to make a documentary film about Syrian refugees living in the Za'tari Refugee Camp, the worlds most densely populated refugee camp. His short, sensitive film, Waiting at the Door, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 SUNYwide Filmfestival.