Author Archives: Arab America

The longtime director of the Michigan office of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee retired Friday amid mounting pressure for him to leave over allegations of sexual harassment that have rocked the organization. Imad Hamad, who spent 17 years with the biggest Arab-American civil rights group in the U.S., will no longer be with the organization that … Continued

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, following consultations with the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), announced today the appointment of Pierre Krähenbühl of Switzerland as the Agency’s new Commissioner-General. He will replace Filippo Grandi. The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for the outgoing Commissioner-General’s … Continued

  Set in the unofficial Arab-American capital, “Detroit Unleaded” is a lively slice-of-life that uses familiar romantic-comedy tropes and a vibrant cast of characters to humorously explore family relationships, cultural identity and love. Lebanese-American helmer Rola Nashef’s feature debut is a mainstream-friendly American indie that plays like a mashup of “Clerks” and “Amreeka” spiced with … Continued

After spending years as a negative, over-controlling person, Colombian-Lebanese psychologist Shadya Karawi Name realized the key to a happy life comes from within. Sharing her positive, life-changing insights with others, Karawi wrote the inspirational guide, “Believe: The Fine Art of Setting Yourself Free.” “My book will remind you that the present moment is what truly … Continued

Terrorism and political strife often dominate discussions about the Middle East these days, but Raeshma Razvi, director of the arts and culture program at the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (1433 Madison St., Oakland), is seeking to change that. “Political news kind of flattens people into stereotypes,” said Razvi. “If that’s your only perspective … Continued

A visiting lecturer who discussed the struggles of being an Arab-American in a post-9/11 world was met with student support during his talk Thursday at MTSU. Moustafa Bayoumi, a professor of English at the Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, discussed his book, “How Does It Fell To Be a Problem: Being … Continued

  Two historic elections happened on Tuesday, but if you are not from Michigan, you might have missed them. In one, Susan Dabaja became the first Arab-American elected as president of the Dearborn, MI, city council. Dabaja, an Arab-American attorney who is Muslim, ousted Thomas Patrick Tafelski, the Polish Catholic incumbent, for the post. It … Continued

For those of us who’ve worked with Dearborn Michigan’s Arab American community during the past three decades, victories in this past week’s municipal elections were more than just big news. They represent vindication and confirmation of our belief in the strength and vitality of the Arab American community. After this election, the president of Dearborn’s … Continued

Can we envision a Palestine free from Israeli apartheid, military occupation, economic domination, house demolitions, arbitrary detentions – and from the threat of being denied entry or harassed when trying to go home? I can and, perhaps more importantly, my daughters’ generation can. The challenge is how to get from present-day reality to realizing that … Continued

The Council on American-Islamic Relations–Michigan is asking federal officials to investigate more complaints that JPMorgan Chase is allegedly closing bank accounts of Muslim customers in Metro Detroit. “It seems like it’s solidifying our idea more that there’s a disturbing pattern going on,” said Dawud Walid, executive director of CAIR-MI. “These aren’t just isolated incidents.” Spurred … Continued

ADC Michigan is pleased to announce that its 15th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration and Scholarship Reception will be held on Friday, February 28, 2014 at Byblos Banquet Hall in Dearborn As the only program of its kind in Michigan, ADC hopes to continue to expand the MLK Scholarship Program. The MLK Planning Committee … Continued

Last week, Coachella Valley High School came under fire for the name of its mascot — the Arab. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee sent a letter to the school, complaining about the way the mascot depicts people of Arab descent. made the school national news. At Coachella Valley High School last Friday — a game day … Continued