Detroit Public TV Gets $250K Grant to Create Program Around 'Arab-American Stories'

posted on: Aug 4, 2014

Detroit Public TV has received a $250,000 grant from a foundation in Battle Creek to increase public understanding of the Arab-American community, officials announced Thursday.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded the station the money to build a program based on its 13-part public TV series, “Arab-American Stories,” which has already run. The new program, to be called “Arab-American Stories — A National Dialogue,” is to focus on reaching out to non-Arab Americans, as well as Arab Americans. It will partner with PBS stations, libraries and community centers to host forums that spur dialogue. Detroit Public TV will work with the Washington, D.C.-based Arab American Institute to identify library systems with heavy concentrations of Arab Americans.

Michigan has the highest concentration of Arab Americans in the U.S., according to the U.S. census. There are about 200,000 Michiganders with roots in the Middle East. About one-third of the residents in Dearborn are of Arab descent.

“As the public broadcaster … where the largest number of Arab Americans live, we know how to collaborate with experts and lead strategic planning to guide this dialogue,” said Rich Homberg, president and general manager of Detroit Public TV.

The program will tell the real stories of everyday Arab Americans.

“Storytelling is an important part of racial healing,” said Gail Christopher, vice president of program strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “We believe partnering with Detroit Public Television is an effective way to share more stories — through the media and in educational settings to help increase understanding of the Arab-American community.”

Niraj Warikoo
Detroit Free Press