DEARBORN – Tariq Ramadan will be the keynote speaker on April 11 in Detroit. He will address a Sound Vision benefit speaking on the topic of “Jihad within young hearts: Toward positive engagement.” The event organizer, Sound Vision, says that young Muslims today face tremendous pressures. These pressures arise from a variety of sources: adjusting to a culture different from their parents’ culture, living and working in environments often hostile to Islamic values, facing outright prejudice that results from the constant negative portrayal of Muslims in the media.

This is the first time Tariq Ramadan (shown above)will be visiting the Detroit area. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently ended the U.S. visa ban on Ramadan allowing him to enter the country.

Muslim youth are among the least happy and the most angry among American youth groups, according to one Gallup poll; 16% of Muslim youth participate in binge drinking; and 29% use some other name to hide their faith.
Speaking for Sound Vision, Quaid Saifee said that the April 11 benefit offers multimedia presentations on these topics along with what is being slated as a MiniMuslimFest. It will feature a live Adam mascot which is the main character in the children’s Adam’s World series produced by Sound Vision. The Sunday event will take place at Burton Manor in Livonia, MI.

This is the first time Tariq Ramadan will be visiting the Detroit area. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently ended the U.S. visa ban on Ramadan allowing him to enter the country. State Department spokesman Darby Holladay said “Both the president and the secretary of state have made it clear that the U.S. government is pursuing a new relationship with Muslim communities based on mutual interest and mutual respect.”

For more information visit www.SoundVision.com/TariqRamadan or contact Quaid Saifee at 586.944.7880.

ACC empowers minorities to make health a priority

Detroit – In recognition of Minority Health Awareness Month, on Thursday, April 1, 2010 the Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC) will host a community health fair in partnership with the American Cancer Society, Detroit Community Health Connection, and Karmanos Cancer Institute from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at ACC’s Youth Recreation and Leadership Center located at 62 W. Seven Mile Road in Detroit.

The health fair, “Man Up For Your Health! Healthy Men Move Communities Forward” will provide the opportunity to focus on empowering minority male populations to adopt more of an active role in their personal health and to raise awareness of the community about factors that impact health. The health fair will offer free health screenings, health education materials, round table discussions, giveaways and refreshments.

For more information or if you plan to attend, please contact Kendra Brown at 248.663.3414 or Kendra.Brown@cancer.org.

The health fair is brought to you by The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), Division of Health, Wellness and Disease Control (DHWDC); Health Disparities Reduction and Minority Health (HDRMH); Check Up or Check Out (CUCO) African American Male Health Initiative; American Cancer Society; Detroit Community Health Connection; Karmanos Cancer Institute; and ACC’s Public Health Division.

ACC announces 8th annual scholarship awards program

LATHRUP VILLAGE – The Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC) announces its 8th Annual Golf Outing & Scholarship Awards Dinner on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at the Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield.

The annual outing ensures that students with true financial need are able to continue their education and training. This event also provides sponsors with effective marketing and networking opportunities.

ACC notes that education is a fundamental part of youth social and personal development. ACC’s Scholarship Award Program financially assists graduating high school seniors as they pursue a higher education. Scholarships are based on academic excellence and financial need. Applicants must be a high school senior, who has been accepted to college/university, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and has demonstrated extracurricular/ volunteer activities.

Scholarship applications are available at www.myacc.org. The application deadline is Friday, May 14th.

For further information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Kimberly Hassan at 248.559.1990 or kimberlyh@myacc.org.

ACCESS announces 39th anniversary date, honorees

Dearborn– The date has been set for the ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) 39th Anniversary Dinner. On May 1, a diverse group of leaders, dignitaries, and community members will gather to celebrate the organization’s 39 years of service to the community and to honor this year’s award recipients. The prestigious Arab American of the Year Award is presented annually to individuals or organizations for their commitment and contribution to the development of their community on a local and national level.

Throughout his career, Ahmed Zewail has considerably advanced knowledge in the field of science through his groundbreaking research and accomplishments.

This year ACCESS will honor Chemistry Nobel Prize winner Ahmed Zewail and Lynx Investment Advisory President and CEO Peter Tanous with the awards.
Throughout his distinguished career, Ahmed Zewail has considerably advanced knowledge in the field of science through his groundbreaking research and accomplishments. His pioneering developments in femtoscience have made it possible to observe phenomena in a millionth of a billionth of a second (femtosecond), the scale of atomic motion. This discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999. More recently he and his group have invented 4D Electron Microscopy for the direct visualization of materials and biological behavior in the four dimensions of space and time. And in this past year, Dr. Zewail was appointed to President Barack Obama’s Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). The council will discuss education, science, defense, energy, the economy and technology.

As president and CEO of Washington D.C.-based Lynx Investment Advisory, Peter Tanous has for years been a respected business and investment guru. Throughout his career he has done much to serve and educate the community while keeping the interests of Arab Americans firmly at heart. A resident of Washington D.C., he is the founding chairman of the American Task Force for Lebanon, an organization designed to promote Lebanese American relations through the active engagement of prominent Lebanese Americans across the United States. In 1983 Mr. Tanous was appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury to the Business Dialog of the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Joint Economic Commission. Mr. Tanous is the author of several well known books. One such book, “Investment Gurus,” published in 1997, received wide critical acclaim in financial circles and was chosen as a main selection of The Money Book Club

This year’s dinner will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2010, at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and the program beginning at 6:00 p.m. Sponsored by Comerica, the dinner is the second largest dinner in Michigan and the largest Arab American event in the country, with over 2,500 people in attendance.

The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) is a non-profit agency committed to advocating for and empowering individuals, families, and communities.

ACCESS will provide a wide range of health and human services, employment services, youth programs, educational and cultural programs and civic engagement, advocacy, and social entrepreneurship services.

Ascent TV to hold dinner and movie screening

DEARBORN – On Friday, April 9, 2010, at 6:00 pm, Ascent TV will hold a fundraising dinner and premiere of the film “Rock Bottom,” at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center in Dearborn. “Rock Bottom,” a short film that was made in the Metro Detroit area, tells the story of a young Arab American man who is faced with numerous challenges. For more information, or to purchase tickets to attend this event, please visit: http://www.ascenttv.com/.

Part of Michigan Avenue in Dearborn to be resurfaced

DEARBORN – A stretch of Michigan Avenue in Dearborn is about to undergo a makeover starting next week.

The Michigan Department of Transportation said it plans to kick off a $2.1-million resurfacing of the roadway between Outer Drive and Brady Street on the suburb’s west side beginning next Monday. It will reduce the avenue to one lane each way – a move MDOT said will allow it to speed up the project so it can be finished in mid-July.

MDOT spokesman Rob Morosi said drivers should expect delays. Because the road won’t close completely, the state won’t post a detour, but drivers are encouraged to seek alternates. Access to local streets along that stretch of Michigan will be maintained.

Crews will be out daily this week doing prep work for the project, funded through the federal economic stimulus program. The state performed temporary pavement repairs to that badly deteriorated segment of Michigan Avenue in 2008.