Illinois to add “Arab American” as ethnicity option on registration forms
June 9th, 20230 CHICAGO – Illinois has one of the largest populations of Arab Americans in the country, according to community leaders. Yet, on most registration forms, where you are asked about your ethnic background, Arab American is not an option. "It's really important," said Jeanine A. "There isn't a way for me to represent my ethnicity. I have...
Dearborn Charter Commission rejects a proposal to adopt a district system in City Council elections
June 9th, 20230 DEARBORN — On Wednesday, the Dearborn Charter Commission rejected a proposal to change the current election rules of the City Council members from seven members at large representing the entire city and switch to a wards system with nine districts, in order to ensure fair and equitable representation for all neighborhoods on the City...Dearborn Charter Commission’s decision on wards was the right one
June 9th, 20230 By Abed Hammoud The Dearborn Charter Commission voted this week to leave the city as one ward for purposes of City Council elections, effectively rejecting the idea of dividing the city into wards. On final reading, the vote was overwhelming, with opposition from only one member of the nine-member commission. Residents pushing for a...
Avoiding scams that target immigrants
May 26th, 20230 By Jennifer Leach When there are big changes that lead to confusion, scammers prosper. Pretty much always. So, as Title 42, the pandemic-era law related to immigration, expired last week, the resulting “what happens next” will almost certainly lead to notarios hoping to ride that question all the way to the bank. So how do...
C-ASSIST offering free back-to-school health clinics in August
May 26th, 20230 DEARBORN — Parents of children starting kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade in the fall are reminded that those students will need updated school physicals and immunization before the new school year starts on Aug. 28. Middle and high school students who plan to participate in athletics will also need a sports physical before...
Five facts about Arabic speakers in the U.S.
May 26th, 20230 By Mohamad Moslimani Arabic has become a much more widely spoken language in the United States in recent decades. The number of people ages 5 and older who speak Arabic at home in the U.S. rose from 215,000 in 1980 to 1.4 million in 2021, making it the nation’s seventh-most common non-English language spoken at home. Arabic speakers...
Hammoud delivers the state of the city address: Dearborn is stronger than ever
May 26th, 20230 DEARBORN — About a year and five months after taking over the city's leadership, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud delivered his first annual state of the city address last Tuesday evening on the Michael A. Guido stage in the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, pledging to residents to provide world-class parks, 24-hour services...
Local artist recognized for his contribution to Islamic culture through art
May 25th, 20231 DEARBORN — Local artist Haroutioun “Harout” Isack Bastajian was recently recognized during the Islamic Center of America’s (ICA) 61st anniversary Semi-Annual Fundraising Dinner. The Lebanese artist of Armenian origin who decorated the interior of the ICA prayer room was honored at the event that brought more than 1,000 members...
LARA and state fire marshal offer fire safety tips ahead of Memorial Day
May 24th, 20230 State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer is encouraging Michiganders to be safe as they gather with family and friends during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. “Before firing up the grill, we want you to be safe and follow a few simple safety precautions to avoid serious injuries and fires,” Sehlmeyer said. “Six out of seven grill fires...
100 Arab American Women Who Care celebrate 10th anniversary, donate $10,000 to local organization
May 19th, 20230 NOVI — On Saturday, May 13, the Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP) held the 10th annual 100 Arab American Women Who Care event at Land Rover Novi. The CAAP is a national institution of ACCESS, a national Arab American community foundation. Roughly 110 women gathered to celebrate and honor their continued philanthropy work....
Hundreds demonstrate in Dearborn in solidarity with the Palestinian people
May 19th, 20231 DEARBORN — Hundreds of demonstrators commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Nakba of Palestine, calling for freedom and justice for the Palestinian people and stopping the U.S. support for Israel, as well as condemning the recent Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people in Gaza. The demonstrators, who carried out a sit-in protest...
Annapolis High School principal reinstated, superintendent placed on leave pending investigation
May 18th, 20230 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Two weeks after unexpectedly being placed on leave for reasons not released to the public, Annapolis High School Principal Aaron Mollett has been reinstated. Mollett had been placed on administrative paid leave “pending investigation” two weeks ago by D7 Superintendent Dr. Tyrone Weeks with no explanation to...
Dearborn ranked among best cities in the country to work from home
May 16th, 20230 NEW YORK – Dearborn is the 10th best city in America to use Zoom to work from home, according to a recent study conducted by SmartAsset, a financial technology company headquartered in New York. The study accounted for housing costs and cost of living in ranking various “Zoom towns”, which had many remote workers moving in from...
Student charged with making threat against his high school in Dearborn
May 16th, 20230 DEARBORN — A student accused of making a threat against Fordson High School in Dearborn has been charged as a juvenile with making an intentional threat to commit an act of violence against a school, school employees or students, said the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office in a statement Thursday, May 11. The suspect, whose name...
F.L.I.P. holds second annual scholarship dinner, distributes $102,000 to 27 seniors
May 15th, 20230 In partnership with Huntington Bank and with support from the Dearborn Cardiology Medical Center, the Future Leaders in Progress (F.L.I.P.) Scholarship program held its second annual dinner, in the presence of students, faculty, community leaders and officials, on Thursday evening at Byblos Banquet Center in Dearborn. In addition to......
San Diego attorney general promises Arabs and Muslims to fight rising hate crime
May 6th, 20230 On Thursday, San Diego Attorney General Rob Bonta told members of San Diego’s Arab and Muslim community that he is working to increase the inclusion of immigrants in California while simultaneously fighting rising hate crime. “We know there has been an increase in hate crimes and Islamophobia,” he said, promising to fight it as...
Islamophobic incident at Wayne State University leaves Muslim students feeling unsafe
May 6th, 20230 DETROIT — Muslim students at Wayne State University now fear for their safety after an incident on campus. A religious group was seen on Wayne State's campus on April 19, holding anti-Islamic signs, making Islamophobic remarks and even stomping on the Quran at one point. A religious group threw Islam's holy book — the Quran —...
U.S. appeals court upholds dismissal of lawsuit linking American Palestinian group to “terrorism”
May 6th, 20230 WASHINGTON D.C. – On May 2, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit charging that a Palestinian rights organization had provided “material support” for terrorism by engaging in advocacy. Brought by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and several U.S. citizens who live in Israel, the suit targeted First...
Muslim New Jersey mayor blocked from attending Eid al-Fitr celebration at the White House
May 6th, 20230 WASHINGTON D.C. — A Muslim mayor in New Jersey was blocked from attending a belated Eid al-Fitr celebration hosted by President Biden. The White House held an Eid al-Fitr event to celebrate the end of the Muslim holly month of Ramadan on Monday, May 1, where President Biden addressed the invited guests. The mayor of Prospect......
Veteran Arab American activist Jalil Gerges Saad dies at 85
May 6th, 20230 LIVONIA — Veteran Arab American activist Jalil Gerges Saad, known in the Arab American community in the Detroit region as George Saad, passed away last Monday. He was 85. A funeral will be held for his comfort in St. Mary's Church in Livonia on Friday, before his burial services in the city on Saturday, May 6. Saad is considered one...
New Jersey designates January as Muslim Heritage Month
May 6th, 20230 New Jersey Muslim community and faith leaders have hailed the governor’s decision to designate January as “Muslim Heritage Month” after years of rallying for the decision. Gov. Phil Murphy signed a proclamation Saturday in a measure that will bring more awareness to the Muslim communities in the state, North Jersey......
F.L.I.P. Scholarships provide $100,000 to graduates of Dearborn and Crestwood high schools
May 6th, 20230 DEARBORN – The Arab American News is completing preparations for holding the second annual gala to distribute scholarships to high school graduates bound for college out of the Dearborn and Crestwood School Districts, as part of the Future Leaders in Progress (F.L.I.P.) scholarship program launched last year in partnership with...
Resilient Neighborhoods: New Southwest Detroit mixed use development prioritizes affordability
May 1st, 20230 By David Sands Claudia Enriquez says it's becoming increasingly difficult for younger people to find affordable housing in Southwest Detroit, where she lives. "Right now in Detroit, rent is so high. There's a lot of students that want to live here and they want to live by themselves," she said. To help remedy this situation,......
