DEARBORN — The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) honored individuals who exhibited an exemplary commitment to the environment at its 5th annual Environmental Leadership Celebration here on Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center in Dearborn. International environmental and community development activist Mohamad A. Chakaki was the guest speaker.
The ACCESS Environmental Program, created in 1995, is designed to promote community health protection and empower the youth to become future environmental leaders.  Over the years they have led various efforts and initiatives that focus on environmental health and advocacy.

Dr. Kathryn Savoie, Director of the Environmental Program, spoke to the event’s attendees about the importance of preserving the environment for generations to come.  She focused on the youth in particular, who she claimed will soon play a key role in improving the world we live in.

“There are a lot of young people here today,” she stated.  “These are the people we are working for.  We want to empower the youth and show them what they can do to make a difference, show them how to work for a larger change.”

Savoie added that the challenge of protecting the environment is one that is ongoing, and requires a true commitment.  She maintained that every person has a personal responsibility to help improve the world around them.

“The goal of our program is to affirm the right of every person to have a clean, safe, and healthy environment,” Savoie continued.  “We not only want to protect what we have, we want to improve it.”

Many of the Environmental Program’s initiatives are geared especially towards children, in an effort to get them involved in environmental issues.  Among these is the Healthy Kids Program, which is designed to engage children in activities that encourage good nutrition and physical activity, and raise awareness about environmental hazards that children often face.

Several awards were handed out throughout the evening, including an “Emerging Leader Award,” presented to Amina Gellani and Insaf Hamood, both of whom showed great leadership skills as interns for ACCESS’s Environmental Program.  Gellani and Hamood spearheaded a successful community action project to protect the water quality in South Dearborn.

Dr. Bunyan Bryant, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his ongoing dedication to the field of environmental justice.  Bryant thanked ACCESS for his honor, and expressed his great appreciation to the students he has worked with over the years.

“To be honored by this award is one of the highlights of my professional career,” he stated.  “I want to particularly thank the students who have been an integral part of my work.  They have allowed me to be in touch with the future, and without them I would not be here today.”

The event also included a silent auction, which featured items donated by local entities.  Among the items auctioned off was a copy of former Vice President Al Gore’s best seller, “An Inconvenient Truth.”

ACCESS has several upcoming events for its Environmental Program, including an Earth Day event on April 19, which will focus on cleaning up a habitat at Salina Elementary School.   As part of its Healthy Kids initiative, ACCESS will also be holding a “Family Fun Day” on May 17, which will include games and activities for the youth and their families. Visit www.accesscommunity.org.