DEARBORN – A crowd of more than 300 attended the Arab American Civil Rights League’s (ACRL) official launching reception at the city’s Fairlane Club on Thursday. 

ACRL board members in a group photo.

Organizers say that the addition of a new civil rights agency is much needed at a time when anti-Muslim and Arab sentiment continues to grow and plague the nation. “When young women may be questioned (for) what they wear on their head and not what they hold in their heart, we need civil rights protection. When folks are locked up for their accent or specific appearance, we need the Arab Civil Rights League. We need justice,” Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, NAACP Detroit chapter president said. 

Part of the ACRL’s mission involves combating the negative stereotypes of Arab Americans, highlighting the community’s contributions to the country, working with federal, state and local authorities to promote more positive policies, education, and governance, and combating defamatory material on the Internet and other forms of media. The organization is supported by the Ayad & Associates law firm of Canton. 

One of its initiatives discussed in depth was fighting individuals who spread false and misleading information about members of the Arab American community on the Internet. Often those targeted by hate bloggers can be at risk for not getting jobs because of inaccurate reports on the internet. The ACRL will help individuals get their names cleared. “The old ways of just writing a letter and making phone calls is simply not enough. We have to do better, we have to be smarter, we have to move faster, we have to back our position with strong legal advocacy,” ACRL founder, president, and civil rights Attorney Nabih Ayad said. 

He says the challenges the Arab community faces today are similar to ones other ethnic groups have faced.  Community activist Rashid Baydoun is the Executive Director of the ACRL. Ayad said Baydoun’s passion for civil rights and his work ethic to the cause are unmatched. “We wanted a well rounded and versed individual that knows how to mobilize and energize his community. Rashid’s work with the youth of our community and the respect he generates amongst others, he was the obvious choice,” Ayad said. 

Baydoun, 26, is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn and has been involved in various community organizations such as the Arab American Political Action Committee, Islam Universal, Arab Student Union, Ethics Committee for the Dearborn Board of Realtors and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. “We tend to forget that if you look at the history of civil rights, most civil rights initiatives began at the university level…It’s the youth who’re energized and leading the way and passionate about the issues,” Baydoun said.  

Executive Director of the Council on American Islamic Relations’ Michigan chapter, Dawud Walid said CAIR is committed to working with any and all groups that are defenders of the U.S. Constitution.  

Speaking at the event Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said, “I never dreamed that in this point in my life that we would be fighting some of the fights that we are currently.”  

Additional guests included FBI Special Agent in Charge in Detroit, Andrew Arena; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Barbara McQuade, local law enforcement officials, politicians, representatives from the Detroit City Council, Anti-Defamation League, Ron Scott from the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality,  Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, new Wayne County Deputy County Executive Jeffrey Collins, Wayne County commissioners Dianne Webb and Gary Woronchak among other elected officials and community leaders.   

ACRL board members were announced at the event and include the following diverse group: Marvin Beatty, Vice President of Community and Public Affairs Relations for Greektown Casino; Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit NAACP chapter; Chaker Aoun, president and founder of Garden Foods; prominent Chaldean American community leader and founder of the Boji Group, Louie Boji;  Dr. Samual Fawaz, chairman of the National Arab American Medical Association and 2012 president elect of NAAMA; Dr. Ali Fadel, founder and director of Bingham Medical Center; Dr. Mohamad Ayad, graduate of the Wayne State School of Medicine and founder of the Arab and Chaldean Medical Student Association; Ms. Nawal Hamadeh, founder and president of the Hamadeh Educational Services; Attorney Jim Allen who formed Allen Brothers PLLC; Attorney Mona Fadlallah, a prominent attorney in metro Detroit practicing family and civil law; Attorney Zeina Makki, who is employed at Ayad & Associates, P.C.; Attorney Steven Ogilvie who is with Ayad & Associates P.C.; Hussein Berry who serves on the school board of education for the city of Dearborn and sits on the board at ACCESS and Mr. Abdulhakem Alsadah, the former general consul of Yemen.