DEARBORN — Last May, sexual harassment allegations surfaced against Regional Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Michigan (ADC-MI) Imad Hamad, shaking the organization and, in turn, the community. Yet, four months later, as the organization heads into the fall, during which it usually hosts two of its largest annual events, little remains known about its future in southeast Michigan; home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the U.S.

Michigan State Representative Rashida Tlaib’s open letter to ADC National President Warren David, accusing Hamad of sexually harassing her on multiple occasions during her brief employment with ADC-MI, over fifteen years ago, is what triggered a formal investigation into the matter. In the letter, Tlaib stated that she had made previous attempts to inform ADC about subsequent victims in recent years, but her claims were not seen as serious enough to reopen an investigation that was already conducted on similar allegations by other victims in 2007.

After several more women came forward with similar claims this past summer and the allegations garnered massive local and national media attention, ADC National temporarily suspended Hamad from his position, placing him on a leave of absence last June. Over the course of the summer, ADC National hired an independent investigator, who interviewed several of the women who made allegations against Hamad. According to sources, Hamad also complied with the investigation.

In August, The Arab American News (TAAN) made several attempts to contact ADC National’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., posing specific questions, regarding the future of ADC-MI, along with an update on the investigation and Hamad’s future affiliation with the organization. At the time, TAAN was told that ADC National would not comment on anything related to ADC-MI or Imad Hamad, until the pending investigation was concluded.

Last week, The Detroit Free Press ran a story that claimed the investigation was still pending. However, multiple sources tell TAAN that the investigator on the case submitted the findings of the investigation to the ADC National Board of Directors over a month ago, but the organization has yet to make a determination, based on these findings.

Whatever the case may be, ADC National has yet to publicly release the findings of their independent investigation, or discuss a plan of action with the community about ADC-MI’s next step in moving forward. Based on TAAN inquiries, it appears that even ADC-MI Advisory Board members have been left in the dark on the matter.

Siham Awada-Jaafar, who has been closely involved with the Michigan office as an advisory board member for twelve years now, recently submitted her resignation to the organization. She tells TAAN that the lack of transparency in this matter was the driving force behind her decision to withdraw.

“For an organization that is supposed to serve the community, I just felt there has been a lack of transparency and accountability. I don’t think we have a strong decision-making mechanism in place to bridge the national and local office together,” Jaafar says. “When there’s no concern in place for maintaining the credibility of an organization, when any kind of crisis comes into light and the process is skewed, there’s really little hope for moving forward.”

Jaafar isn’t the first advisory board member to resign, in light of this matter. She follows Michael Bashara, who, last June, also decided to break ties with ADC-MI. Bashara tells TAAN that he was appalled by ADC National’s initial response to the sexual harassment allegations.

“The entire situation is not a good one, and it’s very sad to me that the organization, at both the national and Michigan level, has damaged itself in the way that it has, because the work in pursuing the fight against discrimination is very important,” Bashara says.

Attorney Ali Hammoud, who served as the ADC-MI Advisory Board Co-Chair, has also followed in the footsteps of Jaafar and Bashara, submitting a resignation letter of his own this week.

“I am formally resigning as co-chair and member of ADC’s Advisory Board. I am still a firm believer in ADC’s core mission, but recent developments have left me no choice but to resign,” Hammoud states in his resignation letter.

Upon contacting Hammoud for further comment, he stated “I’d rather not air the organization’s dirty laundry in the newspaper.”  

While a handful of individuals were cutting strings with ADC locally, others decided to part ways with the national board as well. Local Attorney Helal Farhat, who served on the ADC National Board for over a year, decided to resign in June.  He still supports the organization on a local level by remaining on the advisory board for ADC-MI. 

“ADC is an organization based on principles, and it’s not based on any individual. We can’t let one matter stop the organization from doing its course,” Farhat says.  “My understanding is that there is an ongoing investigation and they would take some sort of action one way or another, but I don’t know when or what the nature of that is going to be.”

This week, TAAN made additional attempts to contact ADC National, but two messages, left on ADC National Vice President Nabil Mohamed’s voicemail, were not returned.

In the mean time, some community members appear to be taking matters into their own hands. Earlier this month, a letter, drafted by four local Imams, addressed the ADC Executive Board, asking them to consider a “reconciliation effort,” that would reinstate Hamad, as long as he offered a public statement of apology “to all concerned individuals; should he have offended anyone.”

The letter also insists that ADC establish both a Leadership Committee and an Ethics Committee that would consist of religious leaders and other community members, who would coach and monitor Hamad’s conduct. The letter then concludes by asking ADC to consider monitoring Hamad while on duty, with surveillance cameras in the office to ensure compliance.

“In good faith, we trust this will bring reconciliation to all involved and concerned parties and put this painful period for all involved parties and our community behind us,” the letter says. “We need to bring this ordeal to a close and move forward. Let us focus on new challenges and opportunities that would help use emerge stronger and more effective.”

TAAN obtained a copy of the letter, and can confirm that the Imams whose names are listed on it are; Mohammad Mardini of the American Muslim Center; Imam Mohammad Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom; Imam Mustapha Elturk of the Islamic Organization of North America; and Imam Muhammad Musa of the Islamic Cultural Institute.

A total of 24 community members are listed as supporters.  However, a few of those listed have denied backing the letter, and some have admitted that they agreed to have their names used, without even seeing the content of the letter. 

Reverend Rani AbdelMaseeh of the Mother of the Savior Lutheran Church and Father George Shalhoub of the Basilica of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church are listed as supporters. But both have told TAAN that their churches have no place being engaged in such matters.

“I made it very clear that the church will not endorse anyone who has been accused of sexual harassment. We requested that our names be removed in writing. We don’t have anything against Imad Hamad, or ADC, but when there is a suspect of a crime, we decline to endorse anyone, until justice takes place,” says Shalhoub. “Our church doesn’t allow it, due to liability and we have declined the endorsement, but we wish them good luck.”

AbdelMaseeh echoed Shalhoub’s sentiments, stating that his name should have never been on the letter in the first place, but he respects the Imams’ attempts.

TAAN attempted to contact the Imams listed on the letter. Imam Mardini says that Imam Elturk was responsible for drafting the majority of the letter, while the other three Imams approved its content and agreed to sign their names. 

Elturk tells TAAN that the inclusion of Shalhoub and AbdelMaseeh as supporters was a miscommunication error on his end. He says, their names have been removed from the list in an updated version of the letter. 

“It’s an effort by religious and community leaders to bring this to a closure, and to continue the work in a more effective way. We don’t want this issue to go more into the public and the media, as it will just bring a worse image to the community,” Elturk says.

Elturk adds that he spoke briefly with Tlaib about a reconciliation attempt with Hamad, but she was not interested in pursuing one. Elturk says that he understands her reasons for doing so, as the community should always take sexual harassment allegations seriously.

Elturk says that besides Shalhoub and AbdelMaseeh, every other individual whose name appears on the letter is in full support of it. However, Ali Baleed Almaklani, the Executive Director of the Yemeni American Benevolent Association (YABA), whose name appears on the letter, tells TAAN that he’s never even read a copy of it. He allowed the Imams to include his name in the letter, because he was told that it was an agreement reached by all involved parties.  

Some community members, who have read the letter, have criticized its content and intent, claiming that it is a distasteful move with regard to the women who have come forward with allegations. One woman closely related to the investigation tells TAAN, that she feel installing surveillance cameras in an office setting would be a violation of privacy for whoever decides to seek employment there. 

Imam Elturk says that the purpose of the letter was to dissolve tensions with the parties involved.

“Our intent is to make all parties reconcile and compromise; to the point where everyone feels happy,” Elturk says.

Elturk adds that he has heard back from ADC National, in regards to the letter.  They have thanked the Imams for their input, but affirm that they will not be making any decisions, until the investigation is complete.

Little remains known about ADC-MI’s future. According to the organization’s website, their Judges’ Night Gala is scheduled for Thursday, October 10. In August, ADC-MI sent out a newsletter, stating that their advisory board is accepting nominations for the event.

Judge David Allen, who serves as the chairman of the ADC-MI Advisory Board, which is typically responsible for planning the dinner, told TAAN that the October 10 date has been put aside.

“That date is not happening. When the time is right, we will organize the event. We have had a few gatherings to discuss it, but nothing has been made final,” Allen says.

On September 19, ADC-MI sent out another newsletter, announcing that their Dearborn office, located at 13530 Michigan Ave., Suite 33, will be undergoing some renovations, which may affect the organization’s office hours.

Currently, the office is being operated by Abed Ayoub, ADC National Director of Policy & Legal Affairs, who is temporarly filling in for Hamad as Interim Regional Director, although ADC has not officially made an announcement of his involvement. Assisting him are a few volunteers, according to one source.