DEARBORN — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Michigan regional office (ADC-MI) has cancelled its annual gala, which was scheduled for Friday Dec. 13 at Greenfield Manor in Dearborn.

ADC-MI incoming director Fatina Abdrabboh announced the cancellation in a statement on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

“I have assessed and examined the situation in Michigan, and have decided to postpone the Gala for this year,” she said.

However, a national ADC source said the national board had taken the decision to cancel the event two days prior to Abdrabboh’s announcement. In addition, a local source told The Arab American News the national office called the  banquet hall to cancel the gala.

Although Abdrabboh said the gala was “postponed,” she did not set a new date for the yearly event, which means the gala will almost assuredly not take place in 2013. The ADC-MI gala is one of the biggest events put together by the organization each year. In the recent past, it has drawn large numbers and hosted world leaders and local and national politicians.

Abdrabboh added that she personally took the decision, with the backing of new ADC national president Samer Khalaf, to dedicate this time for “healing and mending.” 

The event was facing challenges prior to its cancellation, in light of the sexual harassment scandal that rocked ADC on both a local and national level. The banquet’s keynote speaker, renowned Democracy Now radio show host Amy Goodman, had canceled her appearance, and community activists were planning a protest in front of Greenfield Manor on the evening of the banquet.

“From this point, we hope it is received as both symbolic and telling that the new ADC Michigan will strive to understand and meet the evolving needs of the community,” Abdrabboh said. “Most specifically, ADC Michigan chose this announcement as a sincere and personal one from me, hoping it will be received as it is sent, from the heart.”

The Arab American News tried to contact Abdrabboh several times, but she did not respond by press time.

Abdrabboh was appointed as ADC-MI director after Imad Hamad retired from the organization last month. She succeeds Abed Ayoub, who was brought in as an interim director, after the ADC national board decided in September to remove Hamad from the director post and make him an advisor to the Michigan office.

The national board had determined that the evidence in the sexual harassment claims made by several women against Hamad was inconclusive, without releasing the findings of the internal investigation.

Several local board members and national staffers have resigned because of the organization’s handling of the case, amid growing calls demanding more transparency from the organization.

The demonstration in front of the ADC-MI gala was planned by several prominent women in the community, including State Representative Rashida Tlaib, who was the first to bring the sexual harassment claims to light by sending a public letter to the organization in June, stating that she was sexually harassed by Hamad when she was intern in his office 15 years ago. “Reform ADC,” a newly formed group that demands change in the organization was also calling for the protest.

Jumana Judeh, an Arab American businesswoman who was promoting the protest, told The Arab American News that the planned demonstration influenced the cancellation of the gala “without the shadow of a doubt.”

“We are not organizing against the mission of ADC,” said Judeh. “But we are disturbed by the actions and decisions of the national board, and that’s what we were going to demonstrate against. It is important to make that distinction.”

Judeh said the ADC leadership should apologize to the sexual harassment victims and enact measures “to ensure that what happened doesn’t happen again.”

“We cannot absolve ourselves of the moral responsibility to protect our young ladies who come to the offices of ADC,” she said. “Anything short of that is unacceptable.”

Khaled Beydoun, one of the founders of “Reform ADC,” said he was pleased the ADC-MI gala was cancelled.

“It’s a great development,” he said.

Beydoun explained that a series of event led to the cancellation, including the demonstration “Reform ADC” was planning.

“Amy Goodman cancelling was also a serious blow. ADC struggled to find somebody with the same kind of profile,” Beydoun said.

He added that he would not be surprised if Abdrabboh had pushed for the cancellation of the event.

“I like Fatina. I like the fact that she is new blood in the organization,” he said. 

Beydoun, however, does not expect much from Khalaf, the new national president.

“What makes me pessimistic is that he has been a long time board member. Why would he bring about drastic reform as president now?” he said. 

Judeh said Abdrabboh might be sincere in her efforts for change in the organization, but the chances of executing the change she promised are dim because of the ADC’s national leadership.

“She takes directions from the national board. We know recently two ADC officials were fired for defying the national board’s directions and policies,” said Judeh referring to the recently-terminated Warren David, who was ADC national president, and Raed Jarrar, ADC’s former communications and advocacy director.

“Reform ADC” is demanding the reinstatement of Jarrar and David, who were reportedly fired for opposing the way ADC handled the sexual harassment scandal. 

David had received a letter from Tlaib in 2011 alleging that she was sexually harassed by Hamad.

“I think David was in a difficult circumstance. He never had executive authority,” Beydoun said. “Not to proclaim that David was the most effective president, but he wouldn’t have gotten fired if he had not taken a stand against [board chairman] Safa Rifka and the board. His stand on the sexual harassment scandal is what sealed his fate.”