More than 100 Arab Americans attended the forum on combating pollution.

DEARBORN — Arab Americans are becoming more environmentally active and seem determined to combat pollution. 

On Sunday, Jan. 25, more than 100 people attended the forum “Combating Pollution” at the American Moslem Society, where literature was distributed on how to report air pollution violations to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). 

Most of the people who attended are residents of Dearborn’s Southend. The area is home to the 48120 ZIP code, one of Michigan’s most polluted. 

Attendees received information about how to join the South Dearborn Environmental Improvement Association (SDEIA). The group has initiated four lawsuits involving the former steel company Severstal, which was notorious for air pollution violations. 

Dearborn resident Adel Mozip gave a presentation on environmental issues in Wayne County that included information about harmful sulfur dioxide emissions in the region that currently exceed state and federal standards. 

“If we don’t report things, nothing will happen,” Mozip said. He encouraged residents to report pollution events they witness on social media as well. 

The Twitter hashtag #letusbreathe313, Twitter account letusbreathe313 and Instagram account letusbreathe313 were created to get the community engaged in a conversation about environmental issues and allow people to report photos of air pollution online. Residents were also encouraged to report explosions and/or odors from nearby industrial sources they may hear or smell. 

“We are worried about the health of people in our community,” SDEIA member Abdo Bapacker told The Arab American News during an interview back in November. “Over the years, we have seen the impact air pollution has had on the health of people in our community.” 

Bapacker and SDEIA member Ahmed Alwahaishi thanked The Arab American News’ reporter, Natasha Dado for her coverage of environmental issues in Wayne County at the event. 

She first started to report on pollution in Dearborn’s Southend March of 2014 when the MDEQ was considering a controversial 2006 revised emissions permit. The permit was granted in May to Severstal. 

Dado’s four part series, “Fighting for the Right to Breathe Clean Air”, which discussed SDEIA’s lawsuits; sulfur dioxide emissions in Wayne County and who is responsible for them; how air pollution jeopardizes students’ health and academic success and claims of whether the Michigan Economic Development Corporation may have lobbied the MDEQ to pass the permit was recently published. 

Rhonda Anderson, the senior organizing representative of the Sierra Club, and Theresa Landrum, a longtime environmental activist and resident of southwest Detroit, both spoke at the event.

“We have the power to be able to fight and combat pollution when we come together,” Alwahaishi said. 

To get updates on upcoming events from the letusbreathe313 campaign text @313breathe to 810-10. To report an air pollution violation to the MDEQ call 888.223.2363.