ADC-MI’s new director Fatina Abdrabboh.

DEARBORN — Despite the controversial sexual harassment scandal that rocked the American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee of Michigan (ADC-MI) last year, the group’s 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Dinner held Wednesday at Byblos Banquet Hall in Dearborn was a success. 

Several elected officials, community leaders, law enforcement personnel, and representatives from local organizations, among others, attended the packed dinner. 

This was the first major community event ADC-MI held since the scandal started. Its annual gala was canceled in December after people planned on protesting outside of it because of ADC National’s handling of the scandal. 

Fatina Abdrabboh, ADC’s  new director addressed the controversy. “ADC’s image in the last year has certainly been impacted, and I’ll work hard to constantly improve that image. The image of ADC is key to all of us. After all, ADC as an institution is only as good as the people it empowers, and the people empowered will support and strengthen the ADC. I am helping institute best practice measures and want everyone to know there will be zero tolerance for abuse and misconduct including sexual harassment, ” she said. 

Abdrabboh said the organization is working as hard as ever to become as strong and as vibrant as it can. 

Since being named the new director a few months ago, after former head Imad Hamad resigned amid the scandal, Abdrabboh says she has focused on engagement, empowerment and education. She asked the audience to download the new ADC mobile app she created that allows individuals to report discrimination.  “This is why we are here. It is for you,” she said. 

Abdrabboh spoke about her commitment to serving women in the community. 

“I am a mother of two daughters. What I can assure you is the welfare of women in this community has always been a priority to me, in my private practice as an attorney practicing family law and it will be no different representing ADC Michigan,” she said. 

She also highlighted some of the ADC’s recent accomplishments, including getting television network ABC to cancel the controversial show “Alice in Arabia.” Abdrabboh also recently helped defend an Arab American family from Dearborn when police executed a search warrant in the wrong house, handcuffed the father, woke up his three children and interrogated the mother before allowing her to put on her hijab.

ADC-MI also recently filed a lawsuit against Eastern Michigan University in defense of an Arab American student who claims she was discriminated against while running for student body government. 

Kary Moss, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, said she was honored to welcome Abdrabboh as the group’s new director. Moss said the ACLU has worked with ADC on defending American civil liberties in former cases and will continue to partner up against discrimination.  

Abdrabboh said the banking institutions responsible for closing the accounts of several Arab Americans were not welcome at the dinner. Several complaints have been made about Arab American bank accounts being closed abruptly with no reasonable explanation.  

The Arab American Civil Rights League established a hotline in 2013 to take complaints, and it filed a class action lawsuit against the banking institutions.  

Judge David Allen said the last year was challenging for ADC-MI, but it has found leadership in Abdrabboh.

The keynote speaker, Professor Adrien K. Wing, who teaches at the University of Iowa College of Law, said the ADC’s work is more crucial than ever because of massive discrimination in the country, not only against Arabs and Muslims, but against many other communities as well. 

Priya Mann of Channel 4 News served as the mistress of ceremonies. Community awards were given to the Omani Students Association of the University of Michigan and Student Voices of Eastern Michigan University. 

Leadership awards went to Leila Saba Hanna, who retired after working for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights for 30 years; Fattum Mutahr, of General Motors; and Stephen Henderson, editorial page editor of the Detroit Free Press.

U.S. Congressmen John Dingell was honored with a lifetime achievement award. Several scholarships were also awarded to deserving students.