DEARBORN — The Arab American News is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a community dinner at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center in Dearborn, on Thursday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m.

The bilingual (Arabic – English) weekly newspaper is the largest and oldest Arab American publication in the country.

“It has been a long, difficult but rewarding journey,” said publisher Osama A. Siblani. “For 30 years, we have been telling the stories of the Arab American community— accounts of success, struggle, joy and pain that would have gone untold without a publication dedicated to shedding light on the Arab American experience.”

From pointing out civil rights violations here to condemning injustices around the world, the newspaper has been a champion for the community. It has tackled controversial issues and made unpopular statements in the name of truth and on behalf of its readership.

“Through it all, we maintained our integrity and guarded our professionalism,” added Siblani. “For support, we relied solely on our loyal readers who made us a popular destination for advertisers that helped us keep our financial and editorial independence.”

The Arab American News has received the Spirit of Diversity Award from Wayne State University and its publisher was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2013. The paper, its publisher and staff have also received several awards from national and local community and civil rights organizations over the years.

Siblani established The Arab American News with the objective of promoting the Arab American in public life in order to advance the community in different areas.

At that time he looked forward and held high hopes for its success.

“The Arab American News played a very important role that went beyond just reporting the news,” said attorney Abed Hammoud. “It helped shape the landscape of the community both socially and politically.”

More than 30 years after the paper’s inception, Arab Americans have become noticeably more visible in politics and prominent leadership positions.

“The community has evolved immensely over the last 30 years, in particular both socially and politically,” Hammoud said. “The Arab American News played a huge role in that.”

For Arab Americans who grew up reading it, the paper showed them what they could accomplish through the stories of successful community members chronicled in its pages.

“The paper gives people an opportunity to see others going through the same struggles and trying to overcome adversity, or becoming successful,” said Dearborn Board of Education member Mariam Bazzi. “You read the paper and see Arab Americans holding prominent positions in all kinds of professions.”

Ali Jawad, founder of the Lebanese American Heritage Club, said the newspaper helped elevate the growing community to a national level.

“It was a dream and I never thought it would come true,” Jawad said. “I never thought it would last 30 years when it first started. I witnessed him [Siblani] going through difficult times, but he made it. It’s one of the best ethnic newspapers.”

The paper has broken the silence on social issues that were ignored for far too long, such as dating; parents being hesitant in acknowledging children with autism; domestic violence; the struggles of LGBT Arabs; suicide; religious divorce; mental illness; sexual harassment and the stigma of breast cancer, among several other controversial topics. Its coverage of taboo issues encouraged people to seek help. The newspaper showed community members that they weren’t alone and shared the same struggles.

One of the paper’s biggest contributions to the community has been that it brings a greater understanding about Muslims and Islam at a time when both are under heavy scrutiny.

Hammoud said The Arab American News has had an influence on the mainstream media’s reporting about Arab Americans by educating them about the community and breaking down the stereotypes surrounding Arabs and Muslims.

The paper has always supported community organizations by covering their events and through the years.

Dr. Haifa Fakouri, president and CEO of the Arab American and Chaldean Council, said the paper has helped share the group’s mission with the community over the last three decades.

“The Arab American News is an outstanding newspaper that communicates the entire community’s message,” Fakhouri said. “It has served as a tool of empowerment by sharing the community’s opinions and perspectives. It has also opened doors for the community at political and social levels.”

The paper has covered issues the mainstream media ignored, such as the allegations of discrimination in hiring and recruitment at the Crestwood School District , which our paper followed for two years.

“The paper is part of our daily lives here,” said Hassan Bazzi, president of the Dearborn Heights Community Organization, which was also involved in the Crestwood School District discrimination case. “It is always there for all of us. It is for the community. It is our voice. This paper is the most valuable thing we have in this community. I actually feel like it is part of the history of the community here in the Dearborn and Dearborn heights.”

Ned Fawaz, CEO of Energy International Corp., recalled when Siblani began conceptualizing the idea for a community newspaper. Siblani and Fawaz were then partners at Energy International, where Siblani served as the vice president.

“We always talked about the need for the community to have a voice,” Fawaz said. “And then he decided to go ahead with TAAN, Sada Alwatan at the time, and he worked with an editor from Lebanon.”

Fawaz recalled that Siblani established the newspaper six months after he left his company.

“I worked with him and supported him all the way through,” he said. “I believed in the vision from the beginning. Osama thought the community was important in this part of the world and we needed a voice to get our point of view across. He is a person who loves this country, loves the Arab world and he has worked very hard for the Arab cause. It cost him a lot of headaches and hard times, but he never changed.”

The paper has also covered issues of great significance to metro Detroit’s Chaldean American community— such as the Iraq war— and has always been committed to covering the persecution of religious minorities in Iraq and around the Arab World.

The paper is widely read among metro Detroit Chaldeans and is delivered to many businesses in the community.

Sam Yono, a local Chaldean American businessman and leader, is also a longtime reader.

“The paper is very positive and informative on issues both Chaldeans and Arabs care about regarding the Middle East and Arab World,” Yono said. “I want to congratulate the staff on the great work it has done since he inception of the paper.”

Hassan Jaber, executive director of ACCESS, recalled when Siblani approached the organization about starting the paper in 1984. Back then, ACCESS had only been established for a few years.

“I do remember when it was established and I remember Osama visiting ACCESS and talking about the project,” Jaber said. “I want to congratulate you all and Osama in particular on succeeding and making it a strong institution in the community. The community definitely needed a voice at that time. I admire Osama for being able to overcome the challenges…and there were many. He was able to be persistent and I think he was successful because of his passion.”

Hammoud said the task the paper’s staff has is momentous.

“Good luck and hang in there, because the news business is not a lucrative business and most of the time it is a thankless business; and most of the time people don’t thank you,” Hammoud said. “People see the things they don’t like and they criticize the media and very few times people thank the media when they should. I appreciate your roles, so hang in there and keep doing what you’re doing.”

For information and tickets to our 30th anniversary dinner, call The Arab American News at 313-582-4888.