Hana and Rana Elmir

Hana Elmir tells her four children a story that demonstrates strength and persistence. During the war in Lebanon, her husband was in a different village as battles were raging. She walked for hours in dangerous conditions to make sure he was okay.

“Every time she heard the whistle of a rocket she would lay in a ditch,” Rana Elmir said, recounting her mother’s story. “Once she heard the blast, she would get up, dust herself off and continue walking. She found him, turned around and walked back home, repeating the journey.”

The younger Elmir, the deputy director of the ACLU in Michigan, started her career as a journalist. She said her interest in the craft was perhaps inspired by her mother’s skillful storytelling. 

“My mother is an incredible woman and often serves as my guiding light,” Elmir said.

She added that her mother’s experiences and strong sense of justice also contributed to her shift from journalism to civil rights advocacy.

Rana Elmir said when her activism landed her in dangerous situations, her mother gave her a look of a worried parent but also showed pride.

“The greatest lessons my mother has taught me have always been through her actions,” she said.