Zahraa Farhat
Author's Posts
Immigrant launches reading series to celebrate culture and language
June 30th, 20170 HAMTRAMCK — Haiti-born graduate student Stephanie Jean will be launching her new reading series in one of Michigan's main immigrant cities, Hamtramck, on July 6 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Aladdin Sweets and Café. Jean moved to the U.S. from Haiti twenty years ago and has been a Michigan resident for two years now--- attending Wayne...
Crestwood High School students offered $13.6 million in scholarships
June 30th, 20170 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — In mid June, Crestwood High School sent 312 graduates on a life-altering path that will ultimately result in an even more prosperous new chapter as 178 of them have been offered a combined $13.6 million in scholarships and awards. All the graduates applied to college. Principal John Tafelski expressed his...
Dearborn high school graduates awarded millions of dollars in scholarships
June 23rd, 20170 DEARBORN — Last week, 1,369 students of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds graduated from the Dearborn Public School District on one path— success. Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said he's proud of the overall 93 percent graduation rate. "All of our high schools have been recognized for preparation of students for college and...
Dearborn police cracking down on reckless driving
June 23rd, 20171 DEARBORN — Reckless driving has escalated in Dearborn, but police say not for long as they crack down on speeding and drag racing by boosting both patrols and ticketing. Dearborn police have been tackling the issue for years — writing more than 40,000 tickets annually — but the recent motorcycle accident that killed two youth...
Fasting across faiths: Seasons of reflection and growing closer to God
June 18th, 20170 DEARBORN — The practice of fasting may differ across the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, but these faiths share a bond at their spiritual core— their efforts to grow closer to God. A few months before the holy month of Ramadan started this year, Christians of various denominations observed their own season...
Dearborn Board of Education postpones trustee selection after deadlock
June 16th, 20170 DEARBORN — Despite expectations from the community at large and more than 100 people in attendance, the Dearborn Board of Education did not appoint a new trustee on Monday, June 12. Instead, the board tabled the decision until the June 19 meeting at Henry Ford College. The board recently interviewed candidates to replace...
Reckless driving: Teenage drag racing and gambling play key roles
June 9th, 20170 DEARBORN — High school and college students usually tempt each other to act in defiance of safety rules, especially when they're at the driving age of 16 and above. When on the road, some of them don't recognize the responsibility they carry behind the wheel until a tragic accident happens to themselves or to someone they...
Portland men who defended Muslim teen hailed as heroes
June 2nd, 20170 PORTLAND/DEARBORN — On May 26, a man aboard a commuter train in Portland, Oregon slashed the throats of three passengers for heroically standing up for and protecting two teenage girls from his White supremacist, anti-Muslim tirade. Ricky John Best, 53, reportedly died at the scene, while Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, 23, died...
Muslim children teach lessons about discipline every Ramadan
June 2nd, 20170 DEARBORN — With more than 17 hours until sunset each day during Ramadan, it may seem impossible for children to complete their fast, but that's not the case. Many children have chosen to observe the holy month, which began on May 27 this year, with their parents and teenage siblings. Some adults, on the other hand, struggle to...
Local student-led organization promotes literacy, offers tutoring
May 26th, 20170 DEARBORN — Books For a Benefit, a non-profit organization led by students from Dearborn, has expanded across Southeast Michigan— collecting and redistributing 40,000 books to promote literacy to students facing academic barriers. After using social media as a marketing tool to ask people to donate books their children may have...
Fashion journalist breaks barriers to benefit Syrian refugees
May 26th, 20170 BIRMINGHAM — Born to a Lebanese mother and Palestinian father in Dearborn, fashion journalist Hoda Salameh Winkler had already broken down barriers— by having two different ethnicities. Yet, the concept doesn't only revolve around her identity. She also uses her eye for style to send a deeper message that promotes peace, social...
Dearborn Heights Police seeking to recruit Arab Americans
May 19th, 20170 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — As the Arab American community continues to grow in Dearborn Heights, the city hopes to recruit more representatives to its police department. Recently, a fourth Arab American was added to the police force, which comprises 82 police officers in total. Chief Lee Gavin expressed concerns that none...
Overpopulated high schools in Dearborn: Problems and possible solutions
May 12th, 20170 DEARBORN — The Dearborn Public School District is tackling the issue of an overcrowded student population in both Fordson High School and Dearborn High School. By contrast, Edsel Ford High School is below the limit at about 1,300 students, with room for more. Approximately 2,700 students occupy Fordson High and just around 2,100...
Dearborn native to become first hijabi Air Force judge advocate
May 12th, 20171 DEARBORN — In March, Dearborn native Maysaa Ouza, 24, applied to the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG) only to find herself making history as the first Muslim hijabi to become a judge advocate. A judge advocate practices law in the Air Force differently than in the private sector. Ouza will be able to...
Parents claim local middle school teacher tried proselytizing students to Christianity
May 12th, 20171 DEARBORN — On May 8, parents at the Dearborn Public School Board of Education meeting voiced their concerns regarding a teacher attempting to proselytize Muslim students at Woodworth Middle School. The world religions teacher was not named at the meeting, but parents said that she discussed her own baptism, read from her Bible for......
Locals hold vigil in support of Palestinian hunger strikers
May 5th, 20170 DEARBORN — More than 1,500 Palestinian prisoners have joined a hunger strike led by Palestinian parliamentarian and prisoner Marwan Barghouti, beginning April 17. People all over the world showed their solidarity by organizing demonstrations and vigils. Some have participated in the "#SaltWaterChallenge", in which they share videos...
Henry Ford College board of trustees reiterates school’s commitment as welcoming college
April 28th, 20170 DEARBORN — On April 17, the Henry Ford College board of trustees unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Policy Committee Chair Fadwa Hammoud that reaffirms the college's commitment to welcome anyone in search of an education and employment opportunities. Hammoud told The AANews that the resolution accentuates HFC's devotion......
Islamic Institute of America: Not just a place of worship
April 28th, 20170 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — In early April, Sayed Hassan Al-Qazwini, one of the most prominent Muslim leaders in Metro Detroit, unveiled his new, all-inclusive mosque, the Islamic Institute of America, in Dearborn Heights. According to Qazwini, the mosque doesn't have a "sectarian label", but rather welcomes all Muslims. "We are not...
Local Taekwondo students to compete in national championships
April 21st, 20170 DEARBORN — On April 8, 16 of Koubeissi Taekwondo School's students of various ages and divisions finished strong at the Michigan State Taekwondo Championships, all qualifying for the 2017 USA Taekwondo National Championships. The event took place at Flowerville High School in Flowerville, Michigan. Many of the students had fought...
Arab American author tells stories from the intersection between cultures
April 14th, 20170 BALTIMORE —Author Susan Muaddi Darraj intersects her identities as a Palestinian and as an American to tell stories from the "third space— the space between two cultures" that ultimately shapes the characters involved in her tales. According to Darraj, there are so many stories that could be told about the Palestinian immigrant...
Finding quality special education is a challenge
April 14th, 20170 Stigmas usually form when, ironically, some of the most critical forces of life— those that must be addressed— hit. The Arab American community's prominent taboo topics, which are brought to the forefront by local groups more often nowadays, include mental health, substance abuse, domestic abuse and learning and physical......
Iranian college student detained by ICE for unknown reasons
April 7th, 20170 DEARBORN —At 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 30, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents detained an Iranian Schoolcraft College student at his apartment in Dearborn. According to his roommate, the student, Mohammad Salar Fard-Hajian, 24, holds a valid student visa and has been living in the U.S. for three years. Police said he...
Dearborn woman dispels misconceptions of Islam through Solidarity Project
April 7th, 20171 DEARBORN — As local resident Agnes Fischer drove by a Muslim crowd praying outside Levagood Park and listened to church bells chiming nearby one day, she began to cry in awe of the city of Dearborn. That scene inspired the 41-year-old photographer, HYPE Athletics yoga instructor and director of fitness and personal training to start......
Estate planning: Wills and trusts as means of security
April 1st, 20170 DEARBORN —When it comes to estate planning, specifically wills and trusts, many people fail to recognize its integral role and would rather use joint tenancy to distribute assets and escape Probate Court. That's the view of a local estate planning attorney who spoke to The AANews. "By that I mean instead of using proper estate...Iranian student suddenly detained by DHS in Dearborn
March 31st, 20170 DEARBORN- At 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 30, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents detained an Iranian Schoolcraft College student at his apartment in Dearborn. According to his roommate, Mohammad Salar Fard-Hajian, 24, was taken to the Dearborn Police Station where he was held in a cell and reached out to friends over the......
