Zeina Jaafar
Author's Posts
Karmanos Institute marks July as Sarcoma Awareness Month
July 17th, 20250 DETROIT — The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute has marked July as Sarcoma Awareness Month. Sarcomas, a form of cancer, are rare tumors that comprise of about 1 percent of adult cancers and 15 percent of childhood cancers, according to Karmanos. “Sarcomas are cancers originating in bone or soft tissues, for example, fat, muscle,...
Local Arab American leaders weigh in on Zohran Mamdani’s NYC primary win
July 6th, 20250 Zohran Mamdani's victory in the New York City mayoral primary election has sparked online discourse and a wave of support from Arab and Muslim Americans. In defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani has become the first Muslim American to secure a major party nomination in the city's history. He secured 56 percent of the vote,...
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald is running for Michigan attorney general
June 27th, 20250 A teacher turned prosecutor, Karen McDonald has launched her campaign for Michigan attorney general. A mother of five, McDonald worked as an English teacher in Midland before pursuing a law degree at Wayne State University Law School. In her first year as Oakland County prosecutor — after being elected in 2020 — she led...
City of Dearborn announces zero tolerance policy on illegal firework use during July 4 holiday
June 27th, 20250 DEARBORN — Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, Police Chief and Fire Chief Joseph Murray held a press conference announcing the city's zero tolerance police for illegal and dangerous use of fireworks over the July 4 holiday weekend. “As is with all holidays in the city, the health and safety of our residents is paramount,” Hammoud said....
Karmanos Cancer Institute continues community education with focus on lung cancer
June 26th, 20250 DETROIT — The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute's Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) continues the 2025 Community Conversations on Cancer series this month. Dr. Ammar Sukari, a medical oncologist, member of the Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team, member of the Molecular Therapeutics Research Program at...
Dearborn native representing Lebanon in Miss Arab USA
June 24th, 20250 DEARBORN — Dearborn native Mariam Dabaja has been selected as one of the 20 finalists in Miss Arab USA. Representing Lebanon, Dabaja joins contestants across the nation in showcasing advocacy, intellect and cultural heritage. The pageant will take place in Arizona on July 19. Miss Arab USA's mission stated on its website, is to...
Dearborn man leads Dearborn police on tense chase after alleged domestic violence assault
June 13th, 20250 DEARBORN — Dearborn police responded to a domestic violence incident that escalated into a police chase across two days. The suspect is Dearborn resident Ali Ahmed Zbib, 55. Reports state that after allegedly assaulting a 42-year-old woman at the residence in the 5000 block Argyle Street, Zbib fled the scene. After the incident...
Dearborn Summer Market returns with local vendors, live music, food and more
June 12th, 20250 DEARBORN — Mark your calendar- Dearborn's Summer Market returns. On the second Friday of June, July and August, the heart of West Dearborn will buzz with food, fun, music, and community engagement. Located in the heart of West Dearborn at Dearborn PEACE Park West, the market returns this Friday June 13 from 4-8 p.m. The market, free...
Dr. Khaldoon Alaswad returns to Syria for medical mission 15 years after threat of arrest
June 6th, 20250 After the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, Dr. Khaldoon Alaswad returned to Syria that same month for the first time in 15 years after being threatened with an arrest in 2009. He spent three days visiting his family. What he saw on the ground devastated him. He said his family's homes were hit; his grandfather's home...
A group at WSU is using barbershops to educate Arab American men about colon cancer
May 29th, 20250 DETROIT — Volunteers at Wayne State University are working to inform Arab American men about colon cancer and how to get properly screened for it, specifically targeting those aged 45 and older through a program called Trimming the Risks. As medical research in the MENA (Middle Eastern North African) category is incomplete, this...
We Shall Read partnering with Dearborn Public Library to offer bilingual reading workshops for parents
May 16th, 20250 DEARBORN - We Shall Read, a non-profit organization aimed at improving children's literacy, is partnering with the Dearborn Public Library to offer a series of free workshops for parents, in both English and Arabic. We Shall Read uses a program called Brain Friendly Reading that equips teachers, tutors and parents with instructional...
Prominent Arab American attorney Abdeen Jabara donates an endowment of $100k to U of M-Dearborn
May 9th, 20251 Prominent Arab American civil rights attorney Abdeen Jabara, 85, has donated an endowment of $100,000 to the University of Michigan-Dearborn's Center for Arab American Studies. This donation will enhance student-led research, internships and coursework at the center as well as at the Arab American National Museum. The endowment will...
Dearborn Public Schools adds electric buses to its fleet
May 2nd, 20250 DEARBORN — Dearborn Public Schools has added 18 new electric school buses to its fleet. In efforts to help create a cleaner environment, these zero-emission buses provide a cleaner form of transportation. “The addition of these 18 electric buses is another example of how our district is leading the way and taking actions that...
Gov. Whitmer elevates Judge Mariam Saad Bazzi to Court of Appeals, making her the state’s first Arab and Muslim appellate judge
April 25th, 20250 LANSING / DEARBORN – In a historic first for Michigan’s judicial system, Governor Whitmer appointed Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Mariam Saad Bazzi to the Michigan Court of Appeals- First District, making her the first Arab and Muslim American to serve on the appellate court in the state’s history. The historic appointment...
Mayor Abdullah Hammoud highlights progress in second State of the City address: Dearborn among Michigan’s fastest-growing cities
April 18th, 20250 DEARBORN — Mayor Abdullah Hammoud delivered his second State of the City address titled "Destination Dearborn" at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, April 15. During the well-attended event, Hammoud highlighted the city's accomplishments and outlined future plans that will continue to elevate the city, addressing......
Karmanos Cancer Institute recognizes April as Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month
April 18th, 20250 DETROIT— The Barbara Ann Karmanos Institute and cancer centers and organizations across the nation recognize April as Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. Head and neck cancers include: Ear cancer Eye cancer Hypopharyngeal cancer Laryngeal cancer Nasal cavity cancer Nasopharyngeal cancer Oral cavity cancer ...
Karmanos Cancer Institute recognized March as Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month
April 4th, 20250 DETROIT — The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute cancer centers and other organizations nationwide recognized March as Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month. Multiple myeloma is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer, specifically targeting plasma cells, the cells responsible for producing antibodies. There is no cure for multiple......
Mo Baydoun kicks off Dearborn Heights mayoral campaign
April 4th, 20250 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Council President Mo Baydoun has kicked off his mayoral campaign in a large turnout event held at Crestwood High School. Joined by residents, elected officials, dignitaries and community members, Baydoun shared his commitment to the city, vowing to serve and unite the residents. Several people spoke at the event,...
ACCESS is asking for volunteers for care package assembly for shelters and refugees affected by Southwest Detroit flood
March 18th, 20250 DEARBORN — ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economical and Social Services) is asking for volunteers for a care package assembly event Saturday, March 22, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the ACCESS headquarters, 2651 Saulino Court, Dearborn, MI 48120. These care packages will be for shelters, refugees and all those affected by the...
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud hosts Iftar dinner uniting all walks of life
March 15th, 20252 DEARBORN — Mayor Abdullah Hammoud hosted an Iftar dinner on Wednesday, March 12 at Byblos Banquet Hall, bringing together some 700 people of different backgrounds for an evening of unity to celebrate an important part of the holy month of Ramadan. Community members, appointed and elected officials, esteemed individuals and members...
Dearborn Heights Council Chairman Mo Baydoun hosts fourth annual Iftar dinner with Fire Department
March 15th, 20250 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Dearborn Heights City Council Chairman and mayoral candidate Mo Baydoun hosted the fourth annual Iftar dinner with both the Dearborn Heights Fire Department and the Dearborn Heights Police Department. Baydoun told The Arab American News that this initiative started four years ago when he challenged Battalion Chief......
Illinois man found guilty of murder of Palestinian American boy
March 7th, 20250 PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, IL – Plainfield Township resident Joseph Czuba has been found guilty of murder and hate crime charges for fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Palestinian American and gravely wounding his mother in October 2023. Czuba, 73, was the landlord of the home where the 6-year-old, Wadee Alfayoumi, and his mother, Hanan...
Dearborn Public Schools providing free take-home meals for fasting students during Ramadan
March 7th, 20250 DEARBORN — Dearborn Public Schools is offering free Iftar meals to students during the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan, a spiritual month when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, is widely observed by the Dearborn community, including the substantial Muslim student population within the Dearborn Public Schools. In a video posted on......
Eighth grade student says her teacher told her to “go back to your country” after sitting for the Pledge of Allegiance
February 28th, 20250 An eighth grade student said she was racially discriminated against after not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Danielle Khalaf, an Arab American student at East Middle School in Plymouth, said she made the decision to sit during the Pledge of Allegiance on Jan. 10 as an act of protest against what is happening in Gaza. Danielle...
Ramadan Village event to be held at the Canteen in Dearborn
February 21st, 20250 DEARBORN — The holy month of Ramadan is approaching, and much of the Dearborn community is preparing for this spiritually significant time when Muslims abstain from food and water from dawn to dusk for 30 days, while also engaging in prayer and community. Throughout the month, large Iftar gatherings — the meal when Muslims break......
