Arab Museum hosts ‘1001 laughs Dearborn comedy festival’
Zahr on stage at the comedy festival. DEARBORN — "It was an English class, but I learned Spanish instead," Arab comedian Moe Amer quipped to a crowd at the Arab American National Museum, describing his awkward transition into the Houston Public School System after his family moved to Texas from Kuwait."It's great because I'm brown and...Iconic Lebanese star Sabah dies at age 87
BEIRUT — The legendary Lebanese singer and actress Sabah passed away on Wednesday at age 87 of an unspecified illness in Beirut.Born Jeanette Gergis Al-Feghali, the artist spent most of her career acting in Egypt during the golden age of Egyptian cinema in the 1950's and 60's.Sabah released more than 50 albums and acted in 98 movies...Story about fear and destruction: Palestinian artist captures Gaza pain in clay
Iyyad Sabbah's sculptures in the Shejaiya district of Gaza City.GAZA CITY — Among the mountains of rubble littering Gaza after a deadly summer war, clay outlines emerge of men, women and children with a story to tell about fear, flight and destruction.Through his sculptures, which are made of fiberglass and covered with clay, Iyyad...Iraqi American wins first place in national body-building competition
Haider Ali. DEARBORN — Haider Ali, an Iraqi American and Dearborn resident, won first place in the Central States Championships on Saturday, Oct. 18. Ali thanked his coach Imad Alabdly, friends, family and supporters for his victory. Ali is a longtime professional pro-bodybuilder. ...Poetry corner: A lonely man
As a part of its continuing effort to share a portion of the literary wealth of Arabic poetry with the English reader, The Arab American News translates a poem by Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani.In this poem, Qabbani describes a bizarre encounter where he knocks on a stranger's door and asks her to host him. A lonely manIf I knew what I...Kelsey Museum of Archaeology to feature Islamic art show
ANN ARBOR — A medieval Egyptian water filter decorated with a prancing rabbit is just one of many intriguing objects in the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology’s upcoming special exhibition, “Pearls of Wisdom: The Arts of Islam at the University of Michigan”, opening October 15. Other objects range from medieval cut-glass...Dearborn bus tour showcases artwork
DEARBORN — The art world meets the outside world, with paintings and sculptures on display around Dearborn. The Detroit Institute of Arts and the Midwest Sculpture Initiative currently have a combined 22 pieces of art throughout the city. These replica paintings are on display until October, while the sculptures will be...French organization to celebrate North African culture
BROOMFIELD HILLS — The Alliance Francaise French Institute of Michigan (AFFIM) will celebrate North African cuisine and belly dancing at the Congregational Church of Birmingham in Bloomfield Hills on Saturday, Sept. 13.The program will include a show and a class by belly dancer Azziza and a dinner of couscous. North African desserts...Detroit native Paul Elia inspiring youth to pursue their dreams
Elia.DETROIT — When metro Detroit native Paul Elia moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting he inspired others to follow their passions. Elia, a Chaldean American, is often approached by people asking for advice about taking risks and pursuing their dreams. It is not common for Chaldeans to go after careers in the...Arab American woman pursing photography career
Jessica Kobeissi photographing BMG Chicago's signed model Miranda Cerny.DEARBORN – Photography is an art form that has been around since the 1800s and it continues to grow in the 21st century.It is a career that has become more accessible for everyone, but it remains a competitive field.Jessica Kobeissi is just one of the female Arab...Sally Howell discusses her new book ‘Old Islam in Detroit’
Muslims have a long and rich history in Greater Detroit, but it has not been thoroughly documented – until now. Dr. Sally Howell brings this history to life in her new book, “Old Islam in Detroit: Rediscovering the Muslim American Past” (Oxford University Press, 2014). In her book, she intends to “lay groundwork for a new...President of E! Entertainment urged to fire Joan Rivers over remarks about Palestinians
Rivers.MICHIGAN — The pressure to get Suzanne Kolb, the president of E! Entertainment, to fire the host of the network’s popular show, “Fashion Police” is mounting. “Please write to the president of E! Entertainment and demand that she fire Joan Rivers as host of “Fashion Police” for her horrifying hate speech about...A look back at Simon Baz, the Dearborn-based Green Lantern
DEARBORN — “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might beware my power, Green Lantern’s light.” For decades, that oath has been spoken by Green Lantern, a DC Comics superhero who is also a member of an intergalactic police force called The Green Lantern...Eight celebrities outraged by Israel’s assault on Gaza
Stewart.Hollywood is not known as a bastion of pro-Palestinian sentiment. There has not been any hugely successful mainstream, major motion picture that accurately depicts the plight of Palestinians. Actress Vanessa Redgrave was harshly condemned for her remarks that criticized Israel in the 1970s.But that may be changing. Since...Poetry corner: Stage of Siege
Mahmoud Darwish portrays the Palestinian struggle against the occupation in "State of Siege," a long poem published as a book in 2002. The book is centered around pain, hope, love and joy in dealing with the Israeli "siege." While narrating stories of the struggle in prose, Darwish addresses the concepts of peace and war and looks for......
Rihanna causes social media firestorm with #FreePalestine tweet
LOS ANGELES — Pop superstar Rihanna caused a social media firestorm this week when she tweeted "#FreePalestine" from her official account before deleting it eight minutes later.In those eight minutes the controversial tweet was retweeted more than 70,000 times, according to NY Magazine.Entertainment news website TMZ claimed that the...Amer Zahr’s new movie questions the absence of an “Arab” option on Census forms
DEARBORN — "We're not White." That's the name and thesis of Palestinian American comedian Amer Zahr's new movie, which premiered at the Arab American National Museum on Friday, June 27. However, the federal government disagrees with both the premise and the title of the film. "We're not White" examines the absence of an......
‘Halalywood’ comes to metro Detroit with film production of “American Sharia”
DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Hollywood is aiming to go halal and is using the metro Detroit region to get the mission accomplished.Last week, the production of the film "American Sharia" wrapped in Dearborn Heights after a month- long shoot around metro Detroit that employed dozens of Muslims and Arab Americans from California, New York and...Arab American filmmaker among 2014 Kresge Artist Fellows Eighteen from tri-county area receive $25,000 awards for artistic vision, creative excellence
DETROIT — Lebanese American filmmaker Rola Nashef’s popular romantic dramedy, “Detroit Unleaded”, has earned her the 2014 Kresge Artist Fellowship.Seventeen metropolitan Detroit artists and one collective were awarded Kresge Artist Fellowships this year. Each of the 18 fellowships, for artists working in dance/music and a...
Dearborn father publishes children’s book on acceptance
June 26th, 20140 DEARBORN - Ferne Press announced last week that it has published a children’s book authored by a Dearborn father. The first-time author, Dr. Bashar Salame, 36, explores stereotypes and acceptance in "Let’s Change That! If Animals Can, We Can, Too.""Teaching our children about acceptance of others is the greatest gift we can give...Palestinian Canadian lands huge hit on U.S. music charts
Frontman of the group, Nasri Atweh (inset and below center), is of Palestinian descent. Nasri was born and raised in Toronto to Palestinian immigrant parents Along with guitarist Mark Pelli, drummer Alex Tanas and bassist Ben Spivak — who hail from the Toronto area, they formed the group Magic! in 2013.LOS ANGELES — Pop-reggae band......
Dearborn expo features art of head wrapping
DEARBORN — On Sunday, June 8, more than 500 people attended an exposition of cultural and religious head wraps for both men and women at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Africans, and Arabs were all enlightened on the art of wrapping the head with stylish and colorful scarves. The...Poetry corner: Nothing pleases me
As a part of its continuing effort to share a portion of the literary wealth of Arabic poetry with the English reader, The Arab American News translates a poem by the legendary Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.Nothing pleases me"Nothing pleases me,"Says the traveler on the bus-- Not the radio,Nor the morning papers, not the forts on the......
Poetry corner: With a Beiruti
As a part of its continuing effort to share a portion of the literary wealth of Arabic poetry with the English reader, The Arab American News translates a poem by the legendary Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani.With a Beiruti Nothing remains except us in the restaurant,Nothing except the shadow of two heads leaning on each other...Nothing...Yemeni cuisine highlights diversity of Arab culture
Fawaz Algazali displaying arayes, harisa and coffee.HAMTRAMCK — Arabic food is as diverse as Arab people. While Levantine dishes like shawarma and hummus have become familiar names in American culture, a lesser known cuisine from the Arabian Peninsula has been flourishing in Metro Detroit. Yemeni restaurants are a growing option for......