From Exodus to Marvel: A brief history of Hollywood’s justification of Israeli war crimes
October 3rd, 20220 The introduction of an Israeli Mossad agent as the latest Marvel movie character crosses the line, even by Hollywood's poor moral standards. However, the Israeli superhero, Sabra, must be understood within the rational progression of the Israelification of Hollywood, a phenomenon that is surprisingly new. Sabra is a relatively old...
Lebanese dance troupe crowned winners of “America’s Got Talent”
September 16th, 20220 A Lebanese dance troupe has won the top prize on the popular American television show America’s Got Talent, becoming the first Arab participants to do so. Mayyas, an all-female dance act, won the $1 million prize, and the chance to headline a Las Vegas show, after they received the most votes from the public, beating the other 10...
Speaker brings her virtual journey, “From Ancient Amman to the Deserts of Jordan” to the Dearborn Public Library
September 13th, 20220 DEARBORN — The Dearborn Public Library will host Dearborn resident Mariya Fogarasi for a virtual Zoom presentation on Tuesday, September 20 at 6:30 p.m., to share her family’s travel experiences through the Middle East with the help of stories and pictures. Fogarasi and her family lived overseas for many years and traveled...
Qahwah House and its authentic Yemeni coffee connect people over the shared love of coffee
September 9th, 20220 DEARBORN — Qahwah House, the famous Yemeni coffee shop located in Dearborn, has plans to expand to other states and has a mission to bring people together through its authentic coffee. Qahwah House owner Ibrahim Alhasbani shared his goals for the coffee shop’s future and why he was inspired to bring this coffee business to...
Dearborn author publishes first children’s book, inspired by labne and a cafeteria story
September 3rd, 20220 DEARBORN — A Dearborn-based author has penned her first children’s book inspired by a family member’s cafeteria experiences as one of few Arab Americans at their school. The Great Labne Trade, by author Eman Saleh, is a captivating children’s book meant to be "enjoyed by families across generations." Through beautiful...
Qamaria Coffee opens fifth cafe location on the border of Dearborn, Dearborn Heights
September 1st, 20220 DEARBORN — Yemeni coffee is taking over the cafe scene in Metro Detroit by storm, and a major contributor to that world is Qamaria Coffee. The premium Yemeni coffee bean sourcing, roasting operation and cafe franchise is opening its fifth location at the border of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. Started by two Yemeni entrepreneurs...
Arab American artist Rana Lotfi expresses herself and her story through her passion for art
August 12th, 20220 BIRMINGHAM - Rana Lotfi, an Arab American artist, pursues art as a means of therapy and expression. Lotfi immigrated to the United States from Syria in 2002 after obtaining her bachelor's degree in fine art from Damascus University in Damascus, Syria. Lotfi told The Arab American News that her passion for painting began at...
Homecoming Festival returns strong after two years with a few changes, including a new location, and a mayor’s golf cart “chronicles”
August 10th, 20220 DEARBORN — This past weekend the 41st Homecoming Festival, an annual Dearborn tradition going back to the 80s, returned after a two-year hiatus. On his Facebook livestream this week, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud expressed his desire to see the festival return. “Given the pandemic, given the catastrophic flooding last year, I thought...
Arab Americans’ history in Indianapolis told in documentary
June 20th, 20220 A local professor spent the last few years documenting the history of Arab Americans in Indianapolis. WFYI’s Taylor Bennett spoke with Edward Curtis, chair of Liberal Arts and professor of religious studies in the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, about the project — Arab Indianapolis: A Hidden History — and why it was...
National Arab Orchestra returns to Ann Arbor, featuring renowned singer Abeer Nehme in first Michigan appearance
March 8th, 20220 ANN ARBOR — The National Arab Orchestra (NAO) will be returning to Ann Arbor this year, featuring the renowned singer Abeer Nehme's first appearance in Michigan and the University Musical Society (UMS) Choral Union, Saturday March 19 at the Hill Auditorium. Organized by the UMS, this year’s program promises to take audiences on a...
Local authors pen book about Dearborn Heights serial killer
March 6th, 20220 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Local authors B. R. Bates and Dr. Gerald Cliff have released a book about a prolific serial killer who used to live in Dearborn Heights. On Jan. 2, 2000, Dearborn Heights police were called to the Rouge River after John Eric Armstrong claimed he had felt nauseated and attempted to vomit in the river when he...
Artist who worked on the Islamic Center of America returns to Dearborn to continue his artwork
February 26th, 20220 DEARBORN — The Lebanese artist of Armenian origin behind the painting of more than a dozen mosques and churches globally has returned to Dearborn to continue to share his work. Born in 1973, Haroutioun “Harout” Isack Bastajian has always had a passion for art. “I spent a lot of time in my childhood in the remote...
Mayor Hammoud to join the Dearborn Symphony as narrator for Peter and the Wolf
February 23rd, 20220 DEARBORN — Mayor Abdullah Hammoud will be joining the Dearborn Symphony as he narrates an event called "Mozart Meets Peter and the Wolf." Hammoud will be added to the list of historic narrators of this piece, including Viola Davis, Alice Cooper and Boris Karloff. During his narration, Hammoud will be responsible for placing...
Our immigrant nation is a big tent for everyone
February 9th, 20220 By Joseph Richard Preville On August 4, 1963, The New York Times Magazine published President Kennedy’s majestic essay, “A Nation of Immigrants.” Rejecting geographically narrow and restrictive immigration quotas based on national origin for the U.S., Kennedy urged reform and the adoption of a new immigration policy that would...
Dearborn native releases her first album as a member of a band
December 22nd, 20210 DEARBORN — Dearborn native Ameera Husein and Ver Novum —the band for which she sings lead — released their first album together on Friday, Dec. 17. Husein, a first-generation American and the daughter of Palestinian and Algerian parents, had been singing independently for about seven years before joining Ver Novum. In 2018,......
World Channel to premiere “Brooklyn Inshallah”, highlights Father El-Yateem’s NYC City Council campaign
December 10th, 20210 NEW YORK — On December 14, the WORLD Channel brings a film exploring community and the American political landscape in Ahmed Mansour’s Brooklyn Inshallah. In Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Father Khader El-Yateem is running for a seat on the City Council. A long-time resident of Bay Ridge, El-Yateem is a Palestinian American and a...
Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood coming to Dearborn
October 13th, 20210 DEARBORN — Comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood are coming to the Henry Ford Community and Performing Arts Center on Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. The stars of the Emmy-nominated “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” will be presenting an evening of improvisational comedy. Using their quick wit, Mochrie and Sherwood will take contributions......
Henry Ford Centennial Library hosting Great Michigan Read Author Mary Doria Russell
October 13th, 20210 DEARBORN — As part of the 2021 Great Michigan Read Author Tour, the Henry Ford Centennial Library will host award-winning author Mary Doria Russell. The event will be held on Zoom or can be viewed in the Henry Ford Centennial Library Auditorium on Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. A statewide panel of teachers, librarians, community leaders...
CommuniTEA in Arabic, an inspiring, community-focused podcast, features stories of successful Arabs in North America.
October 1st, 20210 CommuniTEA in Arabic sponsored by Lipton Yellow Label is a podcast series highlighting the stories of successful Immigrants and first-generation Arabs within the Arabic communities in the U.S. and Canada. The show's vision is to uplift and connect its audience and provide a platform to showcase that the positive efforts of others can...
See original Arabic calligraphy and an artist talk at Farmington Hills City Hall
September 10th, 20210 FARMINGTON HILLS — A unique exhibit celebrating the tradition of Arabic and Islamic calligraphy can be seen at the Farmington Hills City Hall, supported by the city’s Public Art Program. A solo exhibit by Palestinian American and Farmington Hills resident Dr. Nihad Dukhan has been on display at the building and those interested...
The Arab American National Museum gears up for upcoming virtual music festival, JAM3A
September 9th, 20210 DEARBORN — The Arab American National Museum (AANM) is drawing closer to the much anticipated lineup for JAM3A , a four-day virtual music festival on September 23-26, celebrating Arab talent, community and identity. The eclectic lineup includes audience favorites as well as names new to the AANM (virtual) stage, including......
Dearborn artist Danya Zituni selected as WDET’s “Artist Next Door” fellow
August 19th, 20210 DEARBORN — Danya Zituni, a Dearborn-based Arab American artist, is one of six artists awarded a stipend in WDET's "Artist Next Door" project. WDET's website says the project highlights artists whose work "gives us a greater understanding of their cultural heritage and bring us closer as a region of neighbors." Zituni, a...
The fresh debut of INDKNA, experimental Yemeni and Yemeni American band, for Pride Month
July 1st, 20210 DEARBORN — INDKNA, a refreshingly new music band of Yemeni and Yemeni American immigrant women and gender-nonconforming artists, kicked off a virtual debut at the Arab American National Museum’s virtual Pride Concert + Talk Back event. Closing out Pride Month, the museum and YallaPunk collaborated this year for the first time to......
“Behind the scenes” documentary on Hamtramck politics premieres on WORLD Channel May 25
May 19th, 20210 HAMTRAMCK — The city of Hamtramck, known to be the nation’s first Muslim-majority city, is the subject of a documentary set to makes its broadcast premiere on the WORLD Channel (formerly PBS WORLD) on Tuesday, May 25. A synopsis for the documentary, titled Hamtramck, USA, says it "goes behind the scenes of small-town politics,"...
Canadian comedy duo talk “first Arab superhero” sketch
May 2nd, 20210 TORONTO — When Arab Canadian duo Rob Michaels and Fady Ghali noticed a lack of representation of Arabs in the superhero films, they decided to do what they do best: Create a comedic sketch. Michaels and Ghali have been creating amusing sketches for their Wishful Genies YouTube and social media pages for adoring audiences for......
