Residents divided over Dearborn Police shooting controversy
January 8th, 20160 Hundreds rally after the death of Kevin Matthew on Michigan Ave. on Monday, January 4. PHOTO: Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press DEARBORN — A string of protests following the death of 35-year-old Kevin Matthew, an unarmed African American man who was shot by a Dearborn police officer on December 23, has left residents...
Interracial couples face bigotry from Arab Americans
January 8th, 20160 Rahiel Housey-Johnson at her wedding DEARBORN — Arab Americans who marry outside their race face bigotry and suspicion from friends, family and community members who look upon interracial marriages with skepticism. Nada, a Dearborn resident who wished to be identified by her first name only, said her family...
Dearborn Police’s history with ethnic communities
January 8th, 20160 Ali Baydoun (C), a mentally disabled Dearborn man, filed a lawsuit against Dearborn Police in 2014 for use of excessive forceDEARBORN - The case of Kevin Matthew isn’t the first time the Dearborn Police Department has come under fire for its handling of subjects with a mental disability. Despite the majority of the Arab...
Man who recited Adhan in 50 states aims to show beauty of Islam
January 8th, 20160 Jameel Syed reciting the Adhan DEARBORN — When Jameel Syed overheard three men bashing Muslims at a coffee shop, he did not debate them about theology or the First Amendment. Instead, he bought them drinks. "We have enough lawyers, enough politicians who are bulldogs in the fight upfront," Syed, who recited the Muslim call to...
Activists, religious scholars condemn Saudi Arabia’s execution of al-Nimr
January 7th, 20160 A side of the anti-Saudi protest in Dearborn, Jan. 3DEARBORN — Arab and Muslim American religious scholars and activists condemned Saudi Arabia’s Jan. 2 execution of Shi'a cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Hundreds gathered at a demonstration in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library in Dearborn on Sunday, chanting anti-Saudi slogans and...Rana Elmir says vile comments confirm Muslims are threatened
Rana ElmirDETROIT — Rana Elmir, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Michigan, responded to hateful comments on a column she wrote for the Washington Post on Islamophobia. Elmir said the negative responses, which included profane personal attacks and implied threats of violence, prove her point about the...
Hoax story claims mass shooting occurred in Dearborn
December 31st, 20150 DEARBORN - The police department is warning residents about a fake article circulating online that claims there was a mass shooting in Dearborn. The department said A Facebook post claiming 13 people were killed and 24 were injured is a hoax. The Facebook post started spreading on Facebook late Wednesday night. Around 7:00...Massive Muslim voter outreach announced by Islamic coalition
WASHINGTON — Ten U.S. Islamic organizations announced that they have formed a coalition at a press conference held at the National Press Club to encourage one million Muslim Americans to register to vote before the 2016 election. The "civic empowerment initiative" aims to conduct a census of Muslims nationwide and address the rise...Civil Rights activist Daisy Elliott dies
Elliot.DETROIT — Daisy Elliott, a former Democratic state representative and fighter of racial and other forms of discrimination, died Tuesday, Dec. 22, according to her family. She was 98. Elliott was known to embrace members of both the Democratic and Republican Parties. She authored and co-sponsored Michigan's significant...
Late Yemeni American boxer wanted to be the next Muhammad Ali
December 24th, 20150 Hamzah Aljahmi DEARBORN — Yemeni American boxer Hamzah Aljahmi wanted to be a world champion. But his life and dreams ended tragically after his first professional fight. He died Tuesday of head injuries he sustained in a match Saturday, Dec. 19.He was 19-years-old.Aljahmi, who was born and raised in Dearborn, was fighting in...Michigan GOP official criticized for internet meme on Muslims
DETROIT — Wayne Bradley, the Michigan Republican Party's director of African American Engagement, got a lot of heat for posting a Facebook meme seen as ridiculing Muslims. Bradley dismissed the picture as "light hearted and funny."But former State Rep. Rashida Tlaib, campaign manager for Take on Hate, said promoting bigotry is not...What about the neighborhoods? The Detroit bankruptcy one year later
Once upon a time, Detroit was about as close to a workingman’s paradise as ever there was in America. Understanding, of course, that there is a rather large gap between a workingman’s paradise and the popular imagining of that other place where everything comes up rainbows and all frowning is banned. The racism was intense and...Dearborn elementary students sing Christmas carols for senior citizens
DEARBORN — Students from Becker and Oakman Elementary Schools celebrated the holidays singing Christmas carols to senior citizens at the Oakman Common Retirement Community. A group of about 30 students at both schools spent three months attending after school singing lessons to practice for the event, held on Thursday December...
Fordson’s Key Club continues to lead the state in student volunteering
December 24th, 20150 DEARBORN — For the last few years, Fordson’s Key Club, which continues to be one of the community’s most distinguished student organizations, has been leading the state. Consisting of more than 160 students and six board members, the organization frequently conducts volunteer work in the local area. It has won more awards...Beaumont Hospital – Dearborn revokes guardianship from ill patient’s family
DEARBORN — A local family is frustrated with Beaumont Hospital- Dearborn (formerly Oakwood Hospital- Dearborn) regarding the treatment of an elderly relative who has remained hospitalized for more than 18 months. Amine Zriek, 86, had been diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in 2009, due to 50 years of heavy......
Family of fatally shot man vows to bring justice against Dearborn Police
December 23rd, 20150 Kevin Matthew.Dearborn — The family of Kevin Matthew, the 36-year-old unarmed Black male who was fatally shot by Dearborn police on Wednesday, December 23 has vowed to bring justice against the police officer.During an emotional press conference held by the National Action Network, Matthew's family described him as a loving family...
Driver spits at local Muslim activist at traffic light
December 23rd, 20150 Najah BazzyCANTON — Najah Bazzy cried when a woman paid for her coffee at a Tim Horton's drive-through last week. But within 20 minutes, the tears of joy turned into tears of horror. A man rolled down his window at a red light, spat at her and took off.Bazzy, the founder and president of Zaman International, a humanitarian......
Physicians struggle to gain patients’ trust in light of recent fraud cases
December 23rd, 20150 DEARBORN - Health care providers in Michigan have come under scrutiny in light of recent cases convicting physicians for fraud, money laundering and misdiagnosing patients. Throughout history, medical doctors have been among the most trusted professionals. People usually place full confidence in the diagnoses of physicians, who...
Officials, interfaith and civil rights activists condemn bigotry
December 22nd, 20150 Congress members Brenda Lawrence (L), John Conyers and Debbie Dingell stand at the podium in front of a group of activists and officials at Charles Wright Museum of African American History, Dec. 21DETROIT — Heads of civil rights organizations, interfaith activists, government officials and religious leaders gathered at the Charles H....
Muslim woman files lawsuit following termination from Livonia clinic
December 20th, 20150 Terry Ali.DETROIT - A Muslim woman has filed a federal lawsuit against a Livonia Dermatology clinic for allegedly getting fired just two days after the mass shootings at San Bernardino. Terry Ali claims, who wears the hijab, said she had only been on the $14-an-hour job for one day at Livonia Dermatology when national news broke about...Dearborn business owner re-appointed to national committee
DEARBORN — Detroit’s Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) past-president has been re-appointed at the national level on the audit committee. Jumania Judeh said serving on the Audit Committee gave her a better understanding of CREW Network as a whole and opened her eyes to the challenges that come with running an international,......
Arab American officer joins Dearborn Police Department
Kefah Mazloum (Center)DEARBORN — Kefah Mazloum, 25, is one of eight new officers sworn into the Dearborn Police Department this week. Mazloum was born and raised in Dearborn. He graduated from Fordson High School in 2008 and then obtained an associate’s degree at Henry Ford Community College. He later earned a bachelor's degree in...Community fear of hate crimes addressed at BRIDGES meeting
ROYAL OAK — Community leaders and federal officials discussed the rise of hate crimes against Muslims at a BRIDGES meeting in Royal Oak on Wednesday. Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity (BRIDGES) was established shortly after 9/11 to address security and civil rights grievances between......
Despite cultural norms, retirement homes only option for many elderly Arabs
DEARBORN — Despite cultural norms and prevailing challenges, more Arab American families are embracing retirement and assisted living housing for their elderly relatives. There is a common consensus among health care professionals and researchers that most people— regardless of ethnicity— prefer not to admit their loved ones to...
Dealership, customers demand answers from SOS over revoked car titles
December 18th, 20150 Car owners who haven't received their titles protest in front of Secretary of State on Monday, Dec. 14DETROIT — The owner of a Detroit dealership whose license was revoked by the state earlier this year is claiming negligence by the Secretary of State for leaving more than 100 customers without titles to their cars. Big 3 Auto Sales,......
