Sixth Annual Great Lakes PeaceJam conference scheduled
Kalamazoo — Great Lakes PeaceJam this year will welcome 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shirin Ebadi of Iran, to the 6th Annual Great Lakes PeaceJam Youth Conference on April 19 & 20, 2008 at Western Michigan University (WMU). Ebadi won the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts for democracy and human rights, especially for the...Awada named president of ACCESS Board
Dearborn — The Board of Directors of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) accepted the resignation of recently elected Board President Fawwaz T. Ulaby during its April 5 meeting in Dearborn. The Board has named its vice president, Andrea Awada, as its new president. Awada, a resident of Dearborn...New Chairman of Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers
Farmington Hills — The Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers, Inc. (AFPD) recently elected Chris Zebari, of Canton, Michigan, as its Chairman of the Board of Directors. Zebari has worked in the industry for 30 years in a variety of roles, starting out in his family's Michigan grocery stores: Wagon Train Market in Detroit, Country...Community honors environmentalists
DEARBORN — The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) honored individuals who exhibited an exemplary commitment to the environment at its 5th annual Environmental Leadership Celebration here on Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center in Dearborn. International environmental and community...Oakland University panel discusses Mideast
Rochester — The Lebanese Club of Oakland University hosted a panel discussion in the university's Fireside Lounge Wednesday, covering a number of issues relating to the Middle East and the Muslim world. Debates were held on topics including women in the Arab world, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and America's "War...Imam detained, may be deported
AUSTIN — Members of Austin's religious community are rallying around a Muslim cleric who is being detained in West Texas and may be deported to Pakistan. Imam Safdar Razi, who led a Northwest Austin mosque for six years before taking a job in Dearborn, Mich., in 2006, was arrested on immigration charges at his home in Plano on...Children’s area of Henry Ford Centennial Library being remodeled
DEARBORN — The children's area of the Henry Ford Centennial Library (HFCL) will undergo extensive remodeling and updating in April. As a result, the children's area of the library and the mezzanine level of the library are scheduled to be closed from Friday, April 11 through Wednesday, April 30. During the period of closure of...Canadian pro-peace Jews organize
Naomi KleinJournalist and author Naomi Klein gave the keynote address at a meeting in Toronto over the last weekend of March of more than 100 Jews from across Canada dedicated to promoting a just peace in Israel/Palestine. She told those assembled that Israel has two main industries, tourism and security. It is trying,...Ellison speaks out on need for unity
DETROIT — U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the country's first Muslim congressman, appeared in Detroit on April 6 at an anniversary event for a local civil rights group, where he spoke about uniting advocates of different causes to fight together in an unfavorable political atmosphere. Ellison keynoted the 27th anniversary...Driving Skills for Life emphasizes safety
DEARBORN — Students here participated in the Ford Motor Company Fund's "Driving Skills for Life" program this week, an ongoing initiative designed to reduce teen car crashes and fatalities. Students from Fordson, Edsel Ford, and Dearborn High School competed to create public service announcements (PSA) that effectively conveyed...Edsel Ford tackles diversity challenges
Dearborn — Former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer paid a visit to Edsel Ford High School students March 26 during a student leadership conference that Principal Hassane Jaafar said was put together in part to address issues of diversity and division at the school. He said the event was the first of a series of interactive efforts to...USCIS updates projected naturalization case processing and name check times
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will finish more than one million naturalization cases during fiscal year 2008 — far exceeding the number of cases completed last year. This update comes following a thorough analysis of the work completed during the last six months. ...Community Foundation supports ACC refugee outreach
Detroit — The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan has awarded a grant of $150,000 over two years to the Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC), a non profit organization, for support for refugee acculturation outreach services. ACC's Community and Family Strengthening and Integration Project will target the Metro Detroit...Detroit gas station owner charged in rival’s slaying is shot to death
DETROIT — According to The Detroit News, police are investigating the killing this week of a gas station owner who was charged last year with killing a rival gas station owner during a price war. "Hassan Masbouth, 52, was shot to death outside his home in the 1600 block of Infantry on the city's southwest side at about noon. He...Granholm signs booster seat legislation
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm this week signed legislation that will require the use of approved booster seats for children who are between the ages of four and eight and less than 4 feet 9 inches tall. The bill takes effect July 1. "I am pleased today to sign into law a bill that protects......
AANM founder honored at ACCESS dinner
DEARBORN — Ismael Ahmed, a driving force behind the creation of the Arab American National Museum, will be honored for his long and varied service to the community at the ACCESS 37th Anniversary Dinner on May 10 in downtown Detroit. Ahmed, who currently serves on the Museum's National Advisory Board, is also a founder of ACCESS; he...Grand success for Ollie’s
DEARBORN — The popular new Dearborn Middle Eastern restaurant Ollie's held a grand opening celebration Tuesday. The restaurant, 16351 Ford Road at Mercury Drive, began serving food in late 2007, but hadn't yet held an official opening ceremony. Ollie's has already gained a loyal following of customers. Customers said Tuesday......
Israeli peace activist sees little hope
DETROIT — Israeli peace activist Neve Gordon spoke at Wayne State University on March 26 about prospects for peace in the Middle East, offering a fairly pessimistic perspective on the likelihood of a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He said that while Palestinians believe that establishing their own state will create...5th Annual ACCESS environmental leadership celebration
Dearborn — The Environmental Program at ACCESS has been a leader on environmental issues in Southeast Michigan since its inception, promoting community health protection, environmental advocacy for vulnerable communities, and youth leadership development. For over a decade, ACCESS has brought a unique and important voice to the...Guantanamo’s child is America’s and Canada’s shame
"For me, Omar's age has always been the greatest factor." Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen, was 15 at the time of his capture in Afghanistan in 2002. That's the bottom line for Michelle Shephard, the Toronto Star reporter who has covered the Khadr story since his capture. And indeed his age is an issue on more than one...
A useful guide to racist Hollywood
April 4th, 20080 As any Muslim will tell you, one of our biggest enemies is the image makers of Hollywood, who for years have advanced bad policies and encouraged stereotypes and discrimination against a community already caught in the vise of foreign policy. Anti-Muslim, anti-Arab propaganda existed long before 9/11, but the images continue to......
Canada tries to change immigration rules
Canada's minority Conservative government is trying to change the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The changes are in accord with the government's over-all style. When elected, the Conservatives pledged a more open government, but in fact everything is tightly controlled by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He...Two Muslim scouts attain Eagle status
DEARBORN — Two local Arab Americans have earned the rank of Eagle Scout after being part of the Muslim Scouts of Michigan for more than a decade. Adel Makki and Abraham Baydoun, both 18, are set to receive their badges at a code of honor ceremony to be held on March 28, 7 p.m. at Bint Jbeil Cultural Center. Makki, a student......
SMART debuts bilingual bus service
DEARBORN — SMART, the Detroit-area's bus system, announced its first bilingual transportation program along with Dearborn city officials Wednesday. Two new Arabic-speaking employees, a bus driver and dispatcher, were hired to enhance services in the Arab American community, offering translation for residents who need help when...Interfaith effort launched at ICA
DEARBORN — People from various faiths and backgrounds joined together for a gathering held by the Interfaith Partners of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion (MRDI), on Tuesday, March 25, at the Islamic Center of America. Interfaith Partners is a grassroots network made up of over 30 board members representing......