COMMUNITY
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COMMUNITY
Arab American votes can make a difference in this election
October 23rd, 20200 With less than two weeks left in this election season, by now many in our communities have already cast their vote. According to the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, more than 1.5 million Michiganders have already turned their absentee ballots in. That is phenomenal news. We have been working diligently to ensure that all...
Your vote is your voice, don’t be silent
October 15th, 20200 By Edgar L. Vann A paraphrased quote attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. says, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” The current zeitgeist has cast a pall of perplexing uncertainty for many over the status of the soul of this nation. It is a seismic moment of truth for us all. The malaise...
Parents need support during these difficult times
October 11th, 20200 COVID-19 has impacted individuals and families around the world, forcing many working parents to now become virtual, homeschooling teachers. Parent support is crucial now more than ever, especially for those parents whose children may have an intellectual or developmental disability such as autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, epilepsy......
Arab Americans invisible ethnic group when it comes to health care disparities
July 23rd, 20200 Race and ethnicity are becoming forefront conversations on our media, academic debates and daily life discussions here in the United States. Each of us has an identity that defines how we see ourselves and others. Arab Americans are a historically understudied minority group in the United States and their health needs and risks have been...
Emission rollbacks are bad for Michigan’s economy
July 22nd, 20200 In 2012, President Obama enacted new fuel emission rules that required automakers to nearly double the average fuel economy of new cars and trucks by 2025. The new rules were designed to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and were projected to save Americans $1.7 trillion in fuel costs. These new fuel emission standards were a huge win......
It is time for the power of the collective
July 11th, 20200 It is time to get uncomfortable. It is time for us to move outside our comfort zones from what has always felt “cultural” and “traditional” and into a place of growth and understanding. It is time for us to un-learn colonial and racist language and ideologies within the community and re-learn from a place of education, history...
Changes in the bankruptcy code offer a lifeline to struggling businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic
May 11th, 20200 Almost all countries around the world are forced to adopt dramatic measures to slow down the COVID 19 pandemic. With social distancing in place by public health departments, we are all part of the fight to combat this pandemic. These measures have severely impacted the global economy in various ways. Small businesses will suffer the......
We need to do our part in fighting the coronavirus
April 29th, 20200 As the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spreads around the world, it is important that we all realize the impact that this virus has had on essential workers and low-wage laborers who support the global consumer economy. There are people who are still getting up and going to work every day, so that we can all enjoy the...
Outdated regulations hamper charitable giving when the world needs it most
April 16th, 20200 Americans generously donate more than $427 billion annually to charities—a powerful driver of positive impact as communities across the country, including in Michigan, respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Charitable giving plays a vital role in supporting high-need communities, both at home and abroad. Religious faith often plays a role......
Staying home is our only weapon against COVID-19
April 15th, 20200 I’m accustomed to fighting violent crime, arresting career criminals and implementing police policy to positively impact the lives of others. But COVID-19 is not a problem that one person alone can tackle. If we’re going to beat this deadly virus we must do it together. I desperately urge every Michigander to use unity as our weapon...
A third choice for the Lebanese crisis
January 16th, 20200 How did Lebanon end up on the brink of financial collapse? A country that many have called in the past the Switzerland of the Middle East and the birthplace of Khalil Gibran and Kamel Al-Sabbah. With the third largest shipping company (CMA-CGM) in the world belonging to a Lebanese family, the country benefits from one of the richest......
It’s never been more important for every Michigander to be counted in the U.S. Census
January 15th, 20200 The census impacts everyone from seniors to students, kids and parents and our local businesses and neighborhoods. Participating in the census is a civic duty as important as voting to our democracy. To help get the word out, the state of Michigan has launched the Be Counted campaign to communicate the importance of completing the...
Local physician disgusted by president’s attacks on healthcare
December 12th, 20190 By Dr. Maissa Hider As a physician who has dedicated her career to helping the sick and those in need, I’m disgusted by Donald Trump’s attacks on healthcare and his failure to take action on prescription drug prices. While this president promised healthcare for all and lower prescription drug prices, the only thing we’ve......
Arab Americans helped turn Virginia blue
November 20th, 20191 Many Virginians recently celebrated as both houses of the Virginia legislature came under Democratic Party control. In the past 30 years, the state has shifted from being a conservative Republican state to a liberal Democratic stronghold exemplified by the recent elections. Political analysts attribute this profound change to demographic...
Is America ready for John Bolton’s war with Iran?
May 17th, 20190 National Security Advisor John Bolton’s announcement this week that the U.S. is deploying a carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region seemed perfectly framed to put America on a war footing with Iran. And it is. Claiming that the decision was made in response to “a number of troubling and......
