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Michigan

Postcard from Michigan

AAI Bulletin
Posted on Wednesday January 25, 2006

AAI Director of Community Relations Valerie Smith recently returned from a 4-day trip to Michigan. While there, she witnessed the swearing-in by Congressman John Dingell of this year’s Arab American Resource Corps members, including the AAI Foundation’s own Cultural Outreach Specialist, Rudy Gharib, originally of the AAI Southern California Action Team. Valerie also spent two days attending the 4th Annual conference of the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), which brings together independent, local, non-profit, social service organizations of which AAI Foundation is an affiliate. The NNAAC has developed a joint advocacy program to address local issues on a national level, ensuring that its program will compliment AAI’s mission to mobilize voters and advocate on national policy issues. Kudos to all the folks at ACCESS who have initiated and developed both the ARC and the NNAAC and hosted a great conference!

Valerie also attended the kickoff party for former Farmington Hills City Councilman John Akouri’s new monthly magazine “Lebanese: The Art of Mediterranean Living,” and met with Michigan State Representative Barbara Farah (District 13), who is running for re-election to a third term in office. She concluded the trip with an important and energetic planning meeting with Michigan members of AAI’s National Policy Council (NPC) Kenwah Dabaja (Dearborn Heights), Jumana Judeh (Dearborn), Councilwoman Suzanne Sareini (Dearborn), Ali Baleed Al-Maklani, Sally Shaheen Joseph (Flint) and Dennis Denno (East Lansing). The NPC members were joined by Zoning Board of Appeals member Ken Harb and Zeinab Hussein, who is currently interning for Councilwoman Sareini. A coordinated effort to elect more Arab American precinct delegates in both parties across the state was established (filing deadline – May 16), and plans for a candidates night to bring the statewide candidates together with the Arab American community in Michigan were initiated. Many updates were made to AAI’s Roster of Arab Americans in Public Service and Political Life. Thanks to all who attended.