Arab America Delegation Visits Yemeni Community in Hamtramck Michigan
By: Maria Banou / Arab America contributing writer
Those who have taken the time to soak the sights of Hamtramck, Michigan, know that it’s a melting pot of many cultures. Residents of this Detroit suburb represent Polish, Bengali, Yemeni, and many other nationalities. The city attracts many visitors every year with its diversity of cuisine, religious institutions, and specialty businesses. So when it came time for the Arab America Foundation to decide on a locale for a networking event meant to promote Arab American community while also connecting with communities beyond, Hamtramck was a natural choice.
The Team Michigan Leadership Council of the Arab American Foundation landed in the City of Hamtramck on Friday, September 9th, to host their first Yalla! Connect event. “Yalla!” is a common phrase in the Arabic language, roughly translating to “Let’s go!”. It is often meant to spur one’s peers into participation and action, whether it’s getting them to gather at the dinner table or to get them on their feet to dance. That spirit of enthusiasm was channeled at this event, hosted at Hamtramck City Hall. The Yalla! Connect event was open to anyone in the community who was interested in learning more about Hamtramck or about Arab American culture.
The programming included a tour of City Hall with the Mayor, Dr. Amer Ghalib. Part of the tour was through a gallery of photographs featuring past visiting American presidents and political leaders. Dr. Ghalib expressed to the Team Michigan group how he views his role as a “great responsibility”. With so much historic visibility on Hamtramck, it is easy to see why. As the first Yemeni mayor in the city’s history, the Mayor represents a deeper force within the community. To be a “first” is to pave the way for future generations of the community he represents and beyond. The representation is seen as long overdue and has spurred a positive impact on the community. The Arab American Foundation presented a certificate to Dr. Ghalib to recognize the cultural significance of his position.
Flanking Dr. Ghalib was the Interim City Manager, Max Garabino. As former chief of the Hamtramck police department, Max was a dynamic and knowledgeable presence at the event. With twelve years of experience with the police department and three years of experience as the director of community safety and services, Mr. Garabino’s roots were deeply entrenched with the city. He spoke of the challenges with talent retention within the city’s police department, as Hamtramck continues to define its brand on the national stage. Within both of their words about the city, the Mayor and Interim City Manager showed their deep passion for serving the community, highlighting the charms of the city and hopes for the future.
Attendees were treated to vivid stories about the city, its roots, and its promise. Organizers from the Arab American Foundation were led by the coordination of Mr. Sam Alasri, a community advocate and President of the Yemeni Political Action Committee. In addition, several community leaders and non-profit industry professionals hailing from Metro- Detroit were in attendance to learn more about Hamtramck and its amenities. After the city tour, the group met over a traditional Yemeni meal at Remas Restaurant which provided great hospitality and delicious food to be expected of the Yemeni culture. As any Arab American (or, perhaps, any American) would say, the dinner table is what brings family together – and sometimes the mezze is the message.
The tour was sponsored by Najwa and Said Dahdah of Empowered Child Care Consulting, a company that is dedicated to promoting Diversity & Inclusion within the Child Care Consulting industry. This comes in response to the rising need of Early Childhood Education professional development in our growing bilingual communities. With over 22 years in the Early Childhood profession, Mrs. Dahdah is an advocate for children, families, and educators to create a culturally responsive community.
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