BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/Detroit X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Detroit BEGIN:VEVENT UID:32009@arabamerica.com DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20240115T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20240115T210000 DTSTAMP:20240111T180924Z URL:https://www.arabamerica.com/events/mlk-day-what-dr-martin-luther-king- jr-s-message-means-to-arab-americans/ SUMMARY:MLK Day: What Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Message Means to Arab Am ericans DESCRIPTION:MLK Day: What Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Message Means to Ara b Americans\n\n\nAs we commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day\, Arab Ameri cans reflect on the enduring influence of this iconic civil rights leader. Dr. King's principles of justice and equality resonate deeply within our community\, inspiring solidarity and pursuing a more just society.\n\nDr. King's enduring legacy serves as a beacon of hope for Arab Americans\, ins tilling resilience and determination in their ongoing quest for justice\, equality\, and the protection of their civil liberties.\n\nJoin the Arab A merica Foundation on this MLK Day\, as we honor the memory of Martin Luthe r King Jr. by continuing to work toward a society where every individual i s valued\, and justice prevails for all.\n\nThe program begins at 8:00 pm ET on Zoom and ends at 9 pm ET. Following the program\, there will be a 30 -minute optional networking session.\n\nHosted by Warren and Dr. Amal Davi d\, Co-Founders of the Arab America Foundation\n\nSpeakers Confirmed to Da te:\nCongresswoman Rashida Tlaib \n\n\nRashida Tlaib\, the Democratic Rep resentative for Michigan’s 12th District\, stands as a resilient advocat e for the working class. Born on July 24\, 1976\, in southwest Detroit to Palestinian immigrants\, she faced adversity and poverty growing up as the eldest of 14 children. Tlaib became the first in her family to graduate h igh school\, earning a B.A. from Wayne State University in 1998 and a J.D. from Western Michigan University in 2004. After working at ACCESS\, a cen ter for Arab community causes\, she entered Michigan's State Legislature i n 2008\, becoming the first Muslim woman in the state legislature. Tlaib's tireless efforts for her district include environmental justice campaigns and legislative accomplishments. Elected to the U.S. Congress in 2018\, s he proudly represents her community\, advocating for progressive values an d standing as a vocal member of "The Squad." Tlaib's dedication to justice in Palestine\, civil rights\, environmental rights\, and social justice r emains unwavering.\nPastor Michelle Thomas\, President at NAACP Loudoun Co unty Branch\, Virginia\n\n\nPastor Michelle Thomas hails from Atlanta and grew up amidst the post-civil rights era\, the daughter of Jamaican immigr ants. Inspired by her father\, the first Black electrician at General Moto rs\, she witnessed racial adversity and the struggle for justice. After gr aduating from Duke University\, she later founded Holy &\; Whole Life C hanging Ministries in Loudoun County\, becoming the first African American woman to establish a church in the area. Passionate about IT and engineer ing opportunities for Black professionals\, Thomas\, who retired at 27 to become a pastor aims to create a pipeline for equity. As the founder of th e Loudoun Freedom Center and President of the NAACP Loudoun Branch\, she l eads efforts to preserve African American history\, including plans for th e Loudoun Freedom Center at Belmont\, the first African American history a nd heritage museum in Loudoun.\nAndy Shallal\, Founder/CEO\, Bus Boys and Poets\n\n\nAndy (Anas) Shallal\, an Arab American of Iraqi heritage\, is a renowned artist and social entrepreneur\, is the Founder/CEO of Busboys a nd Poets\, an influential restaurant group in the Washington Metropolitan area. With a mission to bring together art\, culture\, and politics\, Busb oys and Poets provides a platform for progressive thinkers\, artists\, and intellectuals. With a commitment to sustainability\, Shallal focuses on m indful sourcing and eco-friendly practices in seven existing locations\, i n D.C.\, Maryland\, and Virginia. Recognized for innovative and conscious cuisine\, Busboys and Poets\, under Shallal's leadership\, has received ac colades such as the Mayor’s Arts Award and Employer of the Year from the Employment Justice Center. Apart from his successful business ventures\, Shallal is a recipient of the 2018 Frederick Douglass 200 award\, a TEDx s peaker\, and actively involved in peace and justice organizations. As a de dicated advocate for a more livable Washington\, D.C.\, he has served on v arious boards and committees\, aiming to advance progressive business prac tices and community well-being. \nSheila Bates\, Policy Coordinator\, Bla ck Lives Matter\n\n\nSheila Bates holds a bachelor’s degree in Child Dev elopment and Family Life Education\, along with an associate’s degree in Sociology with a focus on race\, class\, and gender\, from California Sta te University Long Beach. Currently serving as the Policy Coordinator at B lack Lives Matter Grassroots\, she spearheads policy initiatives at the fe deral level and provides support to chapters at the local and state levels . As a dedicated volunteer with Black Lives Matter- Los Angeles\, Sheila a ctively contributes to the action team and leads the policy team for both BLMLA and Black Lives Matter CA. Additionally\, she plays a crucial role i n initiatives in Torrance\, especially following the tragic incident invol ving Christopher De’Andre Mitchell\, and leads the Healing Justice Commi ttee. Beyond her professional roles\, Sheila is a certified sexual assault crisis counselor and a trained full-spectrum birth worker.\n\nLona Alias\ , Radio Host\, Spiritual Coach\, and Vocalist \n    \nLona Alias will s ing a song about Palestine. After years in broadcasting and public relatio ns\, Lona Alias returns to her roots as a Spiritual Teacher. For two decad es\, her morning Broadcast Ministry\, Spirit of Jazz\, resonated on Pacifi ca Radio's WPFW 89.3 FM in Washington\, D.C. Lona weaves musical tapestrie s infused with her profound knowledge of metaphysics\, philosophy\, cosmol ogy\, and biblical texts. Drawing from life experiences\, she creates a we lcoming space for both agnostics and believers. As a Spiritual Life Coach\ , Lona has imparted meditation practices for health\, mind balance\, and t ransformation for over 30 years. Currently\, she is immersed in writing tw o books: "Being Human: A User’s Manual" and "Religion As a Verb." Explor e more at www.wpfw.org and look for Spirit of Jazz.\n\n \;\n\nREGISTER HERE for this Zoom Event\n\n \; ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.arabamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2 024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-03-at-11.20.00-PM.png CATEGORIES:Arab,Arab Ameircan Event,Arab American,Community,Discussion END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Detroit X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Detroit BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20231105T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR