The Arab America Ambassadors for the Month of December
Meet the Arab America Ambassadors who made a difference during the month of December!
By: Ani Karapetyan/Arab America Contributing Writer
The Arab America Ambassador Network represents an effort to connect Arab and non-Arab communities through collaborative efforts while amplifying Arab America’s effectiveness as a resource that offers accurate information on Arab Americans and the Arab World.
Through their writing and research, Arab America Ambassadors (AAA ’s) have reached thousands of readers and viewers by using the power of words and digital media to enrich our readers on Arab American culture, traditions, and the factors which may impact U.S. policies towards the Arab World. AAA’s lately have focused on writing articles, conducting research on different Arab American communities, identifying interns and AAA’s and sharing news, photos, and videos with Arab America.
With pride and joy, we introduce you to our Arab America Ambassadors for the month of December who volunteer to support Arab America’s mission. Their diverse nationalities, religions, and geographic locations contribute to the enrichment of Arab America:
Olivia Azat
Olivia Azat is a Palestinian American, who migrated to America in 1966 as a child. She was married at an early age, but always working to fulfilling her dream of helping those less fortunate. She is a mother of two boys who she raised as a single mother, attended Montgomery College and got BS degree in Psychology. Despite the lack of funding, she never gave up and continued her lifelong journey of learning through different organizations. Olivia worked at Montgomery College for 18 years as a registrar’s associate, scheduling person, International Student Coordinator. Her goal in life is to be able to help those less fortunate and stand up for truth and justice.
For the month of December, Olivia did a great work on enriching Arab America’s database. She also succeeded in finding and posting social events and most of all, identifying sources of funding for Arab America.
Nabil Sater
Nabil Sater is a Lebanese American who was born in Beirut in 1957. Nabil emigrated to the USA in 1977. He holds a degree in BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Oakland in Rochester, Michigan. Nabil has been in the Technical Sales for most of his career and has worked with fortune 100 companies as well as other smaller companies. Nabil is a new great addition to Arab America Ambassador Network. He already contributed to the strategy of monetizing Arab America and the growth of its database. His new focus will be on outreach to young Arab Americans on college campuses.
Leila Diab
Mike Enayah
Mike Enayah is a Palestinian who was born in Kuwait. In 1981, Enayah emigrated to the USA as a teenager. He graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan with a masters degree in industrial design. Enayah worked in the architecture design, products design, and automotive design fields. In addition, Enayah is an artist who loves to paint. Currently, he’s a contributing writer at Arab America. In his writing, Enayah reflects on the challenges Arabs face in America.
Mike has greatly enriched Arab America’s content by sharing cultural pertinent videos, photos, and links to currently published articles. He has also conducted research to build and enrich Arab America’s database.
Ivey Noojin
Ivey Noojin is a junior at Middlebury College majoring in Spanish and Arabic. She is currently spending the year studying journalism at The George Washington University. Ivey originally became interested in the Middle East in middle school, but there were no programs available at her school in South Carolina to study the region. However, when she got to college, she remedied that fact and has been studying the region and the language since her first year. Ivey is an intern at Arab America because she wants to promote a better relationship and understanding between Arabs and people of the United States. She is especially interested in how this country’s intervention in the Middle East has shaped the society in the region. She hopes to travel the world and investigate issues within different societies to highlight the marginalized voices of the many.
Ivey was one of the main contributors to Arab America during the month of December. She was one of the interns who managed the social media in addition to posting events and strengthening the database. Moreover, Ivey wrote many articles on various topics such as Senate Passes bill Aimed to End Unconstitutional Yemen War, How College Students in the U.S. are helping the Arabic Language Survive, The Impact of Social Media in the Arab World, The Question of BDS and Its Counterpart in Congress and Texas
Amy Hensler
Amy Hensler is a junior at Virginia Tech majoring in Political Science with minors in Arabic, Middle Eastern Studies, and History. Amy first fell in love with the Arabic language during her freshman year of college after discovering its beauty and complexity. She decided to take her love for the language even further by studying Middle Eastern studies with the hope of becoming even closer to the culture. Amy has studied abroad in Oman at the University of Nizwa and hopes to continue exposing herself to the Arab culture by traveling all around the Middle East after graduation.
Amy decided to intern at Arab America because she believes it is important to facilitate the bridge between Arabs and Americans in order to create a more accepting environment for all. Amy too worked diligently on posting events of the website, managing social media, and doing research about the Arab American community in LA. More importantly, Amy authored 3 articles for the month of December: The Tahini: The Secret Arab Paste You Must Keep Eating This Season, Knowing Arabic Leading to Many Exciting Careers.
Blanche Shaheen
Blanche Shaheen is an accomplished Arab American woman and former network television host and reporter in both entertainment and news. Among the programs she worked on were; “View from the Bay,” “Video I” on PBS, “Tech Live,” “Check Please,” NPR radio, and numerous news and political programs for Link Media. In 2010, Shaheen switched to hosting her own cooking show, sharing heirloom Arab dishes and recipes preserved by her mother and grandmother. She has a program on YouTube titled “Feast in the Middle East”, and is also a part-time fitness instructor and model; she shares nutritional tips and provides healthy recipes. In addition to raising a family, she gives cooking demonstrations at Draeger’s Markets and the Fancy Food Show in Northern California.
As for the month of December, Blanche has contributed to Arab America some articles that demonstrated the richness of Arab cuisine. She specializes in Arab cuisine of the Levant and beyond. You can check out her cooking video tutorials and cultural commentary on growing up Arab American here. Also, check out her 2 articles for the month of December,
Middle Eastern Holiday Baking-Barazek, Baklava-The Most Collaborative Dessert from the Middle East.
Christine Shahin
Christine Shahin is the daughter of first-generation Lebanese immigrants. She attributes her nearly 30 years of environmental, community, and human rights advocacy to her father, an Orthodox Christian priest who encouraged her to serve those less fortunate. Shahin was a part of a community effort to protect her rural NY Adirondack hamlet from a regional waste incinerator and landfill. She has served on numerous local, state, and national boards on environmental, labor, human rights, creation care, and youth empowerment with the disenfranchised. Shahin was an Official Delegate to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg South Africa in 2002. Today, she runs an all natural salon and is the author of the book, Natural Hair Coloring: How to use Henna and Other Pure Herbal Pigments for Chemical Free Beauty.
Through the month of December, Christine has shared with Arab America some short videos, pictures, and articles that enriched its content. She already has begun her plans for a cultural event during National Arab Heritage Month/April. She also shares her experiences in building a dynamic group of women in upstate New York where Arab culture and traditions are enjoyed and passed on.
