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Date: 
Mon, 10/21/2024 - 12:00am to Wed, 10/23/2024 - 11:45pm
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Event Type: 
Venue Name: 
The Henry Hotel
Venue Address: 
300 Town Center Dr
Dearborn, MI 48126

Arab Americans are not a federally recognized minority which makes it extremely challenging to collect data and do nationwide research on our community. To address this challenge, ACCESS established a one-of-a-kind scientific forum that has since served as a major platform for academic and public health leaders, health & mental health professionals as well as policymakers to share best practices as well as strategic solutions to improve health on a global scale and build research capacity. The unique and valuable experiences gained from this summit have led to many partnerships between our community and health systems, academic centers and national and international organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health, United States Health and Human Services as well as the World Health Organization. Through the Health Summit, we aim to create a platform for discussion around issues such as health rights, public health research capacity building, and community engagement as it relates to health and mental health issues among immigrant populations.

The Arab Health Summit is the only convening of its kind that also preserves the research presented in the form of post-conference proceedings journals. Like any other ethnic minority, health in Arab Communities is culturally bound which makes it important to explore the association between culture and health. Research presented at past ACCESS Arab Health Summits has helped build a scientific link between health outcomes and cultural/social factors which continues to inform health programming and care strategies. This convening allows us to be able to access innovative research and evidence-based models which can help reduce the burden of chronic disease in immigrant and minority communities.

October 21 | Pre-Conference Workshops / Opening Ceremony 6:00 PM
October 22-23 | The Henry Hotel 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. both days
October 22 | The Henry Hotel Gala 6:00 PM

More information and updates coming soon. 

Date: 
Fri, 10/13/2023 - 11:00am
Event Type: 
Venue Name: 
Byblos Banquet Center
Venue Address: 
7258 Chase Road
Dearborn, MI 48216

Mark your calendars and get ready to make a difference! We are thrilled to invite you to the highly anticipated 15th Annual Domestic Violence Fundraiser, taking place on October 13th, 2023, at the elegant Byblos Banquet. This empowering women-only event aims to bring together our compassionate community to create lasting change in the lives of survivors of domestic violence in Southeast Michigan. This event promptly begins at 11:30 a.m.

By joining us at the Domestic Violence Fundraiser, you will be making a direct impact on the lives of those who have experienced the trauma of domestic violence, turning struggle into strength. Your presence and contributions will help us continue providing essential services such as counseling, psychiatric support, case management, transitional housing, legal assistance, and much more. Together, we can create a stronger, more compassionate community that empowers survivors and fosters healing.

As the date approaches, stay tuned for our upcoming emails with more details and updates. Get ready to be inspired by the stories of resilience and hope as we come together to support the vital services provided by the Survivors of Violence Empowerment Programs.

We can't wait to share this incredible event with you and witness the positive change we can make together. Join us at the Domestic Violence Fundraiser Luncheon and take action for a brighter, safer future.

 

Get Tickets Here

Download Sponsorship Form here

About Survivors of Violence Empowerment Programs:

The Survivors of Violence Empowerment Programs provide vital services and assistance to those who have experienced the trauma of domestic violence. Serving Wayne, Macomb, and Oakland counties, our programs are designed to help survivors on their journey to mental health recovery and justice. We achieve this through a range of essential services, including counseling, psychiatric support, case management, transitional housing, and legal assistance.

Our primary objectives at SVE are to provide unwavering support to domestic violence survivors across Southeast Michigan. Our goals include responding to the emotional, psychological, or physical needs of domestic violence survivors, empowering and encouraging survivors to improve their health and well-being, assisting survivors in stabilizing their lives after victimization, ensuring survivors understand and can participate in the criminal justice system, and restoring a measure of safety and security for each survivor.

We offer a comprehensive range of services designed to address the unique needs of domestic violence survivors, including individual, family, and group therapy for emotional healing, case management to provide personalized support and assistance, psychiatric services to address mental health concerns, trauma-informed interventions to aid in the recovery process, legal services to guide survivors through legal proceedings, prevention services to raise awareness and promote safety, support groups to foster a sense of community and belonging, advocacy to ensure survivors' rights are protected, employment services to facilitate a fresh start, and transitional housing to provide a safe and supportive environment.

The Survivors of Violence Empowerment Programs are dedicated to helping various survivors of domestic violence, including those who have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse within intimate relationships, child witnesses of domestic violence, survivors of hate crimes related to domestic violence, survivors of domestic violence-related bullying, survivors of domestic violence-related sexual assault, and survivors of other forms of violence within domestic settings.

 

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

Thrive

Bloom

Main Image: 
Date: 
Fri, 09/29/2023 - 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Event Type: 
Venue Name: 
Qahwah House
Venue Address: 
22000 Michigan Ave
Dearborn, MI 48124

September is observed as Suicide Awareness Month, and ACCESS will host a community chat with our case workers from the ASAP Coalition at the Qahwah House at 22000 Michigan Ave. on Friday, September 29, 2023, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Connect with our caseworkers, therapists, and behavioral health specialists for conversations about destigmatizing the need for help along with the services they provide while discussing the importance of suicide awareness. Attendees can also listen to a recovery story and gain useful resources to improve their mental health.

Enjoy a nice cup of coffee and learn more about what services we can provide to help you feel your best!

Main Image: 
Date: 
Fri, 08/25/2023 - 12:00pm to 3:00pm
Event Type: 
Venue Name: 
Community Health and Research Center
Venue Address: 
ACCESS
6450 Maple Street
Dearborn, MI 48126
Phone Number: 
(313) 216-2230

It's back to school season, and ACCESS is hosting its 8th edition of its annual Back to School Fair from its Dearborn location at 6450 Maple St. Friday, August 25 from 12 to 3 p.m. The event is for the whole family and includes not only the distribution of school supplies but also face paintings, henna tattoos, games, activities, and raffles of a bike and scooters.

No appointment or pre-registration is needed. Call 313-216-2230 with any questions.

 

About ACCESS

Grounded in a grassroots commitment to serving our community, ACCESS has provided health, education, employment and social services for more than 50 years.  An Arab American nonprofit of excellence, ACCESS empowers communities in Southeast Michigan to improve their economic, social and cultural well-being and extends this mission nationally through advocacy, arts, culture and philanthropy.

Main Image: 
Date: 
Thu, 08/31/2023 - 5:00pm to 6:00pm
Event Type: 
Venue Name: 
ACCESS
Venue Address: 
6451 Schaefer Road
Dearborn, MI 48126

ACCESS will host a candlelight vigil for International Overdose Awareness Day at the ACCESS Schaefer location at 6451 Schaefer Road Thursday, August 31, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

To honor and cherish the memory of loved ones lost, ACCESS and the ASAP Community Coalition will host a candlelight vigil in observance of International Overdose Awareness Day. The event will include a candle lighting moment of silence, recovery stories from peer coaches and a memoriam board signing. Ribbons and educational resources will be provided for those who attend. Photos of loved ones lost to be cherish and honored are encouraged.

Main Image: 

 

Dr. Amanda Minich, DO (She/Her/Hers)

  • Education
    • Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

      • Medical School, Graduated 2009

    • St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, Obstetrics and Gynecology

      • Internship/Residency, 2009-2012

    • Detroit Wayne County Health Authority, DMC Sinai Grace Hospital

      • Residency 2012-2015

  • Certifications
    • ACLS/BLS Certified

    • DATA 2000 Waiver

    • American Board of Family Physicians

  • Memberships
    • American Osteopathic Association

    • American Academy of Family Physicians

  • Interests
    • Underserved Medicine

    • Primary Care

    • Women’s Health

    • HIV Care & Prevention

    • Gender Affirming Care

    • Substance Use Disorders

Hassan Dakroub, MD (He/Him/His)

  • Education
    • American University of the Caribbean

      • Medical School, Graduated 1999

    • Kettering Hospital

      • Residency, Internal Medicine, 2004

    • Creighton University Medical Center

      • Fellowship, Infectious Disease, 2006

  • Certifications
    • American Board of Internal Medicine

  • Interests
    • Infectious Disease

    Wael Taha, MD (He/Him/His)

    • Education
      • Aleppo University

        • Medical School

      • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

        • Internship, Internal Medicine

      • University of Pennsylvania Health System

        • Residency, Internal Medicine

      • Wayne State University School of Medicine – DMC

        • Fellowship, Endocrinology

    • Certifications
      • American Board of Internal Medicine Subspecialty Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism

      • American Board of Internal Medicine

    • Interests
      • Bone and Mineral Metabolism

      • Metabolic Disorders

      • Diabetes

      • Endocrine Conditions

    Mayuri Bharathan, PA-C (She/Her/Hers)

    • Education
      • University of Detroit Mercy

        • 5 – year Accelerated BS/MS PA program

          • Bachelor of Science in Biology- 2019

          • Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies- 2021

    • Certifications
      • BLS/ACLS Certified

      • DATA 2000 Waiver (X-waiver)

      • The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)

    • Memberships
      • American Academy of Physician Assistants

      • Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants

    • Areas of Interest
      • Family Medicine/ Primary Care

      • Substance use disorders

      • HIV care and prevention

      • Community Health

      • Underserved communities

    Sarah Naamou, PA-C (She/Her/Hers)

    • Education
      • Western Michigan University - Master of Science in Medicine and Physician Assistant Studies

      • Wayne State University - Bachelor of Arts in Nutrition and Food Science

    • Certifications
      • BLS/ACLS Certified

      • DATA 2000 Waiver (X-Waiver)

      • The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)

    • Interests
      • Family Medicine

      • Preventive Care

      • PrEP/PEP Treatment

      • Substance Use Disorders

     

    ACCESS, the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the nation providing both human services and programming to diverse populations in order to build stronger communities, is pleased to announce its CEO transition is now complete and Maha Freij is the organization’s President and CEO effective October 1. Freij previously served as the organization’s Executive Director and succeeds Hassan Jaber, who was with ACCESS for more than 40 years and served as President and CEO from 2008 until his long-planned retirement in September.  

    Freij joined the organization in 1991 and has played a pivotal role in growing ACCESS from its roots as a neighborhood human services agency to a nationwide community builder and nonprofit center of excellence with 500 employees. She explained what she aims to accomplish during her tenure as CEO, which begins as ACCESS marks its 50th year.  

    “I’m excited about what the future holds for ACCESS, especially as we celebrate 50 years of service and community building,” Freij said. “We take very seriously our responsibility to help grow and sustain an empowered Arab American community. Our goal is to institutionalize a framework for meaningful engagement that will ensure our community is empowered and impactful for generations to come. It is an honor to lead a respected institution like ACCESS and to champion such a worthy effort.”  

    Freij’s previous roles at ACCESS include Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Executive Director. Her CEO responsibilities include overseeing ACCESS’ $35 million operational budget, which is generated from more than 100 funding sources and fuels three national institutions and more than 120 organization programs, including education and training, youth leadership, family development, health and wellness, and immigration and citizenship, that operate from 11 locations throughout Southeast Michigan. She will continue to champion ACCESS’ position as the leading organization addressing the many complex issues facing the Arab American community today.  

    An influential leader and visionary who sees philanthropy as key to building strong institutions that strengthen the voice of the community in American civil society, Freij spearheaded the establishment of the Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP), a national institution of ACCESS and the only national Arab American community foundation in the U.S. CAAP connects philanthropists across the country to help them make a greater impact.  

    In addition to growing ACCESS’ endowment through CAAP, she has raised millions of dollars for various brick and mortar projects, including a Community Health and Research Center, a one-stop workforce development center, and the country’s first and only Arab American National Museum (AANM), which is located in Dearborn and opened in 2005. A national institution of ACCESS, AANM is the only cultural institution to document, preserve and present the history, culture and contributions of Arab Americans. One of only four Michigan affiliates of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., it is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.   

    Among its 500 employees, there are more than 25 different languages spoken to aid the 70,000 individuals of diverse populations served by ACCESS annually. Additionally, the organization’s C-Suite team is all female, with Chief Operating Officer Lina Hourani-Harajli and Chief Financial Officer Wisam Qasem Fakhoury.  The senior leadership team is also majority female.  

    Freij, who was recently recognized as one of Crain’s Detroit Business 2021 ‘100 Most Influential Women,’ currently serves as a member on the Michigan State Board of Ethics and on the Detroit Future City Board. Her prior board memberships and affiliations include community board member of Wayne Health (previously named Wayne State University Physician Group) United Palestinian Appeal; One D Initiative – Champions Council; the Mosaic Youth Theatre; Leadership Detroit Class of XXXV; University of Michigan - Dearborn’s Citizens Advisory Committee; ACLU-Michigan; and the Independent Sector Advisory Group on Nonprofit Effectiveness. Freij is a graduate of the Hebrew University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics and is credited as the first Arab/Palestinian woman to earn a CPA license in Israel in 1989, the same year she immigrated to the United States. 

    ###

    ABOUT ACCESS   

    Grounded in a grassroots commitment to empowerment, ACCESS (formerly known as the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) is the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the U.S., with a 50-year history of nonprofit of excellence. Guided by our vision of a just and equitable society for all, with the full participation of Arab Americans, we empower communities in Southeast Michigan to improve their health and their economic, social and cultural well-being through an extensive network of health, education, employment and social services programming. Our mission extends nationally through our highly esteemed institutions—The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), the Arab American National Museum (AANM) and the Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP)—which are focused on making an impact through capacity building, advocacy, the arts and philanthropy. Learn more at ACCESS | Assisting, improving, and empowering our community. (accesscommunity.org).  

    ### 

    ACCESS, the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the nation providing both human services and programming to diverse populations in order to build stronger communities, is pleased to announce its CEO transition is now complete and Maha Freij is the organization’s President and CEO effective October 1. Freij previously served as the organization’s Executive Director and succeeds Hassan Jaber, who was with ACCESS for more than 40 years and served as President and CEO from 2008 until his long-planned retirement in September.  

    Freij joined the organization in 1991 and has played a pivotal role in growing ACCESS from its roots as a neighborhood human services agency to a nationwide community builder and nonprofit center of excellence with 500 employees. She explained what she aims to accomplish during her tenure as CEO, which begins as ACCESS marks its 50th year.  

    “I’m excited about what the future holds for ACCESS, especially as we celebrate 50 years of service and community building,” Freij said. “We take very seriously our responsibility to help grow and sustain an empowered Arab American community. Our goal is to institutionalize a framework for meaningful engagement that will ensure our community is empowered and impactful for generations to come. It is an honor to lead a respected institution like ACCESS and to champion such a worthy effort.”  

    Freij’s previous roles at ACCESS include Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Executive Director. Her CEO responsibilities include overseeing ACCESS’ $35 million operational budget, which is generated from more than 100 funding sources and fuels three national institutions and more than 120 organization programs, including education and training, youth leadership, family development, health and wellness, and immigration and citizenship, that operate from 11 locations throughout Southeast Michigan. She will continue to champion ACCESS’ position as the leading organization addressing the many complex issues facing the Arab American community today.  

    An influential leader and visionary who sees philanthropy as key to building strong institutions that strengthen the voice of the community in American civil society, Freij spearheaded the establishment of the Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP), a national institution of ACCESS and the only national Arab American community foundation in the U.S. CAAP connects philanthropists across the country to help them make a greater impact.  

    In addition to growing ACCESS’ endowment through CAAP, she has raised millions of dollars for various brick and mortar projects, including a Community Health and Research Center, a one-stop workforce development center, and the country’s first and only Arab American National Museum (AANM), which is located in Dearborn and opened in 2005. A national institution of ACCESS, AANM is the only cultural institution to document, preserve and present the history, culture and contributions of Arab Americans. One of only four Michigan affiliates of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., it is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.   

    Among its 500 employees, there are more than 25 different languages spoken to aid the 70,000 individuals of diverse populations served by ACCESS annually. Additionally, the organization’s C-Suite team is all female, with Chief Operating Officer Lina Hourani-Harajli and Chief Financial Officer Wisam Qasem Fakhoury.  The senior leadership team is also majority female.  

    Freij, who was recently recognized as one of Crain’s Detroit Business 2021 ‘100 Most Influential Women,’ currently serves as a member on the Michigan State Board of Ethics and on the Detroit Future City Board. Her prior board memberships and affiliations include community board member of Wayne Health (previously named Wayne State University Physician Group) United Palestinian Appeal; One D Initiative – Champions Council; the Mosaic Youth Theatre; Leadership Detroit Class of XXXV; University of Michigan - Dearborn’s Citizens Advisory Committee; ACLU-Michigan; and the Independent Sector Advisory Group on Nonprofit Effectiveness. Freij is a graduate of the Hebrew University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics and is credited as the first Arab/Palestinian woman to earn a CPA license in Israel in 1989, the same year she immigrated to the United States. 

    ###

    ABOUT ACCESS   

    Grounded in a grassroots commitment to empowerment, ACCESS (formerly known as the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) is the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the U.S., with a 50-year history of nonprofit of excellence. Guided by our vision of a just and equitable society for all, with the full participation of Arab Americans, we empower communities in Southeast Michigan to improve their health and their economic, social and cultural well-being through an extensive network of health, education, employment and social services programming. Our mission extends nationally through our highly esteemed institutions—The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), the Arab American National Museum (AANM) and the Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP)—which are focused on making an impact through capacity building, advocacy, the arts and philanthropy. Learn more at ACCESS | Assisting, improving, and empowering our community. (accesscommunity.org).  

    ### 

    Please see attached PDF by clicking here

    September 9, 2021 

     

    In the coming weeks, the U.S. Congress will pass an additional budget reconciliation measure — the second in the last six months. In the last 41 years, the United States Congress has sent 26 budget reconciliation bills to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Only 22 have passed. As those numbers suggest, budget reconciliation is a relatively rare occurrence. In fact, reconciliation is an optional and highly formalistic procedure that allows Congress to bypass the 60-vote requirement to pass legislation, provided that the legislation meets several conditions. It effectively allows Congress to change current law in order to bring revenue, spending, and debt-limit levels into conformity with the policies of the annual budget resolution. Therefore, before passing a budget reconciliation measure, Congress must first adopt a budget resolution – the piece of legislation, presented in the form of a “concurrent resolution,” that the House and Senate agreed to in a matter of weeks. 

     

    The budget resolution articulates the topline amounts budgeted to each Congressional Committee, as well as the “reconciliation instructions” by which each Committee will appropriate those aforementioned “toplines.” For instance, the “budget resolution agreement framework” issued from Democratic Party leadership to Senate Democrats instructed the “Agriculture Committee” to apportion “$135 billion” to a set of initiatives including “rural development and rural co-op clean energy investments,” “child nutrition,” and “debt relief,” among other items.  There, the authorized funding will go to various networks of state and local providers who will distribute the funding in the form of various contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements.  

     

    In the time between now and formal passage of the budget reconciliation, committees will use these instructions to draft legislation that accomplishes the goals of the majority party — in this case, the Democratic Party. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the Senior Senator from New York, has pinpointed September 15th as the target date for passage of the budget reconciliation measure.  

     

    Between now and then, the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) is working with its congressional and coalitional partners to articulate and advocate for legislative solutions to the concerns of the communities which the 27 NNAAC member organizations serve across 11 different states. 

     

    This is no small feat. Like many underserved populations, the Arab American and broader MENA community is subject to systemic exclusion from the established pathways for community advancement; our unique health needs, small business concerns, residential segregation in ethnic enclaves, and linguistic and cultural barriers to familial or professional development are underrepresented or outright excluded from consideration in Federal programs designed to address those very conditions. At the same time, the Biden administration has made racial equity a priority in its “Build Back Better” agenda. During the Presidential campaign, they articulated a “plan for partnership” with the Arab American community.  

    This budget reconciliation affords Congress the opportunity to partner with the Arab American community as part of its effort to make good on their mandate to “support visionary and transformative investments in the health, well-being, and financial security of America’s workers and families.” NNAAC is excited to support such an ambitious promise. The reconciliation instructions provide for intra-Committee debate on aspects of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. For too long, the MENA community has been left out of such policy discussions.. We look forward to working with our partners in Congress and civil society to ensure our country and its people a stable and prosperous future through advancement of the following key initiatives.  

    Recognition of the Unique Health Needs of the Arab American and broader MENA Community 

    ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    The congressional budget resolution calls for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) to allocate $762 billion between a set of initiatives including “health equity.” These include  maternal, behavioral, and racial justice investments. 

    The existing data on the Arab American community is limited because the Federal statistical policy directives do not require disaggregated data on individuals from the (Middle East and North Africa) MENA region. Instead, Arab Americans are collapsed into the White reference category. In effect, this marginalizes the unique needs of a population with cultural and linguistic barriers, as well as pre-existing conditions that are inherited from either their descendants or their countries of origin. The lack of a racial/ethnic identifier for the Arab American community has also suppressed groups from trying to articulate the Arab American community as one of the groups for whom racism deleteriously affects health outcomes.  

    Nevertheless, ethnicity and race are important determinants of health in Arab American infants.1 Arab American mothers have higher odds than non-Hispanic white mothers of initiating breastfeeding, giving birth to small-for-gestational-age infants, and having gestational diabetes.2Other recent research identifies disparities between Arabs in the United States and non-Arab White Americans in terms of poverty, language access, and insurance coverage.3  

    Moreover, the MENA diaspora in America has experienced persistent and systemic stigma and discrimination, particularly due to the racist backlash at home from American geopolitical and military campaigns abroad. For example, the Arab-Israeli War of 1967, the War on Terror, and the Arab Spring, to name a few, accomplished a sort of second-order effect by creating a surplus population of Arab émigrés fleeing from violence or state breakdown. When they arrive from the Middle East and North Africa, they come to America as a racialized and under-resourced population.4 The most recent issue of the ACCESS Health Journal published studies which identified “a growing body of research” indicating that Arab Americans, particularly refugees, “are subject to a host of stressors, including discrimination, lack of social support, and economic hardship that could detrimentally influence their mental health” but which are under-emphasized without “the introduction of an Arab-origin or MENA identifier in nationally representative epidemiologic surveys.”5  

    NNAAC is calling for the Senate HELP Committee to pass legislation that addresses maternal health disparities and authorizes funding for the inclusion of MENA within the Research Interest Areas of the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHHD). 

    Addressing Social Determinants of Health within Arab American and broader MENA Community 

    ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    The $762 billion allocated to the Senate HELP Committee also includes a line item for “pandemic preparedness.” 

    Policies and programs designed to bolster our pandemic preparedness will fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Given the budget reconciliation rules and restrictions, this funding can only amend existing HHS policies and programs. On September 9th, NNAAC sent the HHS Secretary a letter which articulates the specific limitations to our existing pandemic preparedness infrastructure for the MENA community.  

    NNAAC is calling for HELP to authorize funding for the following:   

    • A study of underserved or excluded community groups whose incorporation within the HHS’ data strategy would bolster the pandemic preparedness and response effort, pursuant to the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act.  

    • Inclusion of the “Middle Eastern and North African” (MENA) community among the list of groups eligible for the REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health) grant program within the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

    • Inclusion of a data collection category for the MENA community within the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the Immunization Information Systems within the CDC; and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). 

    • Usage of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act to recognize MENA healthcare workers who, due to differing licensure requirements, are barred from practicing in the United States.  

     

    Recognizing and Addressing the Small Business Concerns of the MENA Community 

    ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    The congressional budget resolution calls for the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to allocate $35 billion between a set of initiatives comprising “small business access to credit, investment, and markets.” These initiatives afford a significant opportunity to further develop the proximate factors of small business growth in the Arab American and broader MENA community.  

     

    A 2012 study of the Arab American small business and entrepreneurial community in Detroit, MI found that Arab American entrepreneurship contributed a significant amount to the economic stability of Detroit after the Great Recession.6 It also identified success factors that are broadly replicable across the country, such as the necessity of community business assistance through social service organizations that close the gap between Arab American entrepreneurs and the linguistic or cultural barriers to small business ownership. Also crucial were capital investment funds, which facilitate the transfer of low or no interest rate startup or relief capital, as well as organizations that provide business training, opportunity searching, and instrumental support for start-up businesses. 

     

    Consideration of different group characteristics is a necessary precondition for the development of opportunity structures through which small businesses flourish in underserved communities. Without disaggregated data, we are unable to estimate the impact of small business downturns to local economies that rely upon small business concerns of the Arab American and broader MENA community. We are also unable to direct sufficient resources to local economies which may rely upon small business ownership from the Arab American and broader MENA community.  

     

    With these considerations in mind, NNAAC is calling for the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee to include in the budget reconciliation any legislation which would support the formation of small businesses, through coverage of the associated technical assistance, seed capital, and start-up costs. NNAAC is also calling on the Small Business Administration to include individuals from the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) community in its interpretation of “socially or economically disadvantaged individual.” 

      

    Recognizing and Addressing the Environmental Injustices Facing the Arab American and broader MENA Community  

    ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

    The congressional budget resolution calls for the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (EPW) to allocate $67 billion across a set of initiatives including “environmental justice investments in clean water affordability and access, healthy ports and climate equity.”  

     

    This budget resolution instructive is part of the Biden administration’s holistic approach to environmental justice. On their first week in office, the Biden administration issued an Executive Order to authorize the Justice40 Initiative. The Justice40 Initiative effectively commits the Federal government to ensure that 40 percent of the benefits to Federal investments on climate and clean energy go to “disadvantaged communities.” The MENA community experiences a combination of factors which the Biden administration identified as part of their definition of “disadvantaged communities,” including “racial and ethnic residential segregation,” “linguistic isolation,” “distressed neighborhoods,” “disproportionate environmental stressor burden and high cumulative impacts,” “limited water and sanitation access and affordability,” “access to healthcare,” and “jobs lost through the energy transition.”  

     

    In 2019, Sara E. Grineski, Timoty W. Collins and Ricardo Rubio, a group of sociologists and demographers, used ACS data to identify Arab ethnic enclaves in U.S. Census tracts. Grineski and others found “significant environmental injustices for Arab American enclaves,” with clear connections to the systemic disadvantage of Arab Americans “as a racialized minority group without minority status.”7 Namely, that MENA individuals across nearly all ethnic enclaves experience disproportionately elevated cancer risks driven by the fact that MENA enclaves in the US have higher hazardous air pollutant scores than the national average.8 Poor housing quality and barriers to quality health care in MENA- dense areas, including Detroit, further the environmental stressor burden felt by the community.9 Communities of color in the US, including Arab Americans and the broader MENA community, are more likely to live in proximity to industrial and chemical facilities, be exposed to lead and other pollutants, and experience extreme weather events that exacerbate environmental degradation.10 A 2011 study of lead poisoning among Arab American and African American children in the Detroit metropolitan area revealed that “immigrant children are at heightened risk of being poisoned by lead.”11 As a result, the community faces poorer health outcomes than non- Hispanic, non-Arab Whites, including high rates of asthma, cardiovascular issues, lung disease, and cancer. 

     

    With these considerations in mind, NNAAC is calling for the Senate EPW Committee to include in the budget reconciliation measure any legislation which would require Federal agencies to recognize and address the environmental determinants of adverse health outcomes and life chances, including through the solicitation of public participation in Executive agencies’ data collection processes and consideration of the cumulative impacts of exposure to hazardous pollutants. NNAAC is also calling for the inclusion of legislation that would amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to increase funding for lead reduction projects. 

     

    Articulating New Modes of Human and National Security 

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    The congressional budget resolution calls for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary to allocate $107 billion between a set of initiatives including development of a “Community Violence Intervention Initiative.” NNAAC represents communities who have historically experienced adverse relations with local law enforcement authorities. However, we have started to turn a new leaf in our communities. Following up on last summer, we hope to articulate a new dynamic between community groups and law enforcement. As such, NNAAC advocates for passage of legislation that authorizes funding for the Department of Justice to administer a program by which nonprofit community-based organizations can develop evidence- and community-based strategies to interrupt cycles of violence through expansions of economic opportunity or trauma-responsive care. Such legislation would offer a pathway to devising and demonstrating the efficacy of alternatives to extant law enforcement approaches.  

     

    Establishing a Pathway to Citizenship for Qualified Immigrants and TPS Holders 

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    The congressional budget resolution calls for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary to allocate $107 billion between a set of initiatives including “lawful permanent status for qualified immigrants,” which would stabilize the living conditions for millions of people across this country who establish themselves and their families, oftentimes after fleeing deleterious conditions in their countries of origin and give back to their local communities. NNAAC recommends that Congress establish a pathway to citizenship for TPS holders, Dreamers, farmworkers and essential workers in the reconciliation bill. 

    Date: 
    Fri, 07/02/2021 - 2:00pm to Sat, 07/03/2021 - 1:45pm
    Event Type: 
    Venue Name: 
    ACCESS Main Office
    Venue Address: 
    6450 Maple St.
    Dearborn, MI 48126

    ACCESS will be distributing urgently-needed supplies to flood victims. Attend this drive-thru event for cleaning supplies, water and food.

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