ACC Partners with Huntington Bank on Financial Literacy Program for Arabic-Speaking Clients

stock-photo-5547354-financial-newspaper-series

Beginning Thursday, June 26, the Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC) will partner with Huntington Bank on a financial education program for Arabic speaking individuals. Using the Money Smart by FDIC curriculum, the classes will cover topics including budgeting, financial goal setting, savings, and money management.

Twenty students are expected to attend each session, which will be led by Arabic speaking Huntington colleagues. All classes will take place on the fourth Thursday of each month (June 26, July 24, August 28, September 25 and October 23) from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at ACC’s Macomb WIA Program building in Sterling Heights (38219 Mound Road, Suite 102). 

“Students will benefit from the program by not only learning how to budget and save money, but by also developing a financial plan alongside their work and career plans provided by our workforce development program,” said Dr. Haifa Fakhouri, ACC President and CEO. “Our goal is to help our clients have the knowledge they need to financially succeed.”

Upon completion, each student will be presented with a certificate.

“This innovative new offering continues Huntington’s strong financial education partnership with ACC,” said Mike Fezzey, president of Huntington’s Southeastern Michigan Region. “Teaching smart money use in a culturally relevant collaboration will provide the best opportunity for future success as participants benefit from learning in the language in which they are most proficient.”

In 2013, more than 25 Huntington colleagues taught financial skills to nearly 150 students in ACC’s workforce development programs in Detroit and Hamtramck.

VIDEO: Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce honors Middle Eastern judges

(TROY, MI) — The Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce honored 26 judges of Middle Eastern descent on Monday, as part of their annual Salute to Justice evening event.

Watch highlights below:

The Chamber honored the following judges:

  • U.S. District Court Judge George Caram Steeh, III
  • U.S. District Court Judge Jack Zouhary (OH)
  • U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Mona K. Majzoub
  • U.S. Administrative Law Judge Alfred Morad, (ret)
  • Michigan Supreme Court Justice Brian K. Zahra
  • Michigan Supreme Court Justice David F. Viviano
  • Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Henry W. Saad
  • Oakland County Probate Chief Judge Linda Saoud Hallmark
  • Livingston County Circuit Court Judge Michael P. Hatty
  • Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David J. Allen
  • Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Annette J. Berry
  • Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charlene Mekled Elder
  • Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Edward Joseph
  • Wayne County Circuit Court Judge James J. Rashid (ret)
  • Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Kathryn A. Viviano
  • Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Tracey A. Yokich
  • Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Antonio P. Viviano (ret)
  • Genesee County Circuit Court Judge Joseph J. Farah
  • Dearborn District Court Chief Judge Sam A. Salamey
  • Dearborn Heights District Court Chief Judge David D. Turfe
  • Redford District Court Chief Judge Karen Khalil Bouzas
  • Rochester Hills District Court Judge Lisa L. Asadoorian
  • Warren District Court Judge Matthew Sabaugh
  • West Bloomfield District Court Judge Diane Dickow D’Agostini
  • Mt. Clemens District Court Judge George Caram Steeh, II (ret)
  • Grosse Pointe Woods Municipal Court Chief Judge Theodore A. Metry

Metro Detroit Lebanese-Americans donate blood to American Red Cross

IMG_8231

(WARREN, MI) — St. Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church in Warren hosted an annual American Red Cross Blood Drive on Sunday, encouraging parishioners to IMG_8206donate two pints of blood to the humanitarian organization.

Parishioner Lisa Yacoub, who is a full-time nurse, organizes the St. Sharbel blood drive every year. She says it can sometimes be a challenge to encourage people to donate blood.

“I see that blood is in demand. There is an urgent need for help,” said Yacoub. “I became a nurse to help others. I want other people to also help and see the value of donating blood.”

Before donating, the American Red Cross requires registration and a “mini physical,” where a volunteer will interview about health history and places traveled. Temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels are also tested before the donation takes place.

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and education inside the United States.

To look for a blood drive near you, click here.

PHOTOS: St. Maron Detroit hosts Annual Family Picnic

Please try entering https://graph.facebook.com/571239256330073/photos?fields=source,link,name,images,album&limit=1000 into your URL bar and seeing if the page loads.

IMG_8273

(DETROIT, MI) — The parishioners of St. Maron Maronite Catholic Church in Detroit hosted their Annual Family Picnic on Sunday, featuring children’s activities, food, and music provided by Backstage Entertainment.

Facebook API came back with a faulty result. You may be accessing an album you do not have permissions to access.

64 students get all-expense-paid trip to Lebanon

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — 64 students of Lebanese descent will have an opportunity to travel to Beirut, Lebanon as part of the Maronite Foundation Academy, an initiative aimed at introducing young Lebanese immigrants to their country of origin, from August 2 until August 17.

Selected candidates undergo online sessions that build their knowledge about Lebanon and the Maronite heritage. After successfully completing their online courses, the selected candidates have an opportunity to travel on a two-week trip to Lebanon, all expenses covered by the Maronite Foundation.

During their stay in Lebanon, the candidates will get to bond with their roots and get further in touch with the history of Lebanon and the Maronite Heritage through various site visits and seminars, given by prominent figures.

“Your hard work on the online courses and the family referrals paid off! I was especially happy to read your insightful answers to the questions about the Lebanese culture!” wrote Nada Salem Abisamra, the director of CLFW, on Facebook.

The winners include:

NameCountry
Maria Sofia Gomez MansurArgentina
Janet Mitre CanaanArgentina
Clara Inés AntonioArgentina
Laila Roxina MoliternoArgentina
Arz Charbel Juri GallarArgentina
Rhonda HawachAustralia
Natalie SpiridonAustralia
Monica AounAustralia
Gebran HabibAustralia
Pascale EsberAustralia
Rita MikhaelAustralia
Sandra KaltoumAustralia
Charbel DoumitAustralia
Tanya RaffoulAustralia
Shawn TorbeyAustralia
Jacob KahwajiAustralia
Andre RizkAustralia
Yussif Sharbel Santiago SelemeBolivia
Tatiana AzziBrazil
Felipe Torres WakedBrazil
Liliane AbdallaBrazil
Pedro Augusto Lara El-CorabBrazil
Eli KhouriBrazil
Rebeca BayehBrazil
Pauline TradCanada
Michael KmeidCanada
Marc Abi khalilCanada
Tatiana SalibaCanada
Wendy SfeirCanada
Christine NassifCanada
Ziad WehbéCanada
María Fernanda Sade MoránChile
Yuseff Amin Henriquez SakerColombia
Jose KhalilColombia
Sharpel PetriCyprus
Salvador Pichardo YapurDominican Republic
Maria Jose Reshuan LandivarEcuador
Luz Gabriela Rodriguez DagerEcuador
Christina MehannaFrance
Gilberto Najera AbrahamMexico
Yamel Kahwagi AbrahamMexico
Estefania Farah IsperMexico
Odeth RicoMexico
Juan Ramon Kuri AzarMexico
Ada Chikhani AhuedMexico
Lorena Manira Ghiglione FadlalaParaguay
Jussef HendePeru
Angela WitherdenSouth Africa
Maria Teresa LahoudSpain
Mario GebrayelUK
Cecilia Alem GarciaUruguay
Jonathan BoukarimUSA
Hannah MeryUSA
Anastasia TannousUSA
Julie DaccacheUSA
Veronica WakedUSA
Rita SaikaliUSA
Jeremy AllamUSA
Marwa NouhraUSA
Fadi TaljUSA
Jihan NicholasUSA
Shedhy MaksoudVenezuela
Stefania Requejo WavraVenezuela
Jorge GonzálezVenezuela
According to the Maronite Academy Facebook page, the goals of the Maronite Foundation are to:

  • Re-connect the ties between the Maronites in Lebanon and their fellow Maronite diaspora across the globe.
  • Strengthen the Maronite Heritage and legal citizenship affiliation to the land of Cedars.
  • Promote Lebanon as the spiritual motherland of Maronites worldwide.

PHOTOS: House of Lebanon participates in LA Block Party

Please try entering https://graph.facebook.com/568618516592147/photos?fields=source,link,name,images,album&limit=1000 into your URL bar and seeing if the page loads.

house-of-lebanon-la-block-party

(LOS ANGELES, CA) — House of Lebanon participated in the 35th Annual Brookside Block Party in Los Angeles, CA on June 23. According to House of Lebanon’s Facebook page, the event allowed them to “meet our new neighbors and be part of the community where we purchased our new Lebanese American cultural center.”

Brookside Block Party is “LA’s longest continuously running block party.” Funds obtained from sponsorship are used to support community safety, historic preservation, disaster preparedness, and activities like holiday caroling with a horse-drawn wagon in the Brookside neighborhood and Movie Night in the Park.

“It is important for House of Lebanon to be part of events that benefit the community we are part of,” said Ferris Wehbe, Board Member. “We have moved to our newly purchased cultural center just last year and this is our second year being sponsors at the Brookside Block Party.”

Photo courtesy of House of Lebanon, Lebanese American Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information, visit http://houseoflebanon.com/.

Facebook API came back with a faulty result. You may be accessing an album you do not have permissions to access.

Lebanese-American father writes children’s book about diversity, acceptance

(DEARBORN, MI) — Bashar Salame’s Let’s Change That! If Animals Can, We Can, Too explores stereotypes and acceptance through the eyes of lovable pets.

Ferne Press announced last week that it has published a children’s book authored by a Dearborn father. The first-time author, Dr. Bashar Salame, 36, explores stereotypes and acceptance in Let’s Change That! If Animals Can, We Can, Too.

bashar-salame-plaid“Teaching our children about acceptance of others is the greatest gift we can give them,” said Bashar. “As I was looking for creative ways to teach my own children these important lessons, I weaved together this bedtime story with the animals that my son loves and it took off — we were able to have a conversation about stereotypes and diversity that would have been difficult otherwise. I wrote the book so that every parent could have this opportunity.” 

Let’s Change That! If Animals Can, We Can, Too follows a day in the life of Felix, a house cat on the lam, who needs help rescuing a baby bird. Felix comes to life in the illustrations of Rainer M. Osinger as he asks for help from the most unlikely characters. Will they all pitch in and help, or will they refuse?

“A great story to read to children to spark diversity discussion, help eliminate stereotypes, and inspire kids so that they can make a difference,” said Robyn Tarnow, Second Grade Teacher, Birmingham, Mich. “The brightly colored illustrations will grab children’s attention. Like the characters, they will realize they are empowered to make change.”

The book is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ingram and Baker & Taylor.

“Let’s Change That! simplifies one of the most dynamic and complicated ordeals—acceptance,” said Marwan Salamey, an English teacher at Fordson High School in Dearborn, Mich. “In a time where understanding has eluded most, Dr. Salame personifies human emotion and reveals that acceptance is possible with an open mind and a little bit of change! A story that touches the human heart, Let’s Change That! sparks thought in readers of all ages.”

When he isn’t making up stories for his kids, Bashar, a chiropractor for more than 10 years, is focused on the health and well-being of his patients at his two clinics in the metro Detroit area. Bashar was nine years old when he came to Michigan from Lebanon and knows firsthand the importance of teaching children about diversity and inclusion.

Bashar and his wife Sueha have been married for ten years and they have two children – Jude, 4, and Amelie, 2. Among the family’s most cherished activities is reading stories and exploring books together. Their favorite authors include Dr. Seuss, Mo Willems, Greg Foley, Shel Silverstein, and Ferne Press’s own Carol McCloud.

For more information about the book, visit basharsalame.com.

Lebanese-Americans go “Back to Roots”

back-to-roots

(DETROIT, MI) — At the end of June, three Lebanese-Americans from Detroit will join a group of fifteen Lebanese North Americans on a trip to Beirut, Lebanon, as part of the “Back to Roots Summer Academy.”

Back to Roots is a two-week program that introduces North Americans of Lebanese descent to the “natural beauty, rich culture, historical significance, and political landscape” in Lebanon.

back-to-rootsAll expenses including lodging and transportation are covered, except for international flight reservations, according to Anthony Sader, assistant U.S. Director of Back to Roots.

“Typically, (the participants) wake up bright and early, they might have a lecture from a professor or somebody who is educated on a certain subject. Then we travel and meet other prominent people, like the patriarch, president, and other important leaders,” Sader said.

When asked if the participants will meet the Lebanese president this year, Sader smirked. “We’ll see if we have one.”

Back to Roots is funded by the Lebanese Information Center (LIC), an independent, non-profit research institute headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. The group is “non-religious” and “non-political,” according to Sader.

Fundraisers across the country are hosted year-round to collect donations to pay for the summer program. The Midwest chapter recently hosted a fundraiser at Alexander’s Lebanese Cuisine in Warren. Click here to see photos.

If you’re interested in learning more information about Back to Roots, visit BTRLebanon.org. For donation information, click here.

Casey Kasem: How Lebanese culture influenced his storytelling style and life outside radio

By Lara Akl, Communications & Marketing Manager at House of Lebanon

(Los Angeles, CA) — He is known as the iconic voice of American radio. For decades, Casey Kasem brought millions of listeners together across the country through his nationally syndicated countdown radio show American Top 40. With his warm unique voice, he was able to connect on an emotional level and build distant relationships with millions of followers.

House of Lebanon is saddened by the loss of not only the iconic radio legend, but also the Lebanese American figure, whose legacy brought pride to the Lebanese people-casey-kasem (1)and Arab American community. Becoming a famous legendary radio host and a national American figure, Kasem never forgot about his Lebanese heritage. His cultural background influenced his presentational style as a radio host, was present in his children’s upbringing, and incented him to become a passionate advocate on Lebanese Americans and Arab Americans causes.

As a radio presenter, Kasem was known for short stories he told in between songs during his show. People not only excitedly awaited to learn the number one song, but they looked forward to listen to his feel-good narratives. Kasem used storytelling in his show drawing on his Lebanese background and upbringing. “I was drawing on the Arabic tradition of storytelling one-upmanship,” he told the New York Times in 1990. “When I was a kid, men would gather in my parents’ living room and tell tales and try to outdo each other. I couldn’t understand the language, but I was fascinated…. I was doing trivia before anyone was doing trivia.”

Casey and KerriOn a family and personal level, Kasem was a proud Lebanese American. Born in 1932, Kemal Amin “Casey” Kasem was the son of Lebanese immigrant parents. He was raised in Detroit, Michigan, and had a large extended family. As a Lebanese American father, he wanted his children to learn about their background. Interviewing his daughter Kerri Kasem on March 5, 2014, she told House of Lebanon how “growing up, we used to go spend our summers in Michigan and Detroit with my grandparents. I, my brother, and my sister were surrounded by our large extended Lebanese family. As a family, we regularly gathered around Lebanese food, played cards and danced.” She finished by saying how “family and cultural ties are extremely important for my father. He wanted us to learn about our heritage, our Lebanese Druze culture, and where his family came from. He wanted us to keep attached to our roots.”

Kasem wanted his culture, history, and heritage to be known to everyone. That’s why he supported a Lebanese American organization like House of Lebanon and foresaw the value of establishing the first Lebanese American Cultural Center in Los Angeles. He showed his commitment to our cause by donating to House of Lebanon several times. “We are deeply saddened to lose an active figure like Casey Kasem,” expressed Judge James Kaddo, Chairman of House of Lebanon. “He was a man of conscience, a humanitarian, and an advocate not only for the Lebanese American Community, but also for the Arab American community as a whole.”

As a Lebanese American public figure, Kasem advocated for Arab Americans cause. He was against American mainstream media’s depiction of Arab Americans. In James Zoghby’s words, president of the Arab American Institute, “no one has done more in Hollywood to challenge the negative stereotypes of Arabs in the media than Casey.” Kasem promoted the accomplishment and contributions of Arab Americans. He wrote a brochure published by the Arab American Institute entitled “Arab-Americans: Making a Difference.”

Casey Kasem will be greatly missed. Our condolences to all of his family and children. House of Lebanon is committed to continue working hard on establishing the first Lebanese American Cultural Center that Casey Kasem supported.

 

About House of Lebanon

House of Lebanon is a non-profit organization located in Los Angeles. Its mission is to preserve, communicate, and celebrate Lebanese heritage and culture.

For more information visit www.houseoflebanon.com

Lara Akl is the Communications and Marketing Manager at House of Lebanon.

Highlights from the St. Elias Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival

Screen Shot 2014-06-19 at 12.00.31 PM

(BIRMINGHAM, AL) — St. Elias Food and Cultural Festival is an annual event in Birmingham, Alabama that offers authentic Lebanese and Mediterranean food, a cultural experience, dancing, and Lebanese music.

Watch highlights below:

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGftuKmThm4″ width=”500″ height=”300″]

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN88rJVOtW4″ width=”500″ height=”300″]

Send this to friend