House of Lebanon

ACCESS board president Noel Saleh, left, and Ismael Ahmed, ACCESS Executive Director, present the Arab-American of the Year Award to Helen Thomas, the journalism legend, and Joseph R. Haiek, Publisher of the News Circle/ Arab-American Affairs magazine and the Arab-American Almanac series, since 1972.

The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) earlier this year held its 33rd anniversary banquet in Detroit attended by 2,700 guests.
The event begun with "Drumbeats of Youth" performed by the Maples School Arabic Music Ensemble.
Emery King, Master of Ceremonies, introduced Jennifer Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, saying the Governor is a speaker who holds her audience "spellbound.
In her welcoming remarks, Governor Granholm said:
"Thank you very much on behalf of the State of Michigan. I particularly want to extend greetings to Helen Thomas, who is going to be your keynote speaker this evening. And obviously she can see how important the Arab-American community is to the State of Michigan.
"As you all know, during times of crisis, it is very clear that human tendency is to divide, and to point fingers. That’s why I am so grateful to ACCESS for highlighting that which brings us together. There is so much more that we have in common as a family, and it is so clear that as a family, we must unite during this period of international crisis.
"ACCESS helps to remind us that we need to embrace that which is human about us all. That which uplifts us all. And although we can do very little about what occurs on the streets of Iraq or Afghanistan, we can do an awful lot about what occurs on the streets of Michigan. And so this dinner is symbolic of that unity and that love, and that desire for peace.
"John F. Kennedy once said, ‘What kind of peace do we seek? I’m talking about genuine peace,’ he said, ‘the kind of peace that makes life on Earth worth living; the kind that enables people and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children. Not merely peace for Americans, but peace for all men and women. Not merely peace in our time, but peace for all time.’ My friends, Assalam Alaykom (peace upon you).

Emery King, the MC, is the news anchor and chief political correspondent for WDIV-Local 4, Dearborn, then said:
"Welcome to the ACCESS 33rd Anniversary Banquet. This banquet has become one of those must-attend events. It is one that is most significant, not only for the Arab-American community, but for the metropolitan Detroit community as well. There are more people here tonight than ever before. There are 2,700 of you. This is the second largest sit-down dinner in the entire state of Michigan, after the NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner. What’s more, it was sold out one month in advance.
"As ACCESS celebrates its 33rd year, its mission has come into sharp focus. The plight of many of its clients seems to have worsened rather than improved, in spite of an improving economy.
"The fallout has been felt by our Arab-American brothers and sisters and their children, who have been the undeserved recipients of prejudice and retaliation. Your financial and moral support makes it possible for ACCESS to continue its work. As the need has increased, ACCESS has expanded to meet that need. And that is what this evening is all about.

Special remarks were given by the Hon. Robert Ficano, executive from Wayne County.
Co-sponsors John Lewis, vice chairman of Comerica Inc., and Thomas Gottschalk, executive vice president and general counsel of General Motors Corporation, followed these remarks with a message of their own.
"A Year of Growth" was presented by ACCESS board president Noel Saleh.
During the dinner interlude, Ahmed Ahmed helped entertain the guests with jokes and a bold comic presentation.
The keynote speaker was Helen Thomas, a legendary journalist and columnist for Hearst Newspapers.
Thomas was also presented with one of the Arab-American of the Year awards. The other Arab-American of the Year awards were presented to Joseph R. Haiek, publisher of The News Circle/Arab-American Affairs magazine and the Arab-American Almanac series; and to Helen Atwell, a community activist and civic leader who was presented the award posthumously. Her sister accepted the award on her behalf.

In her speech, Helen Thomas said:
"It is a profound honor for me to participate in the grand opening of the Arab American National Museum. The first ever of its kind and rightfully placed in my native Michigan. I want to thank the very kind sponsors. I would like to congratulate Joseph Haiek, a fellow journalist, and the awardee of the late Helen Atwell, who helped found this unique museum.
"I feel that our parents, our grandparents and our great grandparents have all contributed to the legacy we are saluting tonight. I have to tell you that I grew up as a firm believer in the melting pot, the greatness of America and I reject hyphens. But on the other hand I must say that I have been lucky to grow up in two cultures - American and Arab - and am grateful for their enrichment of our lives.
"There are probably many who do not believe the media gives the Arabs a fair shake, and yet the phenomena of truth has hit home with those shocking photos of prison abuse in Iraq are worth a thousand words. Need more to be said than it has stunned and silence the liberators. Not a line can wipe out the truth of these devastating pictures. We now know how war brutalizes the victims, but mostly the perpetuators of such cruelty. So it’s a rude awakening for America - that we would be capable of such atrocities and the world who may take the preachments of our leaders about freedom, democracy, compassion for Arabs with a grain of salt. Somewhere, somehow there were a few good people who wanted the truth out.

"I don’t believe these are manifestations of America. But then there is a question before our country: Can anyone justify unprovoked preemptive war? Hardly, considering the innocent livesaken in such a calculated misadventure. And the irony is that all those who dreamed up the ‘walk in the park’or cakewalk into Iraq evaded the Vietnam draft. They had other priorities. But the good news is I believe we have learned the lesson that people will defend their own land..., breathes a man with soul so dead, who never to himself has said, this is my own, my own native land. Any transformation of the Middle East has to be homegrown.
"There is no question, that it’s all over in Iraq, and we’re looking for the exit signs.
"When I call the Pentagon the officers will give me the American fatality and wounded figures. When I ask for the Iraqi toll, I am told ‘we don’t track them. They don’t count.’ These are the people we are liberating. The grateful dead. Man’s inhumanity to man. We are shocked that we stoop so low as to humiliate, but not when we wantonly kill the innocent. Cry the beloved country and ask why we are there and why we continue to kill and be killed. The only way for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing. Now I think I should lighten up and tell you no one should go into journalism if they want to be loved.
"As for the White House, I can assure you that no president has ever liked the press, dating back to George Washington... I was covering him, but Kennedy said, ‘I am reading more and enjoying it less.’ What Lyndon B. Johnson said is ‘unprintable.’
"Nixon once looked up when we walked into the cabinet room and said: ‘It’s only coincidental that we’re talking about pollution when the press walks in.’ President Ford accused me of practicing acupuncture on presidents.
"President Carter always seemed to be saying: ‘Lord forgive them for they know not what they do.’ When President Reagan was told that a press helicopter had been fired on at the Honduran border, he said, ‘There’s some good in everyone.’
"And when President Clinton was asked why the press always sent along with the motorcade when he went jogging, he laughed and said " ‘They just want to see if I drop dead.’ My favorite ego trip is when Fidel Castro was asked what was the difference between his government and our democracy, he said: ‘I don’t have to answer questions from Helen Thomas.’ Well, President Bush has found a way to avoid them from me too. But that’s OK, just so others in the press come out of their coma and start asking the tough questions... happily they seem to be doing better. As for presidents, I have always thought they have reached the top of the mark. Ain’t no other place to go and they should only want to do the right thing because the greatest honor that anyone can have and that is the trust of the American people.

"Lincoln said: ‘Let the people know the facts and the country will be safe.’ Jefferson said: ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.’ Justice Brandeis said that a constant spotlight on public officials lessens the possibility of corruption. He also said that if the government becomes a lawbreaker it breeds contempt for the law.
"I say let’s get our country back and once more adhere to it’s highest ideals which made us the most admired not the most hated around the world.
"Terrorism and tyranny can be fought when we represent the best mankind has to offer. So I say: Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for all of us.
"Let’s give peace a chance and let it begin with us. I hope this museum will beckon many visitors who will know contributions of great Americans with ties to the Arab world.
A standing ovation of 2,700 guests followed her speech.
The entertainment for the evening was provided by Ali Barada and His Band that pulled hundreds to participate in the Dabkeh, Arabic folkloric dance.
The dinner committee: Brigitte Fawaz-Anouti, chairperson, Anne Darwish-Talab and Najwa Hadous Team Leaders.
The 33rd anniversary dinner was sponsored by Comerica Inc. and General Motors and co-sponsored by: Bank one, DaimlerChrysler Corp., DTE Energy and Ford Motor Co. The Patrons were: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee(ADC), Henry Ford Health System, Karmanos Cancer Institute and Standard Federal Bank

ACCESS major accomplished projects and services:
1 - The Community Health and Research Center was founded in 1985, becoming the largest and most comprehensive Arab-American community-based health and mental health center in North America. With all health-related services in one central location, clients of ACCESS can now receive care at the medical clinic, access family mental health services, consult with specialists from area hospitals, undergo screening such as mammography and X-rays and laboratory tests as well as fill prescriptions.

2 - The Youth Center was created to help in youth and education. Their goal is to enhance academic performance and develop lifelong learning skills in students ages 5-18, all in a sensitive and caring environment. They operate a program called the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, in partnership with the Dearborn Public Schools. Through this collaboration in after-school programming, students are given the opportunity for academic tutoring under the guise of enrichment activities.

3 - Employment and training services center. In 2003, ACCESS was successful in placing 2,074 people into jobs despite the weak economy. In 2003, they received a Workforce Investment ACT grant from the City of Detroit Department of Employment and Training to teach out-of-school Arab, Latino and African-American youth basic skills enabling them to pass the GED or get into college and employment skills to get into the workforce.

4 - Cultural Arts Program was established in 1987. Through the years, ACCESS has earned a reputation for high quality programming and for the ability to use the arts to bridge ethnic and racial communities.
5- The National Arab-American Museum, is the first and only project of its kind in America. Accordingly, it is scheduled to open early 2005 in Dearborn, Michigan, at a cost of over $16 million. Efforts are put to collect Arab-American artcrafts, photos, artwork and other museum items, Arab-Americans, nationwide, are urged to participate. More coverage will be featured in future editions of this magazine.

Quotes From ACCESS leadership:
Ismael Ahmed: Executive director , also known by the nickname Ish, wrote: “Contemplating our 33rd year of service to the community, I realized how passionate I am about our mission, our programs, our people and our community. I also realized that ACCESS has much to be proud of. We can be proud that after 33 years, ACCESS is still here, providing the ever-needed basic human services. It just seems that those basic needs continue to grow.
“Reaching out beyond our loyal community, ACCESS has broadened our influence. We now share the expertise we’ve gained as the largest Arab-American human services organization.”

Hassan Jaber: associate executive director wrote: “It is indeed an honor to work with the 150 staff members who are the face and heart of ACCESS. They go about their jobs with passion and compassion. They deliver services with professionalism and efficiency indeed. But what sets them apart is their personal stake in the well being of the people they serve.”

People behind ACCESS success:
ACCESS Executive Board and staff are: Noel Saleh, president; Ali Baleed Almaklani, vice president; Azzam Elder, treasurer; Mike Makki and Andrea Awada secretaries. The lifetime board members are: Barbara Aswad, Ph.D., George Khoury and Don Unis.
The executive staff of ACCESS are: Ismael Ahmed, executive director; Hassan Jaber, associate executive director; Maha Freij, chief financial officer; Dahan Al-Najjar, Ph.D., youth and education director; Anan Ameri, Ph.D., cultural arts director in charge of the National Arab-American Museum; Brigitte Fawaz-Anouti, social services director; Rashid Barkaji, information and technology director; Muhanned Haimour, human resources director; Adnan Hammad, Ph.D., community and mental health director; Sonia Harb, MSW, CSW, employment and training director; Karen Rignall, national outreach director; Amne Darwish-Talab, social services (east Dearborn office) director; and Margaret Zaknoen, Arab American Resource Corps program director.
To send your tax deductible donations and receive more information, write to: ACCESS, 2651 Saulino Ct., Dearborn, MI 48120, U.S.A., or/and visit their website: www.accesscommunity.org