Dear friends,
I hope you have been enjoying this Spring season of renewal despite these unsettling times. Please allow me to share some updates from the month of May with you.
May is recognized nationally as Mental Health Awareness Month and our Community Health & Research Center participated in numerous activities, which included presentations at Hamadeh Educational Services and the Hamtramck School District to focus on youth mental health and prevention. The ACCESS Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) Community Coalition implemented impactful initiatives including the launch of Voices for Change to reduce stigma around substance abuse; a National Prevention Week partnership with pharmacy associations; and partnering with local police departments to provide Narcan training.
On May 3, the 19th Annual National Arab American Service Day was held, bringing together more than 400 volunteers to complete 7 community projects across Dearborn and metro Detroit. Local partners included Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Friends of Rouge Park, Friends of the Rouge, Salina Intermediate School Community Garden, and the City of Dearborn
May 7-11 the Arab American National Museum (AANM) hosted its 20th annual Arab Film Festival (AFF). Screening 25 films across 3 cities, many made their Michigan debut. Attendees came from all over for the screenings and two special events, AFF After Dark and a poetry workshop led by artist-in-residence Bazeed.
May 9-14 the Clubhouse International World Seminar 2025 was held in St. Pete Beach, FL, and the ACCESS Hope House joined an inspiring global community dedicated to ending isolation for people living with mental illness.
From May 19 to May 22, the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) and its members, in partnership with the Center for Arab Narratives (CAN), brought together advocates from across the country for its annual Arab American Advocacy Days. This national coalition participated in policy, capacity-building and advocacy workshops, and wrapped up with “Hill Day,” consisting of meetings with 25 Senate and House D.C. offices.
May is a month to celebrate all types of graduations. On May 23 the wrap-up of the 2024-2025 Boys Youth Soccer program took place for over 200 students, and on May 28 the Adult and Family Learning-English learners hosted an English Market Day to showcase the talents of our ESL women and launch their small businesses.
Thank you for your continued support of our work. I am so grateful to be able to share these regular updates with you. To learn more about what’s going on at ACCESS, please visit our website: https://www.accesscommunity.org, and follow us online:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ACCESScommunity
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accesscommunity/
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/ACCESS1971
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/access_-_arab_community_center_for_economic_and_social_services
Love,
Maha
Maha Freij
President & CEO
ACCESS
Dearborn Blog 