Tag: featured
A Reflection on Sacred Narrative and Civic Responsibility: To Mayor Mamdani’s Speech on 2/6/2026 by Dr. Ibrahim Atallah
A Reflection on Sacred Narrative and Civic Responsibility: To Mayor Mamdani’s Speech on 2/6/2026 Dear Mayor, I write in response to your recent remarks invoking sacred history in defense of hospitality toward migrants. The impulse toward compassion is not in question. What is at issue is the way sacred narratives were employed, selectively, and therefore ...
A New Era of Arab American Political Engagement: Interview with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
Join us tonight at 9:30 PM for a special live-streamed interview hosted by the Arab American Center for Culture and Arts, featuring Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a prominent public health expert, former Detroit Health Director, and current candidate for the U.S. Senate representing Michigan. Under the title “A New Era of Arab American Political Engagement,” this ...
شعراء بين الركام ـ الحلقة 1 ـ حنان فرفور
نود ان نحيطكم علما ان المركز العربي الأميركي للثقافة والفنون سيباشر تقديم برنامج ثقافي جديد يحمل عنوان: شعراء بين الركام، نستضيف في كل حلقة منه احد الشعراء اللبنانيين او العرب، ليحدثونا عن تجاربهم مع الحرب والموت والمعاناة، ونسمع من قصائدهم التي تمخضت عن تلك التجربة القاسية. البرنامج من إعداد وتقديم السفير الدكتور علي عجمي والسيد ...
تحية حب إلى الشاعر اليمني الراحل ياسين البكالي
تشرف المركز العربي الأميركي للثقافة والفنون بدعوتكم إلى أمسية تكريمية خاصة تحت عنوان: تحية حب إلى الشاعر اليمني الراحل ياسين البكالي الزمان: السبت في 24 أيار (مايو)، 2025، الساعة الثانية عشرة ظهرا بتوقيت ديترويت وكندا، السابعة مساء بتوقيت بيروت وصنعاء والقاهرة ودمشق والرياض وبغداد والكويت والبحرين، الثامنة مساء بتوقيت أبو ظبي ومسقط المكان: منصات المركز ...
شعراء بين الركام: الحلقة 2: أسيل سقلاوي
يتشرف المركز العربي الأميركي للثقافة والفنون بدعوتكم لمتابعة الحلقة الثانية من برنامج (شعراء بين الركام)، مع الشاعرة اللبنانية أسيل سقلاوي إعداد وتقديم: السفير الدكتور علي عجمي والأستاذ وسام شرف الدين الزمان: الأحد في 8 حزيران (يونيو)، 2025، الساعة الثانية عشرة ظهرا بتوقيت ديترويت وكندا، السابعة مساء بتوقيت بيروت. المكان: منصات المركز الإلكترونية: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB15ixokB_4
وسام شرف الدين: من العمل الثقافي إلى قيادة حزب الخضر الأمريكي
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIn1_c_dtVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIn1_c_dtVE
الصالون الثقافي في ليفونيا وإرشاد يقدمان: الشريعة والسؤال الأخلاقي مع الدكتور وجيه قانصو
في كتابه «الشريعة والسؤال الأخلاقي: استعادة الأبعاد المنسية» يقترح الدكتور وجيه قانصو أن أزمة الشريعة المعاصرة ليست فقط أزمة نصوص أو فتاوى، بل أزمة منهج ونظرة: تغييب ثلاثة أبعاد كبرى عن الاجتهاد الفقهي—الزمن، والعقل، والأخلاق—حتى صارت الأحكام تُستخرج غالبًا من ظاهر الدلالة اللغوية وحدها، بينما تُترك الكليات الأخلاقية في موقع الوعظ لا موقع التأسيس. والنتيجة: فجوة متنامية بين التدين بوصفه التزامًا شكليًا، وبين الأخلاق بوصفها روح الرسالة ومعناها. مقدمة وخاتمة
My 2025 Reading List (aka: Books That Rewired My Brain)
2025 was a “multiple tabs open” kind of year. This reading stack is the stuff that kept me grounded, suspicious of hustle-culture, allergic to propaganda, and still soft enough to believe humans can be better than the systems we’re trapped in. The image says it all: me in a bookstore-library maze, sitting at a piano, surrounded by stories and ideas like they’re sheet music. That’s basically my whole philosophy in one frame. Reading is how I tune my mind back to the right key—especially when the world is loud, cruel, and trying to sell you distraction as destiny. Below is my 2025 list based on the covers in the collage—what each book gave me, and why it mattered.
AI Phobia: A Live Talk on Fear, Facts, and Freedom
Artificial intelligence is everywhere—at work, in schools, in our phones, and increasingly in politics and policing. On Saturday, January 3, 2026 at 12PM EST, Dearborn Blog hosts a live online discussion to separate legit concerns from sci-fi panic—and talk about what community control could actually look like.
Round Table Session: Is Evolution God’s Plan?
Science and faith don’t have to beef in the comments section. 🧠🤝🙏 Join the Science & Faith Forum Round Table — Friday, Jan 2 at 7:00 PM at Bint Jebail Cultural Center (14201 Prospect St, Bldg 2, Dearborn). Topic: Is Evolution God’s Plan? Come curious, come respectful, come ready to listen (and maybe rethink a ...
Top 2025 Articles on Dearborn Blog
Top 2025 Articles on Dearborn Blog:
الحلقة الحادية عشرة من برنامج (شعراء بين الركام)، مع الشاعر اللبناني عباس عياد
في الحلقة الحادية عشرة من برنامج "شعراء بين الركام"، نفتح صفحات الشعر على حضورٍ جديد وصوتٍ يخطّ كلماته من بين الشظايا والوجع، لنرحّب بالشاعر عباس عياد، الذي يجعل من القصيدة شاهدةً على زمنٍ مثخن بالجراح، ونافذةً يتسلّل منها الضوء رغم الركام. عباس عياد شاعرٌ يعرف كيف يحوّل التجربة القاسية إلى نصّ نابض بالصدق، وكيف يصوغ ...
الحلقة الثامنة من برنامج (شعراء بين الركام)، مع الشاعرة اللبنانية الدكتورة يسرى البيطار
بكل دفءٍ واعتزاز، نرحب في الحلقة الثامنة من برنامج "شعراء بين الركام" بالشاعرة المتألقة يسرى البيطار، التي تحمل في صوتها نَفَس الأرض وصدق الوجع، وتكتب من بين الرماد قصائد تُشبه نوافذ تُفتح على الضوء.هي شاعرة تضع الكلمة في صف المقاومة، وتجعل من الشعر مرآةً تعكس جراح الناس وأحلامهم، فيغدو النص عندها ساحةً للتحدّي، وفضاءً للبوح، ...
Ditch the Chaos, Build the Movement
On September 22, 2025, organizers from the Illinois Green Party (ILGP) and the Arab & Muslim American Green Party Caucus (NAMA) went live on YouTube to demo a simple idea with big consequences: if Greens want to scale campaigns and committees without burning out, get off the hamster wheel of scattered chats and run the work in Basecamp. In a one-hour Q&A hosted by Dearborn Blog, Eyde Arndell (ILGP) and Wissam Charafeddine (NAMA) showed, click-by-click, how message boards, task lists, check-ins, and “Hill Charts” make transparency normal and chaos optional. Watch the full session on @DearbornBlog and grab the starter links at ilgp.org and linktr.ee/dearborngreens.
Fall Nights, Dearborn Lights … Downtown Vibes
Downtown Dearborn is humming after sunset—families shoulder-to-shoulder at raffles, musicians trading riffs on the sidewalk, baristas pulling fragrant shots that taste like history. The city’s fall nights have become a living postcard of inclusion, fueled by a coffee renaissance that started here and is now reshaping America’s palate. From the Qahwa House effect to a neighborhood calendar bursting with pop-ups and bazaars, this is what community looks like when everyone is invited. Come for the espresso; stay for the human warmth—and visit DearbornBlog.com to view the full photo gallery from these unforgettable evenings.
A Marriage of Conscience: Imam Talib Sanjari’s Bold Ruling
In Dearborn’s living rooms and lecture halls, a quiet revolution is underway: Imam Talib Sanjari—a classically trained Iraqi cleric who settled among us—has argued that a Muslim woman may marry a non-Muslim man when justice, dignity, and today’s plural civic realities are honored. His stance challenges a centuries-long consensus, ignites serious debate, and calls us back to a Qur’anic ethic rooted in reason and public good. This essay maps the terrain—what Sanjari actually says, what mainstream institutions still hold, how law and lived life have shifted, and why Dearborn’s conversation matters for human rights and Green values. [1]
Stopping Genocide … Briefing by Dr. Jill Stein
Join GPAX and the Arab & Muslim American Green Party Caucus with Dr. Jill Stein, Mark Elbourno, Wissam Charafeddine, Haig Hovaness, and Madelyn Hoffman to turn outrage into organized aid and political pressure. Watch on Youtube.com/@dearbornblog 9.23.2025 • 7 PM ET gpax.gpus.org • lifelineforpalestine.com #StopGenocide #CeasefireNow #GPAX #GreenParty #Palestine #HumanRights #EndTheBlockade https://www.youtube.com/live/RLWkwI93P70?si=J4o5dlPD5-I3cEMW
أسامة السبلاني: أربعون عاماً من العطاء
أمسية حوارية للمركز العربي الأميركي للثقافة والفنون في المشهد العربي-الأميركي، أسماء قليلة صارت جزءاً من ذاكرة مدينة ديربورن وميشيغن الأوسع. أحد هذه الأسماء هو الإعلامي أسامة السبلاني؛ صوتٌ صاغ على مدى عقودٍ سرديةً مهنيةً صلبة عن قضايا الجالية وحقوقها وتمثيلها وكرامتها في الفضاء العام. تكريمه ليس مجرّد التفاتة احتفالية، بل وقفة مراجعة مع مسيرة صحفية ...
Muslim Women in Politics Esp 2: Micho Assi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aJgY9mjN14 The Arab American Center for Culture and Arts is honored to invite you to a powerful and timely virtual discussion titled: What is the state of Muslim Americans in public service today? What are the challenges, and how do we overcome them? Join us as we explore the current landscape of Muslim American engagement ...
Muslim Women in Politics Esp 2: Micho Assi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aJgY9mjN14 The Arab American Center for Culture and Arts is honored to invite you to a powerful and timely virtual discussion titled: What is the state of Muslim Americans in public service today? What are the challenges, and how do we overcome them? Join us as we explore the current landscape of Muslim American engagement ...
Muslim Women in Politics Esp 1: Farah Khan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8nYY_xaAFI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8nYY_xaAFI 📢 The Arab American Center is honored to invite you to follow its new program in English: Muslim Women in Political Work 🌟 The first episode will feature political activist Farah Khan, candidate for City Council in Farmington Hills. 🗓️ Date: Monday, September 1, 2025⏰ Time: 6:00 PM Detroit time 📍 Watch on ...
Professor Abbas Al-Haj Ahmad: Dearborn’s Voice in the Lebanese Diaspora — Expat Voting, Disarmament and the Case for Diaspora Power
By Dearborn Blog — August 2025 Excerpt:When a Dearborn professor speaks about Lebanon, folks here listen. Abbas Al-Haj Ahmad — lecturer, journalist, and representative of the Lebanese Expatriate Movement — is pushing two clear ideas: give the diaspora real voting power, and insist on disarmament of militias that keep Lebanon locked in crisis. For Dearborn’s ...
Arab World Postcolonialism by Wissam Charafeddine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yofEoSiSxGk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-Uiofcrgr8
Parents need to take their kids to Townhalls not McDonalds
Tonight’s special: democracy. Take your kids to a town hall—teach them to ask questions, not just place orders. #TownhallsNotMcDonalds #CivicParenting #RaiseCitizens #DearbornBlog
AXON FUSUS DEPLOYMENT IN DEARBORN … Community Stuck Between Trust and Trauma
In the heart of Arab America, where chants of “Free Palestine” have echoed for months, the City of Dearborn has approved a $723,101 real-time surveillance platform known as Axon Fusus. Officially endorsed by the city council in a unanimous vote, the initiative has sparked both enthusiasm for public safety and deep concern over privacy and political contradiction.
Michigan Ballot Initiative Pushes for Ranked Choice Voting: A Path Toward a More Representative Democracy
Dearborn, MI — A new grassroots initiative is underway across Michigan to transform the way we vote — and it might be the most important election reform effort in a generation. The Rank MI Vote campaign is leading a ballot initiative to enact Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for Michigan’s major elections, including presidential primaries, statewide ...
US Green Party & American Activism: Live Discussion with Jacqui Deveneau
https://www.youtube.com/live/7M5MrFAFWBE?si=yYeXLtnkspH9lDXp Join us on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM EST for a special episode of Dearborn Discussions, hosted by Wissam Charafeddine and streaming live on DearbornBlog.com and Facebook Live. We’ll be speaking with Jacqui Deveneau, a veteran activist and a central figure in the Green Party movement in the United States. At 75 ...
DOME 2025: Fractured: Between Truth and Lies by Reem Abou-Samra
a political scientist, educator, and poet whose work explores Muslim American identity, belonging, and political thought. With over 15 years of teaching experience and current research on cultural return among Muslim millennial women, she brings a powerful blend of scholarship, creativity, and community engagement to every space she enters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UPhuiQvnXI JOIN DOME
The Border and the Bars: A True American Nightmare
A dynamic Arab American Activist, Author, Entrepreneur, Educator, and Engineer. With a Master’s in Software Engineering, bridges the worlds of technology, education, and community leadership. A founder of numerous nonprofit initiatives and a dedicated scholar of Islamic Studies, Arab identity, and history, Wissam brings deep insight and bold ideas to every space he enters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zy7qu15xVc ...
From Stigma to Strength: Navigating Divorced Identity as Arab American Muslim Woman and Political Arena – Micho Assi
As a divorced, single mother and immigrant, I'll share my personal journey of navigating the challenges of feeling 'not enough' in multiple roles - not enough American in some spaces , not enough as a woman in other spaces , not enough as a divorced parent. Yet, through pain and struggle, I've transformed these feelings ...
Manifesto of Elias Rodriguez
Manifesto of Elias Rodriguez, who killed two employees of the Israeli Embassy. If you think this will upset you, please do not read it. ========================ExplicationMay 20, 2025Halintar is a word that means something like thunder or lightning. In the wake of an act people look for a text to fix its meaning, so here's an ...
When the Lesser Evil Becomes the Greatest Betrayal: Why I Cannot Vote for a “Less Bloody” Killer— By Wissam Charafeddine
“If someone must be killed, let it be the one whose death causes the least harm.”This is how the logic of the “lesser evil” simplifies moral dilemmas in times of crisis.But what if all options are evil?What if this logic becomes a tool to normalize genocide and political corruption? One of the most famous philosophical ...
عندما يصبح الشرّ الأصغر أكبر خيانة: لماذا لا يمكنني التصويت لقاتل “أقل دموية” ـ بقلم وسام شرف الدين
إذا كان لا بد من قتل أحد، فليكن القتل الأقل ضررًا، هكذا يختصر منطق "الشر الأقل" أزمة الخيارات الأخلاقية في زمن الأزمات. لكن ماذا لو كانت كل الخيارات شريرة؟ وماذا لو أصبح استخدام هذا المنطق أداة لتطبيع الإبادة الجماعية والفساد السياسي؟ من أشهر الأمثلة الفلسفية على المعضلات الأخلاقية ما يُعرف بـ"مأزق القطار" : قطار منفلت ...
Run for City Council: An Invitation from Dearborn Greens
Dear community leaders, changemakers, and advocates for justice, The Dearborn Greens are calling on bold, principled individuals like you to step forward and run for City Council in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. At a time when many political parties have failed to represent our values, the Green Party remains unwavering in its commitment to peace, ...
New Inductee to Dearborn Blog Hall of Hero’s: Ibtihal Aboussad
We are proud to announce the latest addition to the Dearborn Blog Hall of Heroes—Ibtihal Aboussad. This recognition comes in light of her brave and powerful actions during a recent protest at Microsoft’s 50th anniversary celebration, where she made headlines for her passionate stand against the company’s involvement in military contracts with Israel.A Heroic Protest ...
Arab and Muslim American Green Party Caucus Condemns the Arrest of Dr. Jill Stein and Demands All Charges Be Dropped
https://www.instagram.com/p/DHdxHQhuHc7/?img_index=1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 20, 2025 Arab and Muslim American Green Party Caucus Condemns the Arrest of Dr. Jill Stein and Demands All Charges Be Dropped The Arab and Muslim American Green Party Caucus unequivocally condemns the unjust arrest and politically motivated charges against Green Party Presidential Candidate, Dr. Jill Stein. We demand the immediate ...
الصالون الثقافي في ليفونيا يقدم: الهوية العربية في راهنها المتأزّم مع الدكتور وجيه قانصو
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5OfLs3CPXA Join & Follow Livonia Salon https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/ep-e2up9k1
Dearborn Greens Post Election Gathering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUKm2fFhiEg https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/Dearborn-Greens-Post-Election-Gathering-e2uoa88
تاريخ الصراع العربي الإسرائيلي ٢٨: العرب الأميركيون و الإبادة الجماعية الصهيونية في فلسطين ولبنان؟
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfOQK7vVKBA https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/ep-e2uo9ol
الصراع العربي الإسرائيلي حلقة 26: الصراع العربي الإسرائيلي، إلى أين؟
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7epZ-rGRQdM https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/23-e2lr6ta https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/26-e2uo7h6
Gaza Relief Dinner – Doctors Against Genocide – Dearborn May 18 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BczaSTsvfks https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/Gaza-Relief-Dinner---Doctors-Against-Genocide---Dearborn-May-18-2024-e2uo776
ILAN PAPPE IN DEARBORN: Gaza in Context: Past, Present, and Future
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gikX6i_OuLU https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/ILAN-PAPPE-IN-DEARBORN-Gaza-in-Context-Past--Present--and-Future-e2uo6u8
AlNadwa Freethinking Society Presents: Liberation is Our Word
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebjUWZpaD04 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dearbornblog/episodes/AlNadwa-Freethinking-Society-Presents-Liberation-is-Our-Word-e2uo6od
My Top 10 Reads for 2024
This year, Wissam Charafeddine explored a diverse range of books that broadened his understanding of history, humanity, and innovation. Here are his top 10 picks for 2024, complete with a synopsis of each book, its author, a memorable quote, and resources for readers. 1. War Against the People by Jeff Halper Synopsis of the Book: ...
Top 10 Films for Wissam Charafeddine in 2024
This year has been an incredible journey through cinema. From thought-provoking dramas to uplifting tales, these are my top 10 favorite movies of 2024. For each film, I’ve included the IMDb score and a YouTube trailer to give you a taste of their brilliance. Here are the top 10 movies I watched in 2024, complete ...
The Best French Films of 2024
By Andrea Meyer December 16, 2024 Source: https://frenchly.us/best-french-films-of-2024/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=French+Favorites+of+2024&utm_medium=email It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or so say the songs of the season. Many hearts are warmed by the first snowfall. For others, it’s a tree surrounded by gifts that gets us—or the promise of a midnight make-out session on New Year’s Eve. Then there ...
Top 30 Films for Wissam Charafeddine
Welcome to Wissam Charafeddine’s curated list of top 30 films! This selection features a diverse range of cinematic masterpieces from around the globe, spanning different genres, themes, and eras. Each entry includes an IMDb rating, a brief overview, the country of origin, the year it was made, and a YouTube trailer link. 1. The Hunt ...
Best Movies of 2024: Top 10 Picks from Film Critics
Looking for the best movies of 2024? Our film critics have curated a top 10 list of the year’s most stunning, groundbreaking films. These cinematic gems will take you on emotional journeys, showcase extraordinary creativity, and offer fresh perspectives on storytelling. Check out the trailers, IMDb scores, and where you can watch them below! --- ...
Let’s go! By Dr. Jill Stein Nov 27, 2024
As we power up for the next phase of this movement, I want to send you my deepest heartfelt gratitude. For you are a paragon of courage, the unstoppable force we need for an America and a world that works for all of us! Together we have changed history, and our work has only begun. Despite ...
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