tamar ghabin • hussein bazzi • Lauren hassouneh• jane … Intern Perspectives 3 Anthony Shadid...

tamar ghabin • hussein bazzi • Lauren hassouneh• jane sullivan • Dany hamami • grace ablan

american-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee • 2014 • Adc.org

2014 Intern Perspectives

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Anthony Shadid Summer Interns

President’s Officelauren hassounehLenior Rhyne University

Environmental Science & Policy-Class of 2015

special eventsdany hamami

University of FloridaSociology

Class of 2016

Government Affairsjane sullivan

New York UniversityMiddle Eastern & Islamic Studies

Class of 2014

Organizingtamar ghabin

Northeastern UniversityInternational Affairs & Arabic

Class of 2015

Legalhussein bazzi

American University Washington College of Law

Class of 2016

Communicationsgrace ablan

Macalester CollegePolitical Science & Classics

Class of 2016

Table of ContentsSummer Interns

Letter From samer Page 3

Jack Shaheen Award WinnersPage 3

ADC National Intern Blurbs Page 4-10

convention Pictures Page 6

ADC Michigan intern BlurbsPage 11-13

intern Field Trips Page 14-15

Become an Intern Page 16 ADC Research Institute

Intern Perspectives © 2014

Samer Khalaf, PresidentDr. Safa Rifka, Chair The American-Arab Anti-Dis-crimination Committee (ADC), which is non-profit, non-sectari-an and non-partisan, is the larg-est grassroots Arab American civil rights and civil liberties or-ganization in the United States. It was founded in 1980 by former Senator James Abourezk. ADC has a national network of chapters and members in all 50 states.

1990 M Street, NW Ste 610 Washington, DC 20036P: (202) 244-2990 F: (202) 333-3980 www.adc.org

Thank you to the Volunteers that helped this Summer!

Mallak Anani University of MichiganMiddle Eastern Studies

& EnglishClass of 2015

Rula MalkiUniversity of Jordan

Bachelor in English Literature

Samia El-Solh George Washington University

Master’s in Political ManagementClass of 2015

Want to intern with adc? See page 16 & Visit ADC.org

Amany muflihy Wayne State University

Criminal Justice Class of 2013

elysa bryen University of Chicago

Near Eastern Languag-es & Civilizations

Class of 2017Tahany alsabahi University of MichiganInternational Studies

Class of 2017

ADC Michigan Interns


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Anthony Shadid Summer Interns

JackShaheenMass Communications Scholarships

two young arab american students were awarded for demonstrating excellence in the field of mass communications

joseph khalil • nadine sebai

Since 1981, ADC has hosted hundreds of promising students through the Anthony Shadid Internship Program who have gone on to excel in their chosen career paths. I myself started out as an ADC intern and traced my path back to ADC in my current role as ADC National President.

Each intern plays an important role in shaping ADC and carrying out its mission. From organizing to communications, to legal and policy, to assisting the president’s office, our interns experience a first-hand look at hard-hitting civil rights issues that Arab Americans are faced with every day. We are at a time where the crises in the Middle East are bringing backlash to our community in the United States, and we’re seeing an increase of discrimination and civil rights attacks against Arab Americans.

This summer, six hard-working interns from universities around the country joined us in fighting these battles and have done an extraordinary job in each of their respective departments. In addition to their work in the office, these interns have gone above and beyond by taking their interests out into the world and continuing ADC’s push for equality in their home commu-nities.

To Tamar, Dany, Lauren, Jane, Hussein, and Grace, I would like to extend my appreciation to each of you for all the work you have done, commend you on your knowledge of foreign affairs, and, of course, the talent you’ve portrayed in advocating for equality in our community. As it has done for me, this internship will influence you throughout your careers. I wish you all the best, and look forward to hearing about all your endeavors in the years to come. I know you will make us proud.

Samer KhalafADC President

A message from ADC President

“I was an ADC intern many years ago and it’s an experience I doubt I will ever forget. I learned a lesson that has guided me and my journalism since then, and it’s that being right is a rela-tive term, and most importantly that no voice should be silenced.”

- Anthony Shadid

Anthony Shadid

Joseph Khalil is a reporter at WLNS TV-6, the CBS news station in Lansing, Michigan. A 2012 graduate of Michigan State with a Journalism and International Relations background, Joe is leaving the television news business for 10 months to complete a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Columbia University in New York City. With an advanced degree, Joe hopes to one day work as a network journalist, covering stories of nstional and interna-tional importance.

Nadine Sebai is an accountant and analyst from Miami, Florida. Beginning Fall of 2014, Nadine will be attending the U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism program and will special-ize in in-depth stories on the environ-ment. This summer, she is working as a Production Assistent for the Investi-gative Reporting Program in Berkeley, California.


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Favorite ADC MOment:

Visiting the U.S. Institute of peace

Tamar GhabinOrganizing

At the heart of ADC’s work is an understanding that discrimination against Arabs in not unique. It is part of a larger xenophobic, racist and fear-mongering culture that unfortunately plagues many people in this country. That is why ADC is first and foremost a civil rights organization. This was made very clear to me the day that most of the staff went to the Congressional hearing on the Voting Rights Act Amendment. There was an understanding that the impor-tance of this bill was not only relevant in Georgia or North Carolina, where vot-ing suppression is the highest, but it is relevant to all those fighting for minority and civil rights. The hearing was so crowded that even the Overflow room was overflowing. We sat among a host of organizations all equally outraged that part of such an important law had been overturned. We all knew that this was setback was for everyone. And we all were fighting it.

And as Israel ramps up its massacre in Gaza, it is comforting to know that I am interning at an organization that will spend so much of its time and energy to organize for the Palestinian cause. ADC is the kind of place that, despite working on many other things, it will devote its staff and resources, and even encourage its employees to leave work early to attend a protest against Israeli aggression.

Fighting for civil and human rights is an important part of ADC’s work, but it

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania University: Northeastern University

Major: International Affairs & Arabic

Life Goal: “To master the debkeh.”

Favorite food: Gushers

If she could live anywhere it would be: Pales-tine

Favorite place in DC: Planetarium at the Na-tional Air and Space Museum

with tamar

is not all that we do. Hosting cultural and intellectual forums is a very vital part of engaging ADC’s members in its work. That is why the ADC National Convention is so important. Preparing and organizing for the convention was a massive task that we were immediately involved in as our internships began. Many of us were given responsibilities that interns usually do not get, and that was a learning experience in itself. Seeing all of the behind-the-scenes work made all of us gain a better appreciation for what goes into such a massive event.

The interns also had the opportunity to go on some informative excursions. We were able to attend a few talks, one at the Wilson Center regarding the UN Tribunal on Lebanon, and later, a talk at Johns Hopkins regarding “counter-terrorism.” We also had the opportunity to meet with the ambassadors from the Arab League and Lebanon. These unique experiences allowed us to grow professionally and intellectually, and in turn, created a holistic internship experience.


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Hussein Says...

Hometown: Dearborn, Michigan

University: American University, Washing-ton College of Law

Year: Rising 2L; J.D./M.A. in International Law and Affairs

Life Goal: “To be a diplomat.”

Favorite food: Shawarma

If he could live anywhere it would be: Washington, DC

Favorite Place in DC: Buffalo Billiards

Favorite ADC MOment:

Governmental inter-agency meetings and

briefs

Hussein BazziLegal Working as a legal intern for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has been an extremely satisfying and fulfilling experience due to my back-ground as an Arab- and Muslim-American. Specifically, my hometown, Dearborn, Michigan, represents ‘the American Dream;’ namely, Dearborn is a thriving com-munity whereupon an influx of Iraqi, Palestinian, Yemeni and Lebanese refugees have given rise to a wave of first-generation Americans that have become success-ful teachers, doctors, and lawyers. Unfortunately, many Americans link the citizens of Dearborn with those responsible for the 9-11 attacks on our nation. A hostile political climate has made our legal system vulnerable to fear and anti-Islamic sentiment that compromises our individual freedoms. Over a decade has passed since the Patriot Act, which came in direct response to the 9/11 attacks, and still, the Civil Rights of Arab-Americans are being threatened. For example, the current surveillance practices of the NSA, NYPD stop-and-frisk policies, persistent hate-crimes, airline discrimination, and other infringements are still prevalent around the country. At times, my hometown of Dearborn appears outside the jurisdiction of the Constitution and the freedoms that made our rich immigrant tradition possible as our community members are frequently subjected to phone and internet taps and home searches – many of which have been publicized locally, and sometimes nationally.

Under the magnifying lens of the government, I feel as if the phrase “innocent until proven guilty” no longer applies to me. Rather than allowing this alienation to discourage me from participating in the American legal sphere, I see an incentive to participate in a field that is not perfect, but always changing and subject to the context in which it exists. My individual and communal relationship with injustice, coupled with a legal education, will legitimize the unique ideas and passionate insight I have for the progress of law and society. Adversity never held back past generations of Americans, and I relish the opportunity to add my own unique, Arab and Muslim-American perspective of struggle and sacrifice to the American legacy. There was no better route to gaining the acceptance of my countrymen who may have previously been threatened by my faith or skeptical of my patriotism than by defending the same inalienable freedoms that they are so scared to lose as a legal intern at ADC.

During my time as a legal intern at ADC, I had the privilege of working on cases, relating to topics such as airline profiling, employment and educational discrimina-tion, immigration law, hate crimes, public accommodation, housing, and freedom of speech, under the direct supervision of the ADC attorneys. Also, the internship included participation at the ADC National Convention, which gave me the op-portunity to meet Arab-Americans from across the country with different points of views on various issues, which in turn gave me a better perspective on all the pressing issues our community is facing. I was also able to go on various excur-sions, such as meetings and conferences with civil and human rights groups, and federal agencies and departments. Perhaps my favorite ‘field trip’ was to the Leba-nese Embassy, due to the fact that I am a first-generation Lebanese-American. In all, my internship at ADC revolved around interests and passions I’ve had my entire academic career. I feel lucky to have been able to have this opportunity.

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2014 adc conventionMemories


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Lauren HassounehPresident’s OfficeWhen I first learned that I was offered an internship with the ADC, I was ec-static to have the opportunity to work for an organization that embraces the caliber of advocating for civil, political and human rights. I was also excited to reconnect with an Arab-American community that shared the same di-verse background I’ve experienced. I grew up in a small, rural town in North Carolina for half of my life, where it’s a rarity to ever come across Arab-Americans at all. I was a vagabond between Jordan and NC for the other half of my life. Living between two vastly different places, I had a craving for community. The prospect of this internship opened a panoramic window to reconnect with my community, visit the nation’s capital for the first time, and to network with exuberant young academics and professionals who come from diverse nations and backgrounds. It was an opportunity I answered at the first knock, giving me the privilege of meeting some of the best and brightest from Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Nepal, Colombia, Spain, India, Pakistan and Morocco.

When I was told I was going to intern with the ADC president’s office, I had no idea what to expect. It goes without saying that I was thrilled (and very, very nervous) to earn the opportunity to intern for ADC President. Samer

lauren:Hometown: Newton, North CarolinaUniversity: Lenior Rhyne UniversityMajor: Environmental Science and Policy

Life Goal: “To push my limits, take more calculated risks, and gauge every open door that will lead me to becoming the person I want to be.”

Favorite food: Chocolate!

If she could live anywhere it would be: Hershey, PA at the downwind of the chocolate factory

Favorite Place in DC: United States Botanic Gar-dens and the Library of Congress

Favorite ADC MOment: advocacy day for gaza

Khalaf is, of course, the figurehead and champion of a civil and human rights organization, and I wanted to be a building block in all of ADC’s indelible impacts as a part of the youth that will keep pushing our cause forward in the years to come. From writing and sending out letters to Ambassadors, participating in conference calls with Arab-American attorneys and researching distinguished professionals for recruitment, while actively assisting on a day to day basis, I learned something new each day and crossed paths with remarkable people that I will never forget.

A brilliant professor of mine at Lenoir Rhyne University once told me, “To follow the bandwagon just because the majority says it’s true, doesn’t make the idea or notion a universal fact.” Those who dissent to the majority should not be vilified for having the courage to break the boundaries that challenge the norm. His testament upholds the decision I made to intern for the ADC to begin with, and is the reason why I owe the best part of my D.C. experience to being an active part of the pro-Palestinian protests this summer. As a Palestinian, my heart immediately goes out to all the victims who’ve suffered and been killed in the crippling Operation Protective Edge by the Netanyahu regime. At my first protest at the White House, one memorable sign carried by a demonstrator read, “Silence is a war crime.” The message ricocheted as one of the defining purposes behind our stand to law-makers who don’t have the courage to expand their insight on the brutal reality in Gaza, in conjunction with the media leaving many Americans dissuaded from the truth. I was proud to wear the title of a civil rights organization, and to have met with other fervent activists within the D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland region, who have put their hearts and souls into letting our voices be heard, hoping to wake up U.S. citizens to human rights violations. There are no words to describe how grateful I am to be able to share my involvement in supporting civil and human rights with all my friends and family. It was a rewarding experi-ence and a steppingstone in the direction towards the policy work that is the focus of all my academic goals.


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jane sullivanGovernment Relations I came to ADC as the “Policy Intern” so, naturally, my interests lay in the legislative and political areas including policies that deal with the difficulties facing Arabs today, both in the United States and in the Middle East. During my brief episode at ADC, however, my conception of the day-to-day realities of the Arab population changed drastically. I was exposed to the daily struggles of Arab-Americans and Arabs in the Middle East, and the challenges that they are forced to confront such as discrim-ination, exclusion, and violence. Rather than dwelling on the prominent, large scale issues that surround the region, my time at

ADC has allowed me to focus on the more intimate issues experienced by individuals on a regular basis.This internship has pushed me to realize that what makes this organization so remarkable is the unparalleled commitment the staff has to its mission of combating discrimination on the ground against Arab-Americans and others as well as advocating for a more balanced U.S. policy toward the Middle East. It is this type of work that I have come to believe can result in more tangible change and improve the quality of life for Arabs, Arab-Americans, and others.

I wanted to work at ADC because, during my time as an undergraduate studying Middle Eastern Studies, what I found most compelling about the Middle East was how deeply misunderstood its culture and politics are by the general public. Address-ing and remedying this disconnect between the public perception and the reality of the Arab-American experience is what I now understand to be another important element to ADC’s mission. While contacting lawmakers to advocate for voting rights or immigration, I have also taken part in fighting for justice on behalf of doctors, who are seeking asylum from Syria, children, who have wrongly been kicked off a baseball team, or parents, who have lost custody of their children based on discriminatory biases.

My summer in the ADC office has taught me that each one of these cases is equally important, whether it is at a broad, government level or a personal, individual level. I have learned that the most important function of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee is to illuminate these wrongs, to protect the rights of the Arab community, to spread awareness of the Arab cultural heritage, and to ensure balanced US policy and treatment of Arab-Americans.

Hometown: Westport, Connecti-cut University: New York University

Major: Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies

Life Goal: “To close Guantanamo Bay”

Favoprite food: Lobster If she could live anywhere it would be: Laos

Favorite Place in DC: Boqueria Tapas Bar

Favorite ADC Moment: visiting the lebanese embassy

take


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dany says

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

University: University of Florida

Major: Sociology

Life Goal: “To stay content.”

Favorite food: Shawarma

If he could live anywhere it would be:Brazil

Favorite place in DC: Southwest Waterfront

Favorite ADC MOment: visiting the U.S. institute of peace

Dany hamamiConvention and Special Events

Growing up an Arab-American, I’ve always had an interest for politics and staying updated with the news, particularly news pertaining to the Middle East. This intuition for politics was exacerbated by experiencing 9/11 as an Arab youth and witnessing my generations’ perception of Arabs and the Middle East materialize alongside the “War on Terror”. I grew up in the United States in an Arab household with Middle Eastern values; intertwined with my American upbringing outside of the house. I knew that neither I, nor my fam-ily and friends were these anger-filled, violent, devilish people that the media made us out to be. I had been to Syria several times to visit my extended family and knew the people of the Middle East weren’t either. The media had magnified a microscopic radical wing of Islamic fundamentalism and fed Americans biased images and reports on these people making all Arabs out to be terror-associated in the eye of the average, uninformed citizen. Every society has their oddballs that do not accurately depict the values of the whole or the majority, and our media at home in the States focused on these minorities to depict the majority.

I witnessed and experienced my fair share of discrimination and ignorance at a verbal level growing up and it frustrated me, especially after hearing some of my own friends say some discomforting things. I figured though, at our young age, they may have been repeating some things they heard at home. I felt inclined to educate and spread awareness of Arab culture to show we weren’t these aggressive people through talking to my classmates, as well as through my own attitude and behavior, which has really shaped a part of who I am today.

So naturally, when I heard about the internship opportunity with ADC, I applied. The organization is well known for their mission to protect American-Arab civil liberties, promote mutual understanding, and preserving Arab American cultural heritage, which is what I had tried to do throughout my middle school and high school years by setting a proper example of Syrian-Americans. Working with ADC has certainly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’ve truly learned a lot; not just in terms of work experience in helping plan the Annual Convention and meeting with amazing organizations such as the United States Institute of Peace, but also about being an Arab-American and getting more involved in the community. Working here has ex-posed me to several issues frequenting Arabs in the States and to new goals we strive to achieve for ourselves – whether that be communicating with a high school about a racist mascot, as ADC did with Coachella Valley High School in California, or providing pro bono legal assistance to those who feel they’ve been wronged indiscriminately. Although I’m not part of the legal team, I’ve grown to really admire the feverish work they do here day in and day out with the legal help they provide to people calling in every day looking for help who feel they’ve been denied liberties based on their race, religion or gender. I look forward to using the skills I’ve acquired at ADC in my future professional endeavors.


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with graceHometown: St. Paul, Min-nesota

University: Macalester Col-lege

Major: Political Science & Classical Languages (Arabic)

Life Goal: “To be a positive role model to young Arab-American women in honour of those who inspired me.”

Favorite Food:Namoura (Basbousa)

If she could live anywhere in the world it would be:Provence

Favorite Place in DC:Georgetown

Grace ablanCommunications and Outreach

I doubt that I will ever forget my first day at ADC. I remember walking through the door and being greeted immediately by a kind “saba al-khair” from Mouna before being offered enough baklawa and coffee to feed a village. I remember walking down the hall of the office and seeing flags of Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine among others. I remember meeting my fellow interns and breaking the ice with a heated discussion about whether shawarma from Barbar or shish taouk from Kababji is the best sandwich in Hamra. I remember Nabil inviting us into his office with a warm “ahla w sahla.” I knew right away that I was going to feel at home at ADC.

My passion for promoting the understanding of the Arab-American community has been cultivated by my family’s pride in our heritage. As the granddaughter of Lebanese immigrants to the United States, I have always felt a strong tie to my family’s home in the Middle East. I was raised in an Antiochian Orthodox Christian home and taught from a young age to appreciate my culture and religion to the fullest. While my connection to the Lebanese culture is an integral part of my life, I must admit that I have not always been willing to share my ancestry with others. Maybe it was the constant string of wars in the Middle East, or the stereotypes that plague Arab-Americans, that made me un-easy. Being raised in a culture that is, for the most part, invisible to my friends has always been a challenge. My peers are some-times unwilling or even unable to look beyond the preconceived notions of Arabs and Arab-Americans.

I first learned about ADC and their work from my aunt, Lucille M. Ablan, who was honoured posthumously by ADC with the Hala Maksoud Award in 2004. My aunt was a strong, indepen-dent, and highly intelligent Arab-American woman who was articulate in the promotion of Palestinian equal rights, and I always admired her. When I heard that I had been accepted into the Anthony Shadid Internship Program at ADC, I was ecstatic to have my chance to represent our community in the nation’s capital and make a difference just like my aunt. I knew that this

Favorite ADC Moment: meeting the lebanese ambassador to the U.S.

was going to be an incomparable opportunity to learn more about my heritage, the plight of the Palestinian people, and the struggles of the Arab-American community post-9/11. What I did not know before arriving at ADC, however, was that this ex-perience would challenge and change me in so many positive ways. During my time at ADC, I got to draft press releases, action alerts, and updates. I researched issues, assisted in drafting letters to the editor in response to biased press coverage, and even helped respond to media and public information requests. I helped organize the largest annual gathering of Arab-Americans. I met ambassadors and other dignitaries. I went to protests and rallies. I discussed topical issues with some of the most impor-tant leaders in our community.

To my ADC family, thank you all so much for this incredible experience. It has truly been and unforgettable and empowering summer.


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ADC Michiganinterns

13530 Michigan Ave # 329 Dearborn, MI • Phone: 313-581-1201

Want to become an ADC Michigan Intern?

visit ADCmichigan.org

Amany Muflihy

Tahany AlSabahi

elysa bryen

mallak anani


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Mallak AnaniAttending college away from home has been a double-edged sword. On one end, I’ve had the opportunity to put people from my community on the map. Students from communi-ties and circumstances vastly different from those people who share my Arab identity were finally able to humanize the infamous city of Dearborn, MI. By that same token, while the city of Dearborn is home to the densest Arab population in the world outside of the Middle East, my exposure to unfamil-iar faces revealed just how misunderstood my community, and Arabs generally, are. Ironically, it was only when I was away from home that I developed a genuine understanding of my people. It was almost entirely accidental. If it weren’t for the father of a dear friend of mine inviting me to attend ADC-Michigan’s annual MLK Scholarship Dinner, I wouldn’t have been introduced to Fatina Abdrabboh, attorney and Director of ADC-Michigan. If I hadn’t ran into her in the restroom of the banquet hall, we probably would have never discussed my passion and interest in highlighting American-Arab civil rights issues, both domestically and abroad. If she hadn’t shared my excitement and enthusiasm, we probably would have never exchanged contact information. In fact, if it weren’t for any of that, I wouldn’t have the privilege of writing this very letter.

With an entirely new administration, office, and infrastructure, ADC-Michigan has guided and shaped my understanding of American-Arab civil rights issues. My time as an intern within this office has channeled my passion into something more concrete and career-oriented. Above all else, I was given the opportunity to contribute to the wellbeing of my community, as the office is located in Dearborn, MI. What impresses and inspires me most about the ADC-Michigan team is its mis-sion to connect and relate to all minorities who share similar struggles to the Arab people. In their Cyber Civil Rights Moni-tor campaign, ADC-Michigan has extended its services to any and all victims of online harassment and this speaks volumes on the organizations values. I have witnessed firsthand what it means to genuinely serve a people and it has been a re-freshing experience to work in such a humble and ambitious environment. I have been fortunate enough to seek and insert myself in communities away from home that have allowed me to recognize the worth of my identity and hometown alike. I was also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to apply these experiences in an environment like that provided by ADC-Michigan and for that I am thankful. I only intend to take all that I have learned with this organization and carry it with me in my future endeavors.

amany muflihySpending my Summer interning with ADC-Michigan was an enjoyable and educational experience. Through daily interac-tions wtih victims of discrimination, assisting with a variety of tasks, I’ve been able to narrow down my career choice. My experiences here have allowed me to appreciate civil rights and focus my future endeavours on promoting the rights of others. While an intern at the ADC-Michigan, I helped with a

number of projects that helped deepened my understanding of the law, civil rights, and the legal system. Whether it was dealing directly with a victim of discrimination, contacting realtors about housing discrimination, or putting together educational packets for schools, the cumulative experiences I had working at the ADC-Michigan helped sharpened my writing and editing skills, helped me mature professionally, and instilled in me a desire to initiate positive changes in the world around me.

My co-interns and others in the office were extremely pleas-ant and personable but, when it came to protecting the rights of Arab-Americans, we took very seriously the responsibilities charged to us. Although it sounds dramatic, I have found that many peoples’ lives and livelihoods depend on the ADC-Michi-gan. The tireless commitment Director Fatina and the ADC staff demonstrate towards these people allowed me understand how the fair administration of justice can positively impact the lives of victims of discrimination. Fatina constantly used new and cre-ative ways to engage the interns in the office so that we felt em-powered enough to make substantive contributions that benefit the community. This experience made me more appreciative of how small nonprofits like the ADC-Michigan can initiate huge impacts in the community with minimal resources. I enjoyed being able to learn about the needs of Arab-Americans and I felt honored to be part of this process even if I played a distant and modest role in it all.

As an Arab-American, I believe the ADC-Michigan is an essential organization that gives Arab-Americans the voice, platform, and tools they need to assert their rights. I plan to further my edu-cation to pursue a law degree and hope to use my skills to pro-mote civil rights of Arab-Americans. I like how this organization stands to help give people a voice. Being an intern this summer with ADC has been a great opportunity and learning experience.


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tahany alsabahiWorking as an intern for ADC-Michigan has been insightful in more ways than one. From overcoming my dread of phone calls, drafting professional emails, and translating Arabic to English and vice versa, I have grown as a person—or, at least, my skill set has. In addition to office-related talents, working directly with ADC-Michigan Director Attorney Fatina Abdrab-boh has been empowering and educational. I have been for-tunate to work on various cutting-edge civil rights awareness projects, including the Equal Housing and Cyber Civil Rights campaigns. These projects and many others created by ADC-Michigan address issues that go far beyond the Arab-American community. During this time I drafted letters, contacted victims of discrimination, interviewed individuals who were wrongly accused, participated in meetings with law enforcement, and engaged with numerous people in the academic, business, and medical sectors. Working intimately on these projects and with victims of discrimination was exciting to me for many reasons not least of which was the fact that I felt that I was making a measurable impact on the lives of people in my community. These experiences have made me keenly aware of need to increase accessibility to civil rights services for Arab-Americans so that they can be certain their rights are protected. In my time here, I appreciated how responsive ADC-Michigan was to the needs of victims of discrimination and my participation in this made me feel as if I was making a positive contribution to my community. The encounters I had during my internship at the ADC-Michigan were both challenging and rewarding and certainly gave me skills that will unquestionably become useful in the future. Of all the memories I have created, I can honestly say that my consciousness will forever reminisce about the day I carried boxes to and fro: getting my carefully laid out first-day-of-work black pants dusty was something I’ve always looked forward to doing. In all seriousness, however, ADC has always been an organization that I admired. ADC-Michigan creates a climate that engenders inclusion which helped give me the space to be creative and pursue projects I am passionate about. The expe-riences and Fatina’s constant reminder that young Arab-Amer-

icans need to “apply their skills and knowledge to empower others” has given me invaluable insight into what I would want my future career in law and community activism to look like in practice. It is my hope that my future practice will be a mirror of how Fatina describes ADC-Michigan, “a place where inclu-sion, dedication, and hard-work come together to give voice to the voiceless and empower the disempowered.”

Elysa Bryen“Diversity implies division. Inclusion is the missing link.” I heard this the other day at a meeting I took part in between Director Fatina Abdrabboh and administrators at a university nearby. I have been thinking about it ever since. America is a diverse country, but are we really inclusive? Do we really give everyone a fair chance? This is just one of the things I learned to consider while working with ADC-Michigan, where I am surrounded by people with abundant wisdom, big hearts, and the drive to make a difference in our surrounding community. The first day I walked into the office, I had no idea what to expect. Little did I know I would be thrown into the whirlwind of non-profit dynamics, projects I fell in love with, and a com-munity I have learned to care so much about. ADC-Michigan has opened my eyes to the dark side of hate crimes, discrimi-nation, and intolerance; but it has also opened my eyes to the bright side of civil rights activism. I’m sure anyone who has worked in this field has come to see that the world isn’t always as nice as it seems. I’ve always been on the brink of accepting this as fact. After working here, I developed a new relationship with this idea. The world has many issues; but there are people who want to fix it and I am one of those people. I am capable. Empowerment like this can only be found when working with such wonderful minds. I have been given opportunities here to change my community that I will be proud of my entire life.

One project I am working on is a youth empowerment curricu-lum. The curriculum is designed to give youth in the Metro-Detroit area a voice and teach them about activism. Working on a project like this has increased my interest in youth in-volvement in activism and the message we, as a non-profit, can send to students to help improve the community. Working with ADC has been a unique experience. I was not only able to help develop the curriculum but I have also had a hand in almost all the projects we have worked on this summer, ranging from the Cyber Civil Rights Monitor to building the offices knowl-edge on immigration law. I was able to see different aspects of civil rights activism, and law, and put my ideas forward. After working this summer, I now have an even greater appreciation for the work organizations like ADC do. It is usually thankless work, understated and underappreciated, but it is needed in our communities. “Diversity implies division. Inclusion is the missing link.” ADC-Michigan is doing great work to promote a message of inclusion, or at the very least tolerance and I am proud to be part of this message. After this summer, I feel more prepared and better equipped for a future in policy, law and educational reforms as it pertains to the Arab-American community and other marginalized groups.


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Intern Adventures

On July 3rd, the interns and intern coordinator met with His Excellency Ambassador Antoine Chedid at the Embassy of Lebanon in Washington, DC. After divulging the Middle Easter origins of most of the interns, each per-son took turns opening a new subject regarding Lebanon’s political and social situation. One topic that raised a lot of interest was the Syrian refugee crisis that has been spilling over to Lebanon. The Ambassador discussed various plans that serve to help both the Syrian refugees and the Lebanese people live better living conditions. In addition to the refugee concerns, the interns took interest in the increase of violence and threats to the national security of Leba-non and the ongoing trial at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The Ambassador welcomed the group with open arms as well as refreshments and traditional Lebanese sweets.

the embassy of lebanonscreening of madame parliamentarian

On May 27th, ADC hosted an Ara-besque event on women’s participation in politics at Busboys and Poets. The event included a screening of Lebanese filmmaker Rouane Itani’s documentary, Madam Parliamentarian. The screening was followed by an open discussion and Q&A segment with the filmmaker and guest speaker, Ms. Stephenie Foster, the Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Global Women’s Issues at the State Department. The film served as an important learning segment on women’s role in political life, or lack thereof using Lebanon’s government as a prime example. The discussion included conversations about potential solutions to increase the number of women in politics, such as a quota solu-tion that has already been adopted by several nations. The event turned out to be empowering and educational, and a great way to start off the internship program.


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Intern Adventures

the federal election commissionthe league of arab states

ADC interns, along with intern co-ordinator Dima Calnan, met with career Saudi diplomat and current Chief Representative of the League of Arab States, His Excellency Mohamed Al-Husseini Al-Sharif at his office in Washington, DC. Ambassador Al-Sharif discussed his experiences growing up in Saudi Arabia then continuing his stud-ies in Beirut, Lebanon and the career moves he was able to make in order to be at his current position at the Arab League. Sitting in his conference room, each intern began to ask questions, notably in regards to the Ambassadors daily work and the ongoing situations all over the Middle East. The Ambas-sador emphasized the need to raise awareness and educate all people on pertinent subjects such as the occupa-tion of Palestinian territory.

ADC interns were invited to a panel dis-cussion at the Federal Election Commis-sion. The panel was made up of several members of the FEC legal staff in vari-ous departments. Topics of discussion included career paths, working for a government agency versus a law firm, and the functions of the FEC. One of the panelists was Steve Najar, who partici-pated in the Anthony Shedid Internship Program himself during the summer of 2012. It was a great opportunity for the interns to hear from professionals work-ing in other fields about how they got to their current positions. It was also ex-citing to learn from a former ADC intern about how his time with ADC impacted his career path.


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Since 1981, over 500 students have participated in the intern program of the ADC Research Institute (ADCRI). Stu-dents from all over the country gather at the national office in Washington, DC, each year to gain first-hand experi-ence and knowledge about ADC issues and campaigns.

The intern program offers a variety of positions for leadership development. It educates students on issues of civil rights, the Arab heritage, and current events in the Middle East. Students gain practical training in community orga-nizing, media relations, research and writing, legal issues, political action, educational outreach, and routine office work alongside our regular professional staff. The first few weeks of the summer program are centered on the annual ADC National Convention in June.

Candidates must have completed at least one year of college. They can be undergraduates, recent graduates, or graduate and law students. Each department has its own requirements.

Intern at adc!

Special thanks to Dima Calnan!The ADC National Office interns would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Dima, who assisted in coordinating this summer’s Anthony Shadid Internship program. Dima aided the interns in locating housing prior to their arrival in DC, coordinated communication, and arranged for the interns to attend learning experiences outside of the office. We are

grateful for Dima’s kind welcome, thoughtful advice, and dear friendship. We wish her the very best as she heads to Lon-don this fall to begin a Master’s program at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.

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