{"id":1319,"date":"2017-12-09T00:51:19","date_gmt":"2017-12-08T21:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/?p=1319"},"modified":"2017-12-12T23:18:12","modified_gmt":"2017-12-12T20:18:12","slug":"move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/move\/","title":{"rendered":"MOVE"},"content":{"rendered":"
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by Rashid Abdu, M.D.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

On November 16, 17, and 18, 2017, I was privileged and honored, to attend the first\u00a0\u00a0 three-day conference, held in Dearborn, Michigan, titled: M.O.V.E. It stands for:<\/p>\n

Mobilize, Organize, Verbalize, and Empower. I was told that It was the brain \u201cchild\u201d of ACCESS and its three institutions:\u00a0 The Arab-American National Museum (AANM), The Center for Arab-American Philanthropy (CAAP), and the National Network for Arab-American Communities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Although she never claimed, and will probably deny it, I believe that the \u201cmother\u201d of this \u201cchild\u201d, was Maha Freij, who conceived it, carried it, and gave it birth!\u00a0 Maha is the Deputy Executive Director and CFO of ACCESS, who in my opinion, is the engine powering most, if not all activities. She is of boundless energy and passion seldom seen. However, whatever she does, she does with a team of men and women, totally dedicated, who share in her vision, mission and passion, for a healthy, educated, productive, and thriving Arab-American communities. \u00a0She and every\u00a0 member of her team, is a \u201cphilanthropist\u201d, who loves humanity.<\/p>\n

I believe that the \u201cchild\u201d will continue to thrive, and\u00a0 that attendance will grow from\u00a0 500 for 2017, to\u00a0 at least 1000 for the year 2020 conference.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Those attended\u00a0 this conference came from\u00a0 10 states,\u00a0 representing\u00a0 East, West, North, South , middle\u00a0 America,\u00a0\u00a0 and a cross section of Arab-American communities.\u00a0 It was heartening to see so many young people, men and women, engaged, and expressing their sense of community, responsibility, leadership and\u00a0 citizenship, and are grateful that they live in this beautiful land of opportunity, the United States of America.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unfortunately, I could not attend all the nearly 40 sessions, but the ones I attended, I found\u00a0 interesting,\u00a0 educational, and uplifting.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The philanthropic sessions I attended, defined philanthropy as \u201clove of human kind\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Without love of our fellow humans, there will be no philanthropy.\u00a0\u00a0 I was touched by the audiologist story, who took hearing aids to children in the Middle East, who were deaf, either from birth, victims of disease, or war. Some heard for the first time!—\u00a0\u00a0 Philanthropy at its finest!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But there are other Arab-American philanthropists, who touched the lives of thousands, and\u00a0 who truly loved humanity.\u00a0 They\u00a0 left their mark on history, like Danny Thomas and St. Jude\u00a0 Children\u2019s Hospital, or Russell Ebeid and Dr. Jack G. Shaheen, who through their generous scholarships,\u00a0 left\u00a0\u00a0 lasting legacies–monuments of learning, and guaranteed the future of many, for generations to come.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There was also the session conducted by high school students, who raise money to help other children in need, through UNICEF .\u00a0 And I will never forget the poem, written by one of them, Syed Akbari,\u00a0 high school senior, who so eloquently, and thoughtfully expressed how evil thrives and prospers, when good people remain silent, and do nothing, starting with the Mongol in 1209 AD, to the present.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I attended a session on: \u201cFeminist Fire and Activism\u201d, attended by a large number, of mostly women.\u00a0\u00a0 There was no fire, or \u201cbra burning!\u201d– just a thoughtful, intelligent, and constructive discussion on women\u2019s\u00a0 rights as human beings, and their roles as mothers, nurturers, teachers, leaders, and partners, who deserve respect, equality, at home and in the workplace.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A memorable evenings were at the Arab American National Museum, where we witnessed the art of Nabil Musa, which included different\u00a0 impressionistic and abstract paintings of the American flag, all around the room.\u00a0 The artist was there:\u00a0 talented, sensitive, humble and honest.\u00a0 He eloquently and thoughtfully, told his story and explained his art.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The other evening was at the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA).\u00a0\u00a0 It houses paintings and sculptures, dated back to the 1500s.\u00a0 A copy, of what I thought was the bible, dated to 1200s, about 200 years before Gutenberg invented printing, and printed the Bible.\u00a0 The evening was concluded by the National Arab Orchestra playing, as we watched rare silent black and white film clips, directed by the pioneer Egyptian Director, Mohamed Bayoumi, in the early 20s, and 30s. It shows King Fuad 1, as the people celebrated the coronation of their Savior King! The film clips were eloquently narrated by an Egyptian history and film scholar, Mohamed Ghawanmeh.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A memorable key note speech was delivered by the Rev. Alvin Herring, Director of racial equity and community engagement, at the W.V. Kellogg Foundation.\u00a0\u00a0 He emphasized how Arab Americans and\u00a0\u00a0 their allies, could use art, advocacy, and philanthropy, to create equality and justice for all.\u00a0 When he had us stand up and hold hands with each other, a current of love, compassion, connectedness, and kinship, passed through our bodies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Overall, it was a 3-day conference, well-conceived, well organized, and beautifully executed, to the last detail.\u00a0 It thoughtfully and correctly, showed how Arab-Americans were fully engaged in being good citizens, who\u00a0\u00a0 greatly value citizenship, scholarship, philanthropy, and community service.\u00a0 They shun violence and hate, and are committed to a free, just, and peaceful world.\u00a0 I felt proud and grateful to participate in this historic conference, and to be an Arab-American.<\/p>\n

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