“I learned generosity like I learned a lot of other significant life skills—from my parents and from the Ramallah community I grew up in. My Palestinian heritage was my greatest teacher. And I believe that to whom much is given, much is expected. So, I did what I could to give back to my Palestinian…
I remember my dad making contributions to the church, every Sunday, no matter what. Philanthropy, from a small scale, became a familial act and—to this day—my favorite philanthropic experiences are ones where I feel like family. My mother is Lebanese and my father is French Canadian but, like so many people of their generation, they…
When you’re fighting Islamophobia, when you’re debunking and correcting misconceptions, when you’re thinking outside of the box to promote inclusion and diversity locally, regionally, even nationally—you make bold decisions not made before because your gut tells you, ‘this is the right thing. Do the right thing.’ Truly, the best part is helping an idea develop…
My grandmother tells me the story of having to leave Palestine in a boat and going to Egypt. It was the 1940s. She thought it was only going to be for a few weeks, but they never went back to Palestine. My grandparents learned to make a home for themselves and for others in a…
The Center for Arab American Philanthropy would like to congratulate our 2019 Adawia Alousi Scholars! Representing colleges throughout the country, the women who make up this exceptional sisterhood are increasing the visibility of Muslim females in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. In addition to the jobs and extracurriculars these women are already…
After 9/11, Arab Americans were heavily targeted, feared and misrepresented. I made it a point to change the way people saw Arab Americans by attaching my identity to everything I do, even when giving to causes that are not affecting the Arab American community. My identity became my driving force, and the pride I grew…
I lost too many friends to AIDS and as a result I began volunteering in HIV and AIDS related projects. Volunteering was a gruesome experience, but also healing and fulfilling. I found a cause I was interested in supporting. This experience led me to another cause I was passionate about namely by birth, the Syrian…
Amad Elzayat’s parents left Lebanon to come to Dearborn, Michigan with their family when he was seven months old. His mother stayed at home to raise six children while his father supported the family working two jobs, until he was injured and couldn’t work any longer. Although Elzayat’s family was poor growing up, he says…
CAAP and ACCESS are incredibly pleased and proud to announce that this year’s prestigious Arab American of the Year award will be presented to distinguished international advocates and philanthropists Basem and Muna Hishmeh at ACCESS’s 48th Annual Dinner on Thursday, March 28, 2019. Basem and Muna’s extraordinary commitment to numerous worthy causes has helped them uplift the voices of countless individuals…
The Center for Arab American Philanthropy would like to congratulate our 2018 Adawia Alousi Scholars! Representing colleges throughout the country, the women who make up this exceptional sisterhood are increasing the visibility of Muslim females in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. In addition to the jobs and extracurriculars these women are already…