Arab American Achievements and Contributions While Opposing Discrimination
2000-Onwards

2000 • The Syrian Arab-American Association (SAAA) presented its Al-Ataa Awards to Dourade Lahham, a Syrian actor, educator, and comedian and to Muna Wassef, one of the more popular Arabic singers. Over 500 guests attended the event at the Marriot Hotel, Los Angeles. Mutaz Chichakley was the SAAA President.

• The poet Lamea Abbas Amara was the recipient of the Nakhle Bader Literary Award for her Arabic poetry contribution and achievements. The event took place in Glendora, California. Lamea was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and received her B.A. in Arabic literature from the High Teachers Training College in Baghdad. She became a member of the Board of Directors of the Iraqi Writers Union, 1958-1963 and the Board of Directors of the first Assyrian Scientific Congregation of Baghdad.

• In a unique and unprecedented move, the Detroit Police Department met with Arab American business owners on February 1st at the Holiday Inn in Detroit. The meeting was called in partnership by the Metro Detroit Service Stations (MDSS) and the American-Arab Chamber of Commerce (AACC), and sponsored by Comerica Bank and Detroit Edison. Nearly 200 business owners attended and many testified to past and ongoing problems they have had with trying to get police to respond and adequately investigate crimes at their businesses. (ArAmer in Michigan)

Read more in the Arab American Almanac, 6th Edition