#WVBus: Arab-Americans And Social Services
By Steve Bynum#WVBus: Arab-Americans And Social Services
By Steve BynumWhen Worldview was on the road in July, we stopped in Dearborn, Michigan, which is home to one of the country’s significant Arab and Muslim populations. Worldview’s Steve Bynum talked with Mona Abdallah-Hijazi and Layla Elabed of the Dearborn-based ACCESS Community, which provides social services to Dearborn’s Arab and immigrant communities, about these populations’ unique needs when it comes to social services. According to Abdallah-Hijazi and Elabed, in working within their community, as well as within many immigrant communities in general, pre-existing cultural stigmas around issues like substance abuse and sexual assault are vital considerations to address and work around in order for organizations to meaningfully address community needs. Steve also talked with them about other relevant social issues, such as the argument for including a “Middle East and North Africa” category on the U.S. Census.