Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania’s Columns
  • Advertise
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
    • Submit a Press Release
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Seniors
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Two Guys on Politics Podcast: A Centrist View on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • The Arab street Podcast
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Author Patrick Girondi
    Prominent producer to write screen adaptation of story on the fight against Thalassemia Books & Films
  • Wreaths Across America Radio logo
    Wreaths Across America Radio Announces New Strategic Partnerships with Veteran Radio Programs Entertainment
  • Orland Township Assessor Rich Kelly
    Taxpayers have an extra month to pay First Installment of Tax Bills Cook County
  • State hearings and transparency needed on Nicor gas cost hikes Blogger
  • William O. Lipinski former Congressman from Illinois (5th and later 3rd District). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Right from the Middle: Newt Gingrich helped fuel America’s political polarization Bill Lipinski
  • Do more for senior citizens like we do for illegal aliens Baby Boomers
  • Typewriter. Photo by Andrew Seaman courtesy of unsplash
    District 230 students receive journalism awards Cook County
  • Cook County Sherif Tom Dart
    Sheriff and District 230 honor students for public service hours Education
  • Author Patrick Girondi
    Chicagoan who invested in research to save children releases new book Books & Films
  • Dr. Helen Edwards Fermilab particle physicist
    Foster, Durbin, Duckworth introduce resolution to name Fermilab Research Center after renowned physicist Dr. Helen Edwards Features
  • Telephone
     Sheriff Dart Warns Public of Phone Scam  Baby Boomers
  • Orland Township Democratic Organization Fundraiser Feb. 23, 2023 at Papa Joe's Restaurant in Orland Park
    Orland Township Democratic Organization to honor Former Secretary of State Jesse White on Feb. 23 Cook County
  • Zwar Restaurant chicken and beef-lamb Shawarma Plate
    How to have a great Middle Eastern meal in Orland Park area Culture
  • Orland First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    First Responders announce candidacies for Orland Fire District Board seats Cook County
  • D230 students win prestigious art awards Education
Partnership Census Specialist Amjad T. Assi, deputy regional census manager for the Chicago Region Ellisa Johnson, and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

Illinois Census recognizes needs of Arab Americans

Posted on July 15, 2020July 15, 2020 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Illinois Census recognizes needs of Arab Americans
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Illinois Census recognizes needs of Arab Americans

U.S. Census stresses importance of including Arab Americans and Muslims in the 2020 Census count during event at DuSable Museum of African American History on Wednesday. The Census has hired several Arab Americans to assist from Chicago and is receiving support from the influential American Arab Chamber of Commerce

By Ray Hanania

Illinois representatives of the U.S. Census said Wednesday that engaging Arab Americans in the 2020 Census is a priority that will benefit their community as well as reinforce their needs in everyday society.

Ellisa Johnson, the deputy regional census manager for the Chicago Region of the U.S. Census Bureau, spoke directly about the need for Arab Americans and people of the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) to complete the 2020 Census forms.

Johnson was one of the many officials who participated in a program to rally support for the Census held at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago on East 57th Street.

 

Partnership Census Specialist Amjad T. Assi, deputy regional census manager for the Chicago Region Ellisa Johnson, and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
Partnership Census Specialist Amjad T. Assi, deputy regional census manager for the Chicago Region Ellisa Johnson, and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

“We have one of the most diverse cities in the country and it is important for us to make sure the Arab community is included in all that we do in terms of our hiring, in terms of our outreach. We want to make sure we have a diverse workforce, that is why we have the staff we do that speaks up to 21 different languages,” Johnson said noting the Census impacts how much federal funding is allocated to support communities over the next 10 years, which is estimated at more than $675 billion a year across the country.

“That is vitally important to us to make sure we have fair representation that represents every single population here in the State of Illinois and particularly in the City of Chicago. In some areas, we have over 124 different languages and we wanted to make sure we have a work force that looks that way and that can reach those populations when it comes time to knock on doors and encourage people to responds to the census.”

The DuSable Museum event was held in the “Sunken Gardens outdoors, maintaining strict social distancing and the wearing of face masks to protect attendees from COVID-19 infection.

“The census impacts all of us no matter what your race is. We want everyone to feel included in the Census because it is all about everyone. It’s not just about one group,” Johnson added.

“It is vitally important for the MENA Community and all of our diverse communities in the State of Illinois to make sure everyone is counted. It impacts all of us.”

Partnership Census Specialist Amjad T. Assi and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
Partnership Census Specialist Amjad T. Assi and American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hasan Nijem. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

The State has allocated more than $20 million that has been distributed to many ethnic American and racial organizations in Illinois, although many Arab Americans have called for more funds to be allocated directly to the Arab American community.

Wednesday’s program at the DuSable Museum included among the audience several prominent Arab American leaders including Hasan Nijem who is the president of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, as well as Reema Kamran, executive director of the Islamic Muslim Civic Coalition.

“We are very proud that the U.S. Census has reached out to the Arab American and Muslim community to hire individuals from our community to work on their staff to ensure that we are included and fully represented,” Nijem said.

The American Arab Chamber of Commerce has been very active in recent months defending the rights of Hookah Lounge owners and also a dozen Arab American businesses that were looted and burned down during the post-George Floyd protests in Chicago alone.

“If we are not engaged and involved actively, sometimes we don’t get noticed and we are not given the extensive role that we deserve. Arab Americans are very active in the Chicagoland area as business people, politicians, government officials, activists with many organizations and also veterans and family members,” Nijem added.

“The Census must reach out to us and include us in order to fulfill their mission fully and properly. But we also have to reach out to them and participate and show support so they can see who we are. Sometimes our community focuses too much on politics and the Middle East and not enough about our needs and lives right here in America. There is a balance we need to strike.”

Nijem noted that several Arab Americans have been hired by the Census to fill this void. Among those at the DuSable event was Dr. Amjad T. Assi, a partnership specialist at the U.S. Census Bureau hired to engage Arab and Muslim Americans as well as in higher education in the Chicago Region.

Also attending and speaking was Shamiram William Youkhanna, an Assyrian American member of the U.S. Census bureau. The Assyrian community is an important Arabic-speaking Christian community that originates from the Arab World and which has a large population presence in Chicago.

The DuSable Museum Census event also included many speakers ands performers including J. Rosamond and James Weldon Johnson, Bishop Dave A. Jordan of First Holy Zion International Church, Marilyn A. Sanders, Census Regional Director, Leeka Charley and Nissa Neely, Anita Banerji of Forefront and Perri Irmer, President and CEO of the DuSable Museum, Jennifer Plumey and Saul Garcia, performer Omar Bautista, Drake Booker, violinist Brianna Bridges, Lawrence Benito of the ICIRR, Cory Stevenson and Dionne Roberts-Emegha, Census Illinois Coordinators.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Prominent producer to write screen adaptation of story on the fight against Thalassemia - February 8, 2023
  • Taxpayers have an extra month to pay First Installment of Tax Bills - February 6, 2023
  • State hearings and transparency needed on Nicor gas cost hikes - February 5, 2023
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Census, Chicago, Cook County, coronavirus, Government, Illinois Legislature, News, Suburban Chicagoland Tags:2020 Census, Allisa Johnson, American Arab Chamber of Commerce, Arab Americans, Assyrian Americans, DuSable Museum, Hasan Nijem, Muslim Americans, State of Illinois, U.S. Census

Post navigation

Previous Post: “They lost the war”
Next Post: Pat O’Brien slams Kim Foxx record on felony prosecutions at press conference

Related Posts

  • 13th Ward Democratic Committeeman Michael J. Madigan and 13th Ward And. Marty Quinn. Photo courtesy of Madigan-Quinn website
    Ald. Quinn introduces ordinances to extend Airbnb Ban in 13th Ward Chicago
  • Voting sticker from Chicagoland election. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania. Vote. Election
    Governor vetos bill that would restrict interstate voting checks breaking news
  • Face mask signs posted by businesses in Orland Park that are demonstrating concern and leadership is helping to suppress the spread of the coronavirus. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Governor Pritzker Announces COVID-19 Vaccination Website Cook County
  • Harper College campus center.
    WalletHub lists Best and Worst Community Colleges Education
  • State Rep Fran Hurley 35th district
    Hurley Backs Efforts to Help Recruit Officers Crime
  • Former Cook County Commissioner and taxpayer advocate Liz Gorman
    Rauner gets it right naming Gorman as Tollway chief Blogger

More Related Articles

Arab American voters to rally for Democratic candidates Oct. 21 breaking news
Owners of Remodeled Cicero Bar Commend Restore Construction Features
Chicago’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Andrew Kopacz, from Hartford, Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of the US Navy USS Chicago returns home from final deployment Chicago
The call of the sea News
Chicago Wolves player Andrew Poturalski. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Wolves. https://www.chicagowolves.com Chicago Wolves glide past the Michigan Griffins Chicago
Revamping SeatGeek site News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • State hearings and transparency needed on Nicor gas cost hikes
    February 5, 2023
  • William O. Lipinski former Congressman from Illinois (5th and later 3rd District). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Right from the Middle: Newt Gingrich helped fuel America’s political polarization
    February 3, 2023
  • Do more for senior citizens like we do for illegal aliens
    February 3, 2023
  • Alderman Raymond Lopez would have made a great mayor
    January 26, 2023
  • Pritzker’s assault weapons ban not enough to make law abiding citizens safe
    January 16, 2023
  • Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot must go
    January 15, 2023

Subscribe

  • Ray-Hanania-Newsletter-300-wide-Banner.jpg

Trending

  • Chicago Mayor Lori Lightf... Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot must go Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has faile... posted on January 15, 2023
  • Paul Vallas candidate for Chicago Mayor 2023. Photo courtesy of the Paul Vallas website Vallas urges probe in Lig... Vallas urges probe in Lightfoot's CPD scandal and accuses of Congressman Ga... posted on January 16, 2023
  • Alexi Giannoulias, former Illinois state treasurer and candidate for Illinois Secretary of State Secretary of State Alexi... Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias releases comprehensive Transition Team... posted on January 17, 2023
  • Orland Township Assessor Rich Kelly Taxpayers have an extra m... Taxpayers have an extra month to pay First Installment of Tax Bills In Cook... posted on February 6, 2023
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar Cook County Announces Cal... Cook County Announces Call for Transportation and Community Grant Program A... posted on January 23, 2023
  • NEWS
  • Author Patrick Girondi
    Prominent producer to write screen adaptation of story on the fight against Thalassemia
    February 8, 2023
  • Wreaths Across America Radio logo
    Wreaths Across America Radio Announces New Strategic Partnerships with Veteran Radio Programs
    February 6, 2023
  • Orland Township Assessor Rich Kelly
    Taxpayers have an extra month to pay First Installment of Tax Bills
    February 6, 2023
  • Typewriter. Photo by Andrew Seaman courtesy of unsplash
    District 230 students receive journalism awards
    February 3, 2023
  • Cook County Sherif Tom Dart
    Sheriff and District 230 honor students for public service hours
    February 3, 2023
  • Author Patrick Girondi
    Chicagoan who invested in research to save children releases new book
    February 3, 2023
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

The Political Pundit

Political Pundit Aug. 24, 2021. Taliban thanks president for boxes of MAGA hats
  • WORD PRESS REVIEWS
  • MyCloud by Western Digital, a hard drive that doesn't last. Don't purchase Western Digital.
    Western Digital tubes its loyal customers for profit
    October 17, 2021
  • Macho Themes website front page. Don't buy their themes. They don't work
    Difficulties with Macho Themes for WordPress
    August 21, 2021
  • TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS
  • Wreaths Across America Radio logo
    Wreaths Across America Radio Announces New Strategic Partnerships with Veteran Radio Programs
    February 6, 2023
  • Dr. Helen Edwards Fermilab particle physicist
    Foster, Durbin, Duckworth introduce resolution to name Fermilab Research Center after renowned physicist Dr. Helen Edwards
    February 3, 2023
  • Telephone
     Sheriff Dart Warns Public of Phone Scam 
    February 3, 2023

Follow Ray Hanania at
Gab.com, MeWe.com
IDobbinate.com,
Twitter, Facebook

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

What We’re Reading

Arab News Newspaper Leading English Language Publication in the GulfArab News Newspaper

Ray Hanania on Politics
SW News Newspaper Group

  • SPORTS
  • Chicago Wolves 2022-2023 season
    Chicago Wolves top Stars for second win in a row
    October 25, 2022
  • Stagg Marching Band Pit Crew as efficient as a NASCAR pit stop! The team that does a lot of the work to help the Stagg High school band perform works behind the scenes like a NASCAR pit stop. The students are profiled in this feature
    Stagg Marching Band Pit Crew as efficient as a NASCAR pit stop!
    August 31, 2022
  • Soccer. Photo by Md Mahdi on Unsplash
    International soccer returns to SeatGeek Stadium
    August 7, 2022
  • Stefan Noesen, Chicago Wolves
    Chicago Wolves Noesen wins President’s Award
    July 22, 2022
  • NEWS RELEASES
  • Author Patrick Girondi
    Prominent producer to write screen adaptation of story on the fight against Thalassemia
    February 8, 2023
  • Cook County Sherif Tom Dart
    Sheriff and District 230 honor students for public service hours
    February 3, 2023
  • Author Patrick Girondi
    Chicagoan who invested in research to save children releases new book
    February 3, 2023
  • Dr. Helen Edwards Fermilab particle physicist
    Foster, Durbin, Duckworth introduce resolution to name Fermilab Research Center after renowned physicist Dr. Helen Edwards
    February 3, 2023
  • Zwar Restaurant chicken and beef-lamb Shawarma Plate
    How to have a great Middle Eastern meal in Orland Park area
    January 31, 2023
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar
    Cook County Announces Call for Transportation and Community Grant Program Applications
    January 23, 2023
  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Buckner unveils plan to help businesses and strengthen job
    January 19, 2023
  • United Airlines Flight at O'Hare Airport
    United offers endless airline travel problems for travelers
    December 25, 2022
  • Sam Bankman-Fried in an interview during the Bitcoin 2021 conference. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    Demands continue for Lightfoot and Garcia to detail ties to FTX scandal
    December 15, 2022

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Click this link to watch or use the widget below:

Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.
Email Ray Hanania for more information about performing at your event at rghanania@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme