Candidates for local office speak at Arab American Democratic Club Candidate and Leadership forum
The Arab American Democratic Club hosted its 2021 Candidate and Leadership Forum on Thursday March 25 featuring a long slate of candidates for local elective office and elected government officials and speakers.
The event was held to commemorate April Arab American Heritage Month and to encourage Arab Americans to engage in local government, while helping to inform local government officials about our growing Arab American community and our rich culture.
The event was cosponsored by Ziyad Brothers Importing and CEO Nemer Ziyad. The 90 minute program was broadcast live on Facebook.
You can watch the entire video below. Here is the list of speakers who were able to attend. Many wanted to also join but were busy with campaigns but offered their support to the Arab American Community.
Emcee Ray Hanania, award winning journalist and Op-Ed columnist with the Arab News Newspaper and CEO of Urban Strategies Group media consulting.
Sonia Khalil, AADC Program Coordinator
Hassan Nijem, President of the Arab American Chamber of Commerce at www.AACC.org.
Nemer Ziyad sponsor
Paul O’Grady, Orland Township Supervisor
Robert Maldonado for Village President, Midlothian
Marie Newman, Congresswoman 3rd district
David Orr, former Cook County Clerk
Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer
Andrew Andy Siegel Trustee Chicago Ridge
Jerry Bennett Palos Hills Mayor
Phil Abed Arab American Palos Hills Trustee
Mohammed Jaber, candidate for Orland Park Library bd
Dan McLaughlin One Orland Slate Orland Park Mayor
Tasneem Abuzir Palos Township Trustee
Wesam Shahad, J.D. Michigan State College of Law, Class of 2020 shahedwe@msu.edu and Sonia Khalil announce AADC Youth Network Committee
Mervete Mohammed candidate Trustee Palos Township
Tammy Georgiou Palos Township Clerk
Jane Nolan Palos Township Clerk
Mayor of Markham Roger Agpawa
Juan Manuel Calderon, from the Puerto Rican community
Also expressing support were Christopher Getty, Mayor of the Village of Lyons and Steven Landek, Mayor of the Village of Bridgeview.
Click the link below to watch the video of the Arab American Democratic Club Candidate and Leaders Forum, or use the widget below.
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.
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.
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