By Ray Hanania
The Arab Community Center of Houston, one of the most active and energetic organizations in the American Arab community, announced the election of its new board members this week.
“The ACC accomplished many things in 2014 and we anticipate that 2015 will be even better,” newly elected ACC President Kamal Khalil announced.
“To start the year, I would like to first make the announcement that the ACC Board of Directors has elected a new Executive Committee to lead our center and direct its mission throughout 2015. I am very pleased to announce the election of the following board members to the committee.”
Dr. Kamal Khalil President
Dr. Faiza Zalila First Vice President
Mr. Wadih El Hajj Second Vice President
Mr. Abdel Elkhadiri Treasurer
Mr. Zak Patel Secretary
Dr. Rudeina Baasiri Member at Large
Dr. Majed Khalifa Member at Large
Dr. Rizk Saqer Member at Large
The following member was re-elected to serve another two- year term on the Board, Khalil said:
Mr. Wadih El Hajj
The following members were elected to become ACC Trustees:
Dr. Rudeina Baasiri
Ms. Dania Dandashli
Mr. Ali Daher
Mr. Wadih El Hajj
Dr. Amer Sabbagh
Mr. Zak Patel
Dr. Faiza Zalila
The ACC issued the following letter to the community detailing their activities and achievements over the past year:
Dear ACC Members, Community and Friends:
The achievements and the acclaims that the ACC has received in the last two years are heart-warming, encouraging and motivating, especially during such challenging times. Like never before, the Houston community, witnessed a series of events that furthered our mission; events highlighting Education, Arabic language, culture and artists, a testimony to what we are truly all about including humanitarian efforts that touch our community here and abroad.
One of the major initiatives our Board of Directors embarked in was the Debt Elimination Campaign. A historical, focused fundraising effort that was aimed at bridging the financial gap and building other resources for a healthy and bright future. Today, thanks to the generosity of a community and the courageous and confident decision of Mr. Farouk Shami to match all donations, the ACC is debt free!
As we look forward to build on the successes of 2014 and to a bright 2015, I would like to express our thanks and gratitude to our partners and sponsors who make the Arab American Cultural and Community Center mission possible. A special thanks to the Arab American Organizations in Houston for their collaboration and support. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Founders for their vision, commitment and dedication to the center and our community. Last but not least, I would like to thank all of our Board Members, volunteers, dedicated staffs and community. I am very proud to serve with them and truly blessed to have known them.
I am confident that through the vision and commitment of our new President and the Board of Directors, we can look forward to a strong ACC, and as a result, an even stronger community.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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