Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Your Views
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols interviewed on live Arab American radio in Detroit with host Ray Hanania Friday Dec. 9, 2022
    Nichols discusses need to improve Arab-Black relations in Chicagoland American Arabs
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions — no Arabs included American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Pritzker again ignores needs of Arab businesses in latest appointments Activism
  • Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) official candidate endorsements for the November 8, 2022 General elections.
    Arab American Democratic Club issues endorsements for Nov. 8, 2022 Cook County Illinois elections Activism
  • Arab Democrats urge NO VOTE on Gov. J.B. Pritzker re-election bid Activism
  • Assyrian American GOP issues endorsements in Nov, 8, 2022 elections
    Assyrian American GOP group endorses candidates in Illinois Activism
  • Abdullah Hammoud, elected Mayor of Dearborn Nov. 2, 2021. Photo courtesy of Abdullah Hammoud Facebook Page
    AHRC’s 2022 Spirit of Humanity Gala a Great Success American Arabs
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts Arab World
  • Rep. Cyril Nichols to be feted by supporters at fundraiser Saturday Oct. 22 Activism
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri Activism

Kayrouz urges Lebanese expatriates to strengthen homeland

Posted on May 16, 2016September 24, 2018 By rayhanania No Comments on Kayrouz urges Lebanese expatriates to strengthen homeland
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Prominent Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz keynotes the opening day of the 3rd Annual Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference in Beirut, Lebanon on May 5, 2016, urging Lebanese Americans to support Lebanon “with their hearts, their minds, their citizenship and their pocketbooks.” www.YourRights.com

Prominent Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz, in a keynote speech on May 5, 2016, told a packed audience of more than 1,600 people gathered for an expatriate conference in Lebanon to return to the tiny coastal country with their hearts, their minds, their citizenship and their pocketbooks.

The 3rd annual conference, dubbed the Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference, was organized by Gebran Bassil, Lebanon’sMinister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants who is the moving force behind the enforcement recently of laws extending citizenship to Lebanese expatriates.

Prominent Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz keynotes the opening day of the 3rd Annual Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference in Beirut, Lebanon on May 5, 2016, urging Lebanese Americans to support Lebanon "with their hearts, their minds, their citizenship and their pocketbooks." www.YourRights.com

Prominent Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz keynotes the opening day of the 3rd Annual Lebanese Diaspora Energy Conference in Beirut, Lebanon on May 5, 2016, urging Lebanese Americans to support Lebanon “with their hearts, their minds, their citizenship and their pocketbooks.” www.YourRights.com

Kayrouz said that Lebanese Americans have been very successful in the United States and could use that success to strengthenLebanon’s future. Kayrouz is from Lebanon.

“Lebanon is smaller than the smallest American state, that being Rhode Island. Yet, as such a small community, Lebanese immigrants to the United States like myself have been very successful to occupy the highest positions of influence in all branches of the United States government, in public service, in the Federal and State governments, at the White House, in Congress, and in the judiciary,” Kayrouz reminded the crowd.

“What you are looking at today is the American Dream. I am the founder and owner of one of the largest personal injury firms and the largest female-owned lawfirm in Michigan. Michigan is 10 times the size of Lebanon. So I know we can do much to strengthen Lebanon.”

Kayrouz was recently named Michigan’s “Top Female Attorney of 2016,” and in 2012, Kayrouz was named “Top Lawyer of the Year” in a survey of more than 18,000 Michigan lawyers. Kayrouz also received the prestigious 2012 American Arab Chamber of Commerce (AACC) “Economic Bridge Builder of the Year Award”. That same year, Kayrouz also received the “Trailblazer Award” in recognition of her trailblazing achievements in the legal field, a field heavily dominated by men.

Kayrouz has been applauded for “breaking barriers” not just among American Arabs but also among American women living inMichigan.

Recognized with funding the single largest outdoor marketing campaign in Michigan advertising history, Kayrouz said that the publicity and media stories that were written about her always included that she is of Lebanese heritage and descent.

“Whenever I speak at a gathering in Lebanon or am interviewed by the news media in America, I proudly point out that I am American of Lebanese heritage,” Kayrouz said.

“I take great pride that through my work, marketing and advertising and my activism, I have helped put Lebanon on the map inMichigan.”

Prominent Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz
Prominent Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz

Kayrouz immigrated to the United States and initially settled in Connecticut, where she attended the prestigious Yale University. She later moved to Michigan to study and practice law.

But it wasn’t always so easy, she acknowledged during her remarks.

“What you are looking at is a little girl who arrived in 1986 in the state of Connecticut as an immigrant with only $1,000 in her pocket, broken English, very limited means and no connections,” she told the audience.

“There were not many Lebanese people living in the state of Connecticut when I arrived so there were no role models at the time. The American way of life was very different back when I arrived here in the United States. The only thing we as Lebanese knew about America was from popular American TV programs at the time like Dallas and Dynasty. The United States and Lebanonwere really not that open to each other. And there was no social media to bring our people together. So there was a huge gap between the two.”

Kayrouz said the challenge facing Lebanon is to re-engage successful Lebanese expatriates and she said the conference is a strong beginning. She credits this to the vibrant tireless efforts of His Excellency Gebran Bassil.

She said that she understands why many Lebanese expatriates can be discouraged by the political turmoil in Lebanon, the wars, the infighting, and the divisions in Lebanese society.

However, she quickly pointed out that “This kind of belief is very dis-empowering because it breeds inaction and contributes to keeping everything the same. That kind of belief keeps the Lebanese remaining a part of the problem rather than becoming a part of the solution.”

“It is our beliefs that drive our behaviors, and our behaviors then create our results. If we don’t like what we’re looking at, we have to change our behaviors, and to change our behaviors we have to revisit our belief system.”

No Lebanese, therefore, whether living here or abroad can afford to play the “dis-empowerment card,” she argued.

“A person’s success is not always measured by the size of one’s wallet but rather by the impact on the lives of others. What is the meaning of awards, titles and wealth if not to inspire others that they too can excel and also assist the less fortunate?” she asked.

“It’s not the circumstances we are born into, but the choices that we make.”

In speaking to the Lebanese news media after her presentation, Kayrouz noted that priority must be to restore citizenship to expatriate Lebanese living abroad.

Lebanon approved and amended laws in 2015 allowing people of Lebanese origin to regain or obtain their citizenship.

“The importance of the citizenship law goes beyond the demographic balance. Its importance lies in enabling Lebanon to benefit from its capabilities and potential and the expertise of expatriates,” she said.

Kayrouz said she supports the creation of a Lebanese Expatriate Fund to be financed by successful Lebanese expatriates in countries around the world.

“The idea is to bring Lebanese expatriates who have never been to Lebanon to their homeland to see it and experience it,” she said comparing it to programs financed by Jewish organizations which fund trips for Jewish youth to Israel.

“This initiative would allow Lebanese expatriates to truly experience their homeland and develop a sense of belonging toLebanon. In time, the number of tourists to Lebanon will increase as well as potential investors seeking to regain or obtain their Lebanese citizenship.”

You can get more information on Joumana Kayrouz by visiting her website at www.YourRights.com.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

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.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States - January 19, 2023
  • Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 - January 18, 2023
  • CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd - January 12, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Activism, American Arabs, Arab World, Bloggers, Business, Editors Picks, News Tags:Beirut, Joumana Kayrouz, Lebanese Expatriate Energy Conference, Lebanon, Michigan, Prominent Accident Attorney, YourRights.com

Post navigation

Previous Post: 68 Years of the Palestinian Ongoing Nakba !
Next Post: Little Syria focus of traveling Arab Museum exhibit

Related Posts

  • Arab Radio: Arabs and Hypocrisy in the U.S. Congress American Arabs
  • Tyrant, the most racist program on TV American Arabs
  • The Arab Street The Arab Daily News radio show and audio podcast at www.TheArabStreet.com
    Podcast: Ray Hanania looks at the challenges facing Arab Americans American Arabs
  • End the Silencing of Mordechai Vanunu and Israel’s Nuclear Deceptions Bloggers
  • Israel’s Nuclear Time-Bomb, Vanunu Humanrights #LetsTalkNukes American Arabs
  • Syrian Journalist Halla Barakat and her mother found murdered in their apartment in Turkey. Photo courtesy of Orient News English website
    Syrian journalist murdered with mother in Turkey Arab World

More Related Articles

Pollard Free in Israel: Vanunu Remains Captive Arab World
OECD holds FIFA responsible for Qatari World Cup-related labour conditions Arab World
Why Trump should support “Sanctuary Cities” American Arabs
Michelle Obama pens blog on Middle East trip Arab World
UN Chief urges Students to strengthen Egypt Arab World
Jamal Khashoggi, former Saudi Royal family insider turned critic at the Washington Post, courtesy of Wikipedia The Rise and the Fall of the Prince: Fear & Cruelty Abdennour Toumi

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?
    January 17, 2023
  • Image from Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's "A Compendium of Chronicles. Image courtesy of Wikipedia
    Why allow religious extremists to re-define Islam in the West?
    January 10, 2023
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    This Thanksgiving, let’s use our Blessings for good
    November 23, 2022
  • NEWS
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022
    January 4, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri
    October 19, 2022

Creative Commons License
All work 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.

  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib, book cover. Photo courtesy of Cune Press
    Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib
    November 1, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme