| Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. |
 |
July 31, 2012 |
N E W S |
NY Arabic Orchestra in Detroit October 27 
Get your tickets HERE now! The New York Arabic Orchestra makes its first full-ensemble appearance in southeast Michigan in this elegant annual fundraising event for the Arab American National Museum. The NYAO is a culturally diverse group of musicians who come together around a common passion: Arabic music. Guest vocalists for the evening are classically trained lyric soprano Ghada Ghanem (right) and Naji Youssef, a Lebanese jabali tenor in the style of Wadi Assafi. The performance takes place in historic Orchestra Hall, home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and part of the Max M. Fisher Music Center complex in Midtown Detroit. The New York Arabic Orchestra was co-founded by Bassam Saba (left), a world-renowned multi-instrumentalist virtuoso, conductor and teacher of Arabic music; and April Centrone, the orchestra's lead percussionist. Click HERE to read more about the artists and to purchase tickets. |
Arab American Rescues Motorsports broadcast veteran Ralph Sheheen (right) is part of a team reviving the late, great racing bible National Speed Sport News. Founded in 1934, the weekly newspaper ceased publication following its March 23, 2011 issue. Sheheen, who is part Lebanese, and his partners at Turn 3 Media have turned the weekly into a monthly called Speed Sport Magazine with both print and digital editions; they have also enhanced www.nationalspeedsportnews.com to allow race fans instant access to breaking news. Sheheen, a Sacramento, California native, is best known as a longtime TV and radio anchor with thousands of two- and four-wheel race broadcasts to his credit, including major events from leading tracks for CBS, FOX, NBC, Speed Channel, ESPN and other outlets. |
Concert of Colors Photos Online Here at AANM, we’re still buzzing about all the amazing performances earlier this month at the 20th Concert of Colors presented by the Ford Foundation. Some 80,000 people converged on four Midtown Detroit venues July 7 and July 12-15, soaking up the sweet grooves and positive vibes generated by this beloved free annual celebration of cultural diversity through music. Click HERE to view an edited selection of images by the festival’s official photographer, Doug Coombe, featuring images of every July 12-15 performance, from Mike-E & AfroFlow and De Temps Antan through Detroit Fire Guild Belly Dancers and Malika Zarra up to M.A.K.U. Sound System and George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic. We will add images from the July 7 Meshell Ndegeocello concert and other festival photos as time permits. And let us know what you thought of this year’s festival, and how we might improve the 2013 event, HERE. |
E V E N T S |
August 10-11 The AANM is again partnering with the nationally acclaimed nonprofit oral history project StoryCorps to record the lives and stories of members of Dearborn’s Arab and Muslim communities. On Aug. 10-11, the StoryBooth - a customized Airstream trailer - will set up shop at the Islamic Center of America, thought to be the largest mosque in the U.S., with a goal of recording 17 conversations to be made available through the Museum as well as the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The Yemeni American News is also assisting in this effort to encourage Arab and Muslim Americans to share their experiences. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected more than 40,000 oral histories on its mission to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of their lives. For further information about the Aug.10-11 stop in Dearborn, contact Dr. Matthew Stiffler at 313.624.0205 or HERE. |
August 11 The AANM and its parent organization ACCESS are pleased to support the internationally acclaimed Heidelberg Project as it “connects the dots” by presenting young Detroiters working in Theater & Performance, Music, Visual Arts and Culinary Arts in a free community showcase. The event is designed to entertain, cultivate creative mentorships and expand insight into Detroit’s growing arts industry. From noon-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, the funky outdoor art environment on the 3600 block of Heidelberg Street in Detroit will be transformed into a talent showcase featuring live cooking exhibits, variety performances and displays of visual art, plus interactive arts and activities for kids. Click HERE for further information. |
Through September 3 We love free stuff and know you do, too! Enjoy these programs while they last – only through Labor Day. It’s the 5th and final year for Museum Adventure Pass presented by Macy’s, which offers free admission to more than one dozen area cultural institutions including your Arab American National Museum and the Detroit Institute of Arts. The program has been streamlined; you still need a library card to take part, but all passes now available online HERE. The AANM is also proud to be a 2012 Blue Star Museum, offering free admission to active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces and up to five family members. Those connected to or interested in the service offered by the U.S. Armed Forces, the diplomatic corps and the Peace Corps should not miss Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country and Fighting for Democracy: Who is the “We” in “We, the People”?, both on display through Sunday, August 12 at the AANM. |
I N T H E G A L L E R I E S |
Extended Through August 12, 2012 Arab Americans have been an integral part of the United States of America since its inception, contributing to our society in myriad ways, including public service. Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country tells true stories of heroism and self-sacrifice that affirm the substantive role Arab Americans have played in our country throughout its history. Patriots & Peacemakers highlights three specific areas of service: the U.S. Armed Forces, diplomatic service and the Peace Corps. Personal narratives highlight Arab American men and women of different national and religious backgrounds from across the nation. The exhibition also encourages visitors to consider what role commitment to service plays in their daily lives. In the Main Floor Gallery; free with Museum admission. Download the Patriots & Peacemakers brochure HERE. This exhibition is made possible by the Ford Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and Chevron |
Extended through August 12, 2012 The AANM invites everyone to expand the national conversation launched by the Veterans Day 2011 opening of Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country. Fighting for Democracy: Who is the “We" in “We, the People"? highlights the stories of seven diverse individuals, their service to their country during World War II and their civic engagement that helped to change American democracy for the betterment of all. These stories help viewers to understand the conditions facing Americans before and during World War II while challenging them to think critically about freedom, history, and, ultimately, the ongoing struggle to live democratically in a diverse America – themes also addressed in Patriots & Peacemakers. In the Lower Level Gallery; free with Museum admission. This exhibition is presented by the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, an educational program of the Japanese American National Museum, with major support provided by the U.S. Army Center for Military History. The traveling exhibition has been made possible through the generous support of the Boeing Company. |
WEB EXCLUSIVE Where do stereotypes about Arab Americans originate? What effects do they have on us as individuals and as a nation? How can they be defused? These are just a few of the significant questions explored in Reclaiming Identity: Dismantling Arab Stereotypes, the AANM's powerful web-exclusive multimedia exhibition at www.arabstereotypes.org. Guest curated by Dr. Evelyn Alsultany of the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Reclaiming Identity traces the history of these stereotypes, provides the tools to identify and understand them, and asks viewers to record their reactions and responses to what they have learned in the site's blog. It also offers perspectives on other segments of American society that are subject to stereotypes. Blog posts every three weeks; click HERE to view the newest posts, from comedian/author Amer Zahr and ACCESS President Hassan Jaber. This exhibition is made possible in part by the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Ford Foundation, The Kresge Foundation and Arts of Citizenship |
|
Enjoy special benefits and tax savings* as a Member of the Arab American National Museum!
Call 313.624.0200 or click HERE to become a Museum Member. |
| The Arab American National Museum documents, preserves and presents Arab American history, culture and contributions. Learn more at www.arabamericanmuseum.org. |
|
You are receiving this email because you indicated that you would like to receive our newsletter. If you would like to stop receiving email updates, please click here to unsubscribe. A project of ACCESS Copyright © 2012 Arab American National Museum. All rights reserved. |