Tlaib, Dingell Introduce Resolution Recognizing Arab American Heritage Month

DETROIT — Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) re-introduced a resolution recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Arab Americans to the United States.

“Arab Americans have made invaluable contributions to our nation,” said Congresswoman Tlaib. “As a proud and unapologetic Arab American woman serving in Congress, and the Congresswoman representing one of the largest Arab American communities in our country, I know how important it is that our community receives the recognition and resources they deserve. I’m proud to uplift the voices of Arab Americans and introduce this resolution recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month.”

“Arab Americans are part of the fabric of our country and are integral to our communities in Southeast Michigan and across America,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “They have helped shape Michigan’s identity, sharing their culture and traditions with us. They are doctors, teachers, business owners, service members, and most importantly, our neighbors and friends. Every day, Arab Americans help make our state and country better. I’m proud to recognize April as Arab American Heritage Month to honor the continued accomplishments and impact of this community.”

An estimated 3.7 million Americans have Arab roots, with ancestries traced to 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and others.

As a historically marginalized community, Arab Americans—and the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) community at large—continue to face discrimination in all sectors of our society, including at the federal level. Despite this, Arab Americans have helped shaped the culture, history, and economy of the United States in profound ways and deserve to be recognized and celebrated as an essential part of our country.

This legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Julia Brownley (CA-26), André Carson (IN-07), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13).

The full text of the resolution is available here.

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