who was arab alabama first mayor

[14] were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The median household income was $36,716 and the median family income was $45,761. In 2015, he was the first probate judge in Alabama to issue same-sex marriage . Howell, among other experts, said she estimated that well more than half of Dearborns population is of Arab descent, a fact not reflected by the US Census, which counts the Arab population as white, leading to undercounting. Look at the Books: A Q&A With Birmingham's Next Mayor", "A Work in Progress: Woodfin Assesses His First 100 Days", "A Hole in the Balance Sheet: Birmingham's Impending Pension Crisis", "Woodfin Highlights "Moral Obligations" of Proposed 2020 Budget", "Whitmire: What's Randall Woodfin hiding? City of Arab, Alabama Oct 2008 - Present 14 years 7 months. 2023 County Office. The median age was 42.2 years. This is due to Opelika having a strong-mayor form of mayor-council government, while Auburn has a council-manager form of government. Alneyadi is the second man from the wealthy UAE to go to space, after Hazzaa al-Mansoori's eight-day mission in 2019. Aldarwish said she felt recognised by the candidate. Hammoud showed up to a meet and greet event with local candidates on Thursday in a navy blue tracksuit with a jacket featuring his campaign logo, running shoes and conspicuously colourful socks. Bob Joslin is the first Mayor of Arab, who is not from Arab. Whoever is elected mayor of Opelika in 2020 will earn an annual income of $120,000 rather than $72,000, a decision that was authorized Tuesday by the Opelika City Council. That effort has become more pronounced and mainstream in recent years. He is a Democrat, but mayoral candidates appear on the ballot without a party label. Arab is located at an elevation of 1,100 feet (340m) on top of Brindlee Mountain, near the southwest end of the Appalachian Plateau. We finally have Arab Americans speaking for themselves, being elected to office, representing their communities, gaining recognition for this population, gaining a voice for them, said Sally Howell, director of the Center for Arab American Studies at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Keith Huffman/. The Mayor appoints all city department heads, enforces all City of Arab ordinances and resolutions, and proposes the Citys annual operating budget. Arab mayor Bob Joslin says, "The senior center is a very big activity in the city of Arab because this is a lot of these people's social . Woronchak, a former state representative and county commissioner, had promoted his own close ties to the Arab community during the campaign, arguing that his years of government experience made him better suited for the job than his younger opponent. Neighboring Dearborn Heights and Hamtramck are much smaller cities, but also with large Muslim and Arab American populations. This is the equivalent of $1,230/week or $5,330/month. Census.[12]. mayor at City of Arab,Alabama. I think thats the hope we have for families all across our city, that we tackle not only the issues that are impacting us today, were laying the foundation for a city that will hopefully only grow to be greater for generations to come., Left: While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $288,383 and as . Mayor City of Arab, Oct 1988 - Feb 2002 13 years 5 months. Clanton lost their mayor of three decades, Billy Joe Driver, to COVID-19 this year. Im a member of the Wolverine community, he said, referring to the University of Michigans sports teams. The Office of Mayor is a part-time position. Im running as, more than anything, a son of Dearborn. There have been numerous community-driven campaigns over the last few years to register Muslims to vote., READ MORE: I feel so helpless. Afghans in the U.S. worry for friends and family back home. He likened the attacks that Hammoud faced to right-wing theories peddled during the 2008 US presidential elections that Barack Obama would be a president for Black people only. The 41-year-old, dubbed the "Sultan of Space" by his alma mater, will become the first Arab astronaut to embark on a six-month space mission when he blasted off for the ISS in early March aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Sultan Al Neyadi appeared wearing an unmarked white space suit as part of the six-and-a-half hour . Abed Hammoud speaking at the Arab American Political Action Committee Annual Dinner in front of prominent Arab American community leaders, elected officials and candidates, and AAPAC Executive Board members, October 29, 2009. Several attendees approached him to request selfies, demonstrating his status as a local celebrity. Other candidates that year, including the aforementioned Abed Hammoud, who helped found the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) in 1998, running for mayor in Dearborn and Shahab Ahmed running for city council in Hamtramck that year, lost their election bids, in part because of post-9/11 fear and backlash. To the young girls and boys who have ever been ridiculed for their faith or ethnicity, to those of you who were ever made to feel that their names were unwelcome, and to our parents and to our elders and to others who are humiliated for their broken English and yet still persisted: Today is proof that you are as American as anyone else, Hammoud said. [3], What is now Arab was established by Stephen Tuttle Thompson in the 1840s, and was originally known as "Thompson's Village". Located in Alabama, the town of Fairview has a lot to discover. At the 2000 census there were 7,174 people in 3,012 households, including 2,075 families, in the city. READ MORE: Post-9/11 surveillance has left a generation of Muslim Americans in a shadow of distrust and fear. Name Arab Mayor Address 740 North Main Street Arab, Alabama, 35016 Phone 256-586-8128 Originally, the name proposed was Arad. Three days after a mass shooting at a teen's birthday party in downtown Dadeville left four people dead and 32 wounded, the Alabama Law Enforc, The new doll is part of Mattel Barbie Fashionistas line, which aims to offer kids more diverse representations of beauty and fight the stigma . Im a member of the Arab American community. The mission also includes an improved quality of life through economic growth and development, continuously seeking ways to increase revenues, and the ongoing expansion of local Infrastructure. All Rights Reserved. Mayor Arab City Hall 740 North Main Street Arab, Alabama 35016 Cell: (256) 506-6424 Office: (256) 586-8128 Fax: (256) 586-9711 Email Bob Joslin. At that time, the increase was from $52,000 to $72,000, a decision which was made after 16 years of no adjustments, according to Fuller. appreciated. He will succeed John B OReilly, who did not seek re-election after being diagnosed with an undisclosed illness. Michigan is home to dozens of Arab American local officials, including judges, mayors and city council members often outside of areas with a large Arab presence. [40][41], Woodfin was selected as one of seventeen speakers to jointly deliver the keynote address at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Arab, Alabama 35016. NFL draft big board: Best players available heading into second round ARAB, Alabama One of the last areas of our community to reopen from this pandemic will be the senior centers. He attended North Birmingham Elementary School, Putnam Middle School, and Shades Valley High School. They will both be on the ballot in November. In 2018, Egyptian American doctor, Abdul El-Sayed made national headlines when he mounted a serious campaign for governor with support from Sanders. 740 N. Main Arab, Alabama 35016 . The group helped mentor a lot of people and advise on many campaigns. Watch Live as UAE Astronaut Performs First Arab Spacewalk The UAE is a newcomer to the world of space exploration but quickly making its mark. Abdullah Hammoud, the son of Lebanese immigrants, was born and raised in Dearborn, where he was elected mayor on Tuesday. Woodfin cited Biden's ability to "make sure down-ballot candidates can win" as a primary reason for his endorsement. Mayor of Fairview: Keith A. Henry: Cullman County: Vital Records: Fairview vital records: . We cant deny the fact that not only Arabs population-wise make up a good percentage of Dearborn, but also Arabs have made a difference in Dearborns economics and history and life, so they do deserve to have representation in terms of leadership, Assi told Al Jazeera. Never shy away from who you are, he said. In August, Hammoud, 31, placed first in a crowded field of primary candidates for mayor, moving into Tuesdays election facing veteran local politician Gary Woronchak. In 1960, it was changed to the Arab Census Division as part of a general reorganization of counties. And so because of that, were going to continue working within the community and the community can mature even more., This years elections, 20 years after 9/11, are more than Muslim and Arab American communities flexing their political muscle. All Rights Reserved. Postal Service in 1882 of the city's intended name, taken from Arad Thompson, the son of the town founder, who had applied for a post office that year. In our form of government, the mayor is the chief executive officer and the chief operating officer for the city, Fuller explained. The Dearborn mayors race was also highly contested. Abed Hammoud points to the candidacies of Abdullah Hammoud (no relation) running for mayor of Dearborn, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed who ran for governor of Michigan in 2018, and even his own son, Mustapha Hammoud, who is running for Dearborn City Council. The increase represents a compounded 4 percent annual jump within a 12-year range, which totals $115,274.32. Emirati Sultan Al Neyadi becomes first Arab to walk in space If so, visit our information page for government officials to see how CityTownInfo can support you. Woodfin appointed Capt. Overall, Mayor Joslin says the state of the Arab is somethi [21], Woodfin's administration has drawn criticism for a perceived lack of transparency, with AL.com columnist Kyle Whitmire calling Woodfin's attempts to block public information requests "stalling and stonewalling" and a violation of his campaign promises to increase transparency. Over the past five years, Hammoud gained a reputation as a left-leaning lawmaker, endorsing Bernie Sanders for president in 2020 and describing himself as a pragmatic progressive. Arab, Alabama - Wikipedia On the other hand, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, who leads a city with a similar council-manager form of government as Auburn, makes $42,000, and Dothan City Manager Mike West earns $179,795.20. [17] The census division only includes the Marshall County portion of the town of Arab. As Dearborn is often presented negatively due to its populations background, having a Muslim and Arab [American] mayor will hopefully highlight the incredible resilience and success of this community, Alsoofy said. When Hammoud takes office early next year, he also will become the first Muslim and the first person of colour to lead the city of nearly 110,000 residents, one of the largest in the midwestern state of Michigan. Instead, he helped found AAPAC with a group of all kinds of professionals to help the community develop its collective political voice, its collective reasoning. It cant apply to those that are existing at that time., The approved ordinance granting the mayor and city council members salary increases states, The laws of the State of Alabama authorize the City Council to fix the compensation of the Mayor and each Council member prior to the commencement of the term to which the Mayor and Council members have been elected., The ordinance also states, The salaries of the Mayor and Council members may not be increased nor decreased during the term for which they have been elected, as well as that the salary of the mayor should be on par with the salaries of City employees or elected officials in other jurisdictions with comparable workload, responsibilities and obligations.. Tuesday nights results capped months of electioneering in Dearborn. An undisclosed illness has seen OReilly fade away from public life in the past year. Islamophobia and anti-Muslim and anti-Arab sentiment will also impact some peoples perceptions of representatives of these communities, particularly considering the areas history. Males had a median income of $32,425 versus $24,265 for females. Wayne County Commissioner Al Haidous, a Muslim immigrant from Lebanon, was mayor from 2002 to 2014 in the city of Wayne, which doesn't have many Arab-American residents. Salary increases for the Opelika mayor and city council will be effective in 2020. Haidous was elected in . American Community Survey, 2017, U.S. Census Bureau. Randall Woodfin. However, the postal authorities misspelled the name and it was . Still, the mayors seat in Dearborn is special, Stiffler said, not only because it is the top executive position in one of the states largest cities, but also because of the offices unsavoury history with racism. Dearborn, Michigan - For the first time in decades, the mayoral race in Dearborn is wide open, creating an opportunity for the Detroit suburb known as the capital of Arab America to . Im the founder, I dont have any extra rights in there, said Abed Hammoud. Besides the race for mayor, Dearborn also elected a new seven-member city council and the members of a commission that will draft a new charter for the city outlining basic local governing principles. Copyright 2020 Citytowninfo.com. Although he no longer has that original Hammoud for Mayor T-shirt, he is now, 20 years later, running for mayor of his hometown of Dearborn, Michigan. Despite the citys large Arab community, it has never been led by an Arab- or Muslim-American. Arab, AL Map & Directions - MapQuest Woodfin won the October 3 runoff with 58.95% of the vote, becoming the city's youngest mayor in over 120 years. Im a member of the Drake fans community, Hammoud added jokingly. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/decades-after-the-arab-problem-muslim-and-arab-americans-are-leading-political-change-in-metro-detroit. The City of Arab also hosts several events and festivals throughout the year such as the Poke Salat Festival and Community Fair. But the campaign took a turn towards identity politics in its final weeks, with Woronchak slamming Hammoud without naming him for apparently referring to Arab and Muslim Americans as our community. J.R.N. [37] The next morning Woodfin ordered the removal of the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Linn Park to try and prevent another protest. The City of Arab is located in Marshall County in the State of Alabama.Find directions to Arab, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more.According to the 2019 US Census the Arab population is estimated at 8,406 people. Hammoud has said he aims to improve the quality of life for all residents. Volunteers campaign for Abdullah Hammoud in Dearborn, Michigan, US November 2 . I was brought up to make everyone around me friends and neighbours alike to feel like family.. 1. Changes in U.S. immigration laws in 1965 and a long string of political conflicts abroad also contributed to the growth and diversity of this population. If it goes in a way that it looks like the Arab vote was very unified behind a single candidate, I think its a force to reckon with, he told Al Jazeera. Frances Kai-Hwa Wang is a Communities Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour out of Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan. Christian Syrian and Lebanese immigrants first arrived in the area in the 1880s, followed later by Palestinian, Iraqi, Chaldean, Yemeni, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi Americans, and more. Hammoud says he is ready to get to work and immediately begin tackling issues that affect his city, including climate change. American lawyer and politician (born 1981), Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument, "Randall Woodfin wins Birmingham mayor's race: What they're saying nationally", "Get to know Birmingham's millennial mayor", "This Morehouse alum just became the youngest mayor of Birmingham in modern history", "Birmingham Board of Education: 4 new faces vie for District 3", "Birmingham election results: See who won mayor, City Council and school board elections", "New leadership for Birmingham board of education", "A Sanders-backed candidate was elected mayor in the south", "Assistant city attorney to run for mayor", "In Tuesday's Mayoral Runoff, Bell Touts Experience, Woodfin Pushes Change", "Randall Woodfin defeats William Bell in mayor's race", "Woodfin: Bell's Fundraising Allegations Are 'False and Misleading', "Randall Woodfin benefited from Bernie Sanders backing", "First? Abdullah Hammoud: Michigan city elects its first Arab mayor The Arab presence in Michigan extends well beyond Dearborn. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males. Randall Woodfin - Wikipedia For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males. I dont think it can be done any more frequently than every four years, because its got to apply to the next group of elected officials, Smith T said. [36], For years, Birmingham residents had been requesting Birmingham take down the Confederate monument located in the park across the street from Birmingham City Hall. Days before the general election last year, now-First Lady Jill Biden held a socially distant rally in Dearborn, telling Arab American attendees that their votes could decide the swing state of Michigan and the entire election. Arab Mayor Bob Joslin was recently named the Outstanding Mayor of the Year during the 2017 ACE Star Awards at the Alabama Communities of Excellence Annual Community Reunion in Clanton. Their fire department has one station, sitting on top of Marshall County 911 center. For those who might be uncomfortable with his politics, Arab heritage or Muslim faith, the millennial politician has reached out with a simple message: Lets talk. Bell. The Mayor appoints all city department heads, enforces all City of Arab ordinances and resolutions, and proposes the Citys annual operating budget. The increase for the council and the council president is about a 3 percent increase, I think, Smith said, referring to how council members salaries rose from $12,000 to $13,200, and the council presidents went from $13,200 to $14,400. U.S. Route 231 runs north-to-south through Arab, and State Route 69 runs east-to-west, through the city's business district. Woronchaks campaign did not respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment. CountyOffice.org does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The Opelika mayors annual salary was last adjusted on Feb. 19, 2008. [16], Woodfin received support from Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who recorded a robo-call telling voters that Woodfin would fight for Medicare for All. Senate confirms Zahid Quraishi as first Muslim American federal judge in US history, Its just a humbling experience. While he is hopeful to be re-elected, Fuller shared Smiths outlook that a higher mayors salary will be needed to attract future talent. Hammoud received 42 percent of the votes, Woronchak 18.5 percent. The first political campaign Michigan State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud worked on was in 2001. Although Bazzy is already mayor, he seeks to legitimize that appointment by being elected to the role this November, facing off against city council Chairperson Denise Malinowski-Maxwell to finish Paletkos and to start a new term beginning in January. So he stuffed pamphlets and passed out flyers at a polling place until he could get the T-shirt that supported the candidate that shared his same last name. Cherokee Ridge Mayor and Town Council sworn in. Arab City Hall. Office of the Mayor - Arab City, Alabama | Government If re-elected, he said he plans to continue donating the difference in his salary to charities, although he will no longer provide a list to the council, noting that he doesn't want to appear as though he is bragging. ET to upgrade the space station's power . Originally, the name proposed was Arad. "[47] However, in 2018 he reneged on that promise and instead proposed to make Birmingham a "welcoming city. And its a lot of responsibility, whether its me doing it or somebody else doing it.. He did, and was elected Mayor in 2012, and was re-elected to a second term in October 2016, which expires in 2020. A Michigan city considered to be the center of Arab America has finally elected its first Arab-American mayor.. Abdullah Hammoud, the son of Lebanese immigrants, was born and raised in Dearborn . 2. Arab (/e.rb/) is a city in Marshall and Cullman counties in the northern part of the U.S. state of Alabama, located 10 miles (16km) from Guntersville Lake and Guntersville Dam, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. We are seeing a greater effort in both voter registration and candidate outreach to the community. Hammoud said his fundraising has been proportional to the support he received in the primaries. Arab High School was established in 1921. A star since . Johnny Hart - City Council - City of Arab, Alabama | LinkedIn The per capita income for the city was $23,986. [29] Woodfin has maintained that total violent crime has dropped in the city during his tenure, and points to the police department's removal of thousands of guns from the streets. Somebody who was born and raised here, who happens to be Muslim Arab American. So Im going to continue taking $52,000, and Im going to give the rest of it to charity whatever you raise it to. Post-9/11 surveillance has left a generation of Muslim Americans in a shadow of distrust and fear, Bostons changing demographics on display in mayoral race dominated by women of color, The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC), first Yemeni American in any state legislature, Hammoud received 42.36 percent of the vote. It was six years later, in 1998, when he would finally retire from the Corps, a successful career that effectively prepared him for his upcoming role as Chief Executive Officer of the City of Arab, and Champion of its future. Arab-Americans across the country have been holding similar registration drives to mobilize political power over the years. In 2020, Hamtramck elected Abraham Aiyash to be Michigan state representative following the unexpected death of Michigan state Rep. Isaac Robinson. Privacy Policy Fuller, who is seeking reelection in 2020, highlighted that hes given the city council a list of his annual donations from his salary since 2008. Terms and Conditions. His remarks came after a video emerged of Hammoud speaking at a mosque where he urged greater voter participation from Arabs and Muslims making references to our community. So it saved those increases through the years.. [1] He previously served as president of the Birmingham City School Board (20132015) and as a city attorney of Birmingham from 20092017. Absolutely not. He was first elected in 2016 and has since been re-elected twice. Woodfin was born and raised in North Birmingham and Crestwood neighborhoods. The increase was a large jump, Smith T said, but the mayor has many responsibilities in supervising the citys various functions. This summer, three intense thunderstorms in Southeastern Michigan caused severe flooding of thousands of homes in several Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Hamtramck, and Detroit neighborhoods signs of aging infrastructure and accelerating climate change. Ayah Aldarwish, a 17-year-old high school student volunteering for Hammouds campaign, said no matter the winner, the city must come together to respond to pressing issues, including repeated flooding that has damaged thousands of homes across Dearborn. County Office is not affiliated with any government agency. How much does a Mayor make in Alabama? Abed Hammoud, a former federal and state prosecutor, told the NewsHour that he believes the Arab American community has matured a lot politically in the last two decades since co-founding AAPAC. So for these cities to be led by Arab Americans would be a game changer., Hamtramck, for example, has never had a mayor who is not Polish, Howell added. You may not use this site for the purposes of furnishing consumer reports about search subjects or for any use prohibited by the FCRA. He is a board member of several community organizations, including the Alabama Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama. Everybody that works for the city reports to the mayor. Arab Americans constituted about 40 percent of the citys population, according to the 2010 Census. [15], Bell criticized Woodfin for receiving out-of-state contributions during the campaign; Woodfin argued that it was the only way to combat the incumbent candidate's sizable local donor base. The City of Arab has a mission to foster and sustain a living environment that cultivates progressive awareness and the acceptance of diverse cultural differences, while maintaining a wholesome family atmosphere. The first Muslim and Arab American mayor elected in the U.S. was Abdul Al Haidous, a Lebanese American immigrant and small business owner, elected November 2001 in the small town of Wayne 20 minutes west of Dearborn. Former Director of Resource Management at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He has said the sudden death of his older brother, Ali, in 2015 pushed him to re-evaluate his purpose and run for office. [50] He is engaged and is Christian. Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. [7], In 2013, he ran for a seat on the school board again, this time successfully. He & wife Paula, both from Wichita, Kansas, celebrated their 56th year of marriage on December 22, 2018. . . Suggest Listing Bill Bazzi is Dearborn Heights' first Muslim mayor - Detroit Free Press Leaders explain importance of Arab Senior Center | rocketcitynow.com Due to years of inaction, and after the murder of George Floyd, residents took to the street to try and take down the monument themselves. Arab was one of the towns reaching contact with the 2011 Super Outbreak of tornado activity. [8] Ku Klux Klan material has been disseminated multiple times in Arab in recent years.[9]. With communities from Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and other countries in the Middle East, the states Arab population is more than 200,000, the second-highest in the US behind California. At the time, he was told that politics was not for us, and that he should wait until the community matures. Addressing the controversy, Hammoud told Al Jazeera identity can be pluralistic, saying that he belongs to multiple communities, but that does not take away from his ability to represent the entire city. Speaking later with the Opelika-Auburn News, Ward 3 Councilman Dozier Smith T, who led the initiative to adjust the mayors salary, said he didnt know why the salary had not been adjusted incrementally. [28], The city's homicide rate has stayed approximately the same since Woodfin took office; the city logged 117 homicides in 2017, 110 in 2018, and 112 in 2019. About 8.2% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over. I am a member of the Dearborn community.

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