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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, April is National Arab American Heritage Month, celebrating the the history, culture, and achievements of Arab Americans in our country; and
WHEREAS, Arab Americans have richly diverse backgrounds and faiths, dynamic traditions, cutting edge innovation, and a devotion to community and country; and
WHEREAS, beginning in the 1990s, Arab American heritage was recognized in various states throughout the year; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, the Arab America Foundation launched the National Arab American Heritage Month initiative in line with its mission to promote Arab heritage and empower Arab Americans; Educate Americans about the Arab identity and culture, and to connect Arab Americans to each other and to other communities; and
WHEREAS, in 2022, the Biden Administration became the first to declare April as National Arab American Heritage Month celebrating their unique heritages, customs, and talents into the tapestry of America; and
WHEREAS, notable Arab Americans include Lebanese-American poet, essayist, and visual artist Etel Adnan, Egyptian American scientist and geologist Farouk El-Baz who worked with NASA in the scientific exploration of the Moon and the planning of the Apollo program; and Dr. Michale DeBakey - the first to successfully repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm, do a coronary bypass operation, and first multiple-organ transplant; and
WHEREAS, according to the Arab American Institute (AAI), an estimated 3.7 million Americans have Arab roots, with ancestries that trace to 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa to Southwest Asia including Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, Jordan, and Yemen; and
WHEREAS, today Arab Americans live in all 50 states, with large percentage resident in metropolitan areas including New York, Detroit, Los Angelese, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 181,139 Arab Americans c...
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