Arab American students often face pressure to pursue traditional careers paths, such as medicine, engineering or law. However, there are a variety of fields outside of these sectors that can be great for young people looking for other options. In this panel discussion, young Arab American professionals will explain how they pursued their passions and found success in non-traditional fields, and how you can do the same.
Steve Ansara, Stevie Soul
Stevie Ansara is an award-winning vocal entertainer and multimedia artist, known for his ability to perform the sounds of hundreds of musical instruments in perfect harmony. During his childhood in Michigan, Stevie, a first-generation Arab American, struggled with a severe stuttering disability that prevented him from communicating with his peers. Stevie tried to speak, but strange sounds came out instead. He eventually transformed these sounds into polished beatbox sets, which he performed for family and friends. Through this talent, he overcame his speaking disability on his own. Stevie is currently a film producer at Woodward Original in Detroit.
Christina El-Haddad
Christina El-Haddad has been living in Detroit for over 10 years. She works as a commercial producer and is passionate about bringing peace to chaos. She is a first-generation Lebanese American.
Mohamed Jaafar, Quicken Loans
Mohamed Jaafar is the son of Lebanese immigrants. His father is a retired assembly line worker at Ford Motor Company, to which he attributes his work ethic. After graduating from Wayne State University, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting before returning to Detroit to work at Quicken Loans and save enough money to create his own content. He is currently a filmmaker at Woodward Original. An advocate for Middle Eastern and Detroit filmmakers, he hopes to inspire the community through films that offer a “slice of life” on social issues and shed light on people rather than stereotypes.
Linda Samarah, ACCESS
Linda Samarah is an Arab American, feminist, offspring of immigrants, lover of all things local and abroad, capturer of art and beauty and marcher towards social justice and equity. A graduate from the University of Michigan-Flint, Linda earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies with a minor in Women and Gender Studies and Music and Theatre. She previously worked for the Arab American Heritage Council (AAHC) as the Community Outreach Coordinator and currently sits on the board of the AAHC and Chancellor Susan E. Borrego’s Diversity Council at UM-Flint. Linda is currently employed at ACCESS as a Communications Specialist and remains in the pursuit of continuing her passions in content creation and performance art.
Ken Haddad, WDIV Detroit (Moderator)
Ken Haddad is an award-winning digital media and digital marketing professional, with a background in film and video production. After deciding not to pursue business at Eastern Michigan University, Ken attended Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts and broke into the film industry as a producer. Through this industry, Ken learned the ways of video and digital marketing. Ken is currently serving in the lead social media role at Detroit’s NBC affiliate, WDIV, where he is changing the way local news delivers content online. Ken is a first-generation Jordanian American.
Session Tags: Youth Empowerment
Grosse Pointe Room