Commitment to Community

Martin Manna

From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year! We at the Chaldean News are excited about the coming year and the plans we have to better serve our readers. We have already added more varied voices on our Editorial Board and grown our contributor base, introducing you to new writers and bringing back some alumni writers.

We have made a commitment to be more present in the community, with help from reporter Cal Abbo and Michael Nafso, our on-air reporter for CNTV. The plan is for two CNTV posts each month and a host of other regular series such as: Chaldean Kitchen, with a recipe of the month; Chaldean Scene, which will feature photos of community events such as weddings and other celebrations; and Mike’s Musings, a new one-minute audio podcast from Mike Sarafa that began in December of 2022.

Another recurring series we’ve introduced is Chaldean Cold Case Files, an in-depth look at some of the cold (unsolved) murders of Chaldeans in their place of business. We are working with the Detroit Police Department to shed some light on these stories and keep them active, not to haunt family members with their loss but to let them know that we remember.

We remember our ancestors as well and will continue to feature them in the “From the Archives” section near the back of the magazine. These classic black and white photos harken back to a simpler time. We are counting on you, our readers, to contribute photos and share your family stories and histories with us so we can share them with all.

We are creating more engagement with our church and our priests and would like to feature a monthly column on religious matters, God willing. And now with contractors on the ground in Iraq, we expect a quarterly update on what’s happening there. The recent visit and follow up is encouraging; we have more influence in Iraq and with the government than ever before and plan to use that momentum to contribute to real change for the betterment of our brethren in the Nineveh Plain.

In the Frame, our Iraqi photo essay, continues to highlight regions in northern Iraq—the towns, the industry, the people, and their struggles. Our hope is that by putting a face and images to the story, it makes the content more ‘real’ and becomes harder to ignore the plight of Christians still left in Iraq.

We also hear you when you say you’d like more local content. We will continue to profile the pioneers who blazed the trail for our success here in the States, and the up-and-coming entrepreneurs who are the future of the community as well. Without moving backward, we are considering adding a monthly column in Arabic for our multi-lingual readers.

We understand that we as a community need to adapt; we’ve done a wonderful job of assimilating to American culture while still retaining our own glorious culture and history, but we cannot rest on our laurels. There is still so much work to be done.

With one foot firmly planted in the past and the other striding fearlessly toward the future, we remain committed to serving the Chaldean community in Michigan and beyond.

Sincerely,
Martin Manna
Publisher