Chaldeans from Iraq began coming to Detroit a century ago. In the 1960s, they began pouring in, some to join their families, some to escape the persecution that this Christian minority faced over the years in their ancestral homeland. Metro Detroit now is home to an estimated 200,000 Chaldeans. Tens of thousands of them started their lives in Chaldean Town; at one point, a quarter of the area’s Chaldeans lived there.
Read MoreIn the Middle East, war seems to follow you like a monster from a Stephen King novel. It’s unrelenting and always a step ahead; a story told by many Chaldeans who arrive in the bright and beautiful lands of America. The story of David Shammas is no exception.
Read MoreJosh Garmo skated up the right wing, deked Brendan Danou, eluded two other players, and sent a perfectly placed shot into the top left corner of the net. It was a spectacular goal, and it gave Team Red a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over Team Green in the first game of the best-of-three Chaldean Hockey League playoff championship series.
Read MoreOn May 6, the Chaldean Community Foundation hosted a Community Health Fair in partnership with the Chaldean American Association for Health Professionals.
Those in attendance experienced live demonstrations, interactive displays, and had the opportunity to receive free health screenings for blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol.
Read MoreThe Chaldean Community Foundation hosted the Breakfast of Nations event on May 19. The event featured a panel of immigrant entrepreneurs who talked about the challenges of being an immigrant in the United States.
Panelists Wassem Ayar, Nicole Chen, and Amer Batal shared their unique migration stories, personal childhood anecdotes, and early experiences with entrepreneurship.
Read MoreA commission is looking to place a historical marker on 7 Mile Road, commemorating the businesses and people that contributed to a thriving neighborhood that was so popular it earned the distinction, “Chaldean Town.” We will be publishing photos from that historic era all this summer. The photos on this page were submitted by Heather Boji.
Read MoreWhen Fadi Y. Sitto found his calling, the switch was immediate. He would stop writing articles for magazines and press releases for corporate firms. He had no choice but to follow where his heart pulled him. He would become a poet.
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The First-Time Filmmaker Sessions Online Film Festival is proud to present The Great American Family, a documentary that sheds light on the injustices of the American criminal justice system. Directed, written, and produced by Weam Namou, this film tells the story of Dawn Hanna, who was sentenced to six years in federal prison for having conspired to send telecom equipment to Iraq during the sanctions.
Read MoreTommy Gasso, Senior VP of Commercial Lending for Community Financial Credit Union was named one of Crain’s Detroit Business 2023 Notable Leaders in Commercial Banking. Gasso joined Community Financial Credit Union in 2013, and in less than 10 years, grew its collective commercial portfolio from $20 million to $220 million, a sizable figure for the metro Detroit-based credit union.
Read MoreThe Learn with a Leader program, a partnership with the Chaldean Community Foundation and Wireless Vision, continued last month with a session focused on Creating Vision and Purpose as a Leader. It also included a presentation from CCF President Martin Manna about his personal journey. Future sessions for the program will detail important leadership skills and topics about Leading Culture, People Intelligence, and much more. The CCF is proud to partner with Wireless Vision to support our next generation of leaders.
Read MoreCCF’s Sharon Hannawa and Susan Smith were recognized by Habitat for Humanity Macomb at their Annual Women’s Luncheon on April 19 at the Italian American Cultural Society. The event focused on Women of Courage, with stories featuring some of the communities most courageous and brightest women. Sharon and Susan were instrumental in helping a family gain extra resources and led to a partnership between Habitat for Humanity-Macomb and the CCF.
Read MoreAs the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce celebrates its 20th year, the philanthropic arm of the Chamber, the Chaldean Community Foundation, reaches across Woodward to establish a presence on the ‘west side.’ The Corners, a property at Walnut Lake and Inkster Roads next to Market Square, will become the new Chaldean Community Center, housing administrative offices for the Foundation, Chamber offices, a gymnasium, a television and radio studio, classrooms, an amphitheater, and much more.
Read MoreIn 2017, the Trump administration escalated the deportation of Iraqi nationals, including many who had lived in the metro Detroit area for decades. These individuals had been convicted of felonies in the past, preventing them from becoming US citizens. They were here legally, but America under Trump didn’t want them.
Read MoreSonya Jamil was born just outside Baghdad, but her family moved here when she was very young – she can’t remember anything before the States. If she had grown up in the Middle East, her life would be very different, and she certainly wouldn’t have been the first Chaldean woman to become a law enforcement officer for Macomb County.
Read MoreIn this land of opportunity, you accept all help that comes your way. Scholarships are the path many immigrant students take to find their way to that ‘Holy Grail’ of a higher education degree. Scholarships, in varying shapes and sizes, are available to everyone, but students at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Sterling Heights may have a leg up when it comes to applying, thanks to the Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars Program.
Read MoreLike many northern, cool weather states, Michigan has lost population in recent census counts. The state has also seen its representation in Congress diminish, losing a seat in the latest census. But the state is not registering the worst outmigration in the nation or region, and its predicted population changes for coming decades paint a mixed picture, leaving open the search for causes and solutions.
Read MoreOn Saturday, March 18, Fr. Marcus Shammami and Fr. John Jaddou led a group of hikers to Saugatuck, Michigan for their annual Lenten hike. The day started off with Mass being celebrated at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Douglas, Michigan, before heading to Saugatuck Dunes State Park for a 4-hour, 6.2-mile hike along Lake Michigan. While the trails were cold and snowy, it did not stop the hikers from enjoying the peacefulness of the nature around them and soaking in Jesus every step of the way.
Read MoreIt has been proven, repeatedly and irrefutably, that fresh air and physical exercise do wonders for children’s physical and mental health, as well as their intellect, spirit, and overall happiness and well-being. However, with technology and social media consuming the lives of children, long gone are the endless bike rides and neighborhood-wide backyard games.
Read MoreThe Chaldean Community Foundation is offering a volleyball program for Grissom Middle School girls this summer. On April 19, the students had the opportunity to try on equipment that they will use during the summer camp. The equipment was generously donated by the Good Sports Foundation, an organization driving equitable access in youth sports and physical activity, by supporting children in high-need communities to achieve their greatest potential, on the field and in life.
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