Loading ...25 Arab Americans Who Stole the Spotlight in 2016
BY: Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer
Arab Americans enjoyed several major accomplishments this year that were felt among the entire community. Arab Americans broke barriers in the fields of entertainment, politics, and medicine. They won massive awards, saw their dreams come true, and improved society. Below are the 25 most popular positive stories that stood out to readers this year.
1. Rami Malek
Rami Malek, star of the USA program Mr. Robot, won Best Actor in a Drama Series, one of the most prestigious awards, at the Emmys this year. He was the first minority to win Best Actor in a Drama Series since the 1998 Emmys. He was also the first Arab American to ever win an Emmy in the category.
2. Sam Esmail
Sam Esmail, creator and writer of the hit USA television series Mr. Robot, won Best TV Series, Drama at the Golden Globes early this year. Esmail, a brilliant Egyptian American thanked his family in Arabic while accepting the award.
3. Amal Clooney
Amal Clooney, the human rights lawyer from Lebanon, made many headlines this year discussing Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, the Syria crisis, and the state of refugees in Lebanon. However, it was the “damning” speech she delivered at the United Nations that made her shine this year. She spoke to UN delegates, accusing them of failing to prevent Yazidi genocide and stopping the Islamic State.
4. Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid earned herself the International Model of the Year award, the highest honor in the modeling industry. This year, Gigi has also snagged several top jobs in the fashion industry. She walked the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, hosted the American Music Awards, and earned the most Instagram followers of any other users.
5. Mona Hanna-Attisha
Mona Hanna-Attisha, M.D. has risen to national recognition as the “whistleblower” for the Flint Water Crisis. As a pediatrician, her research found that 8,000 to 10,000 children in Flint have been exposed to lead through Flint water. This year, she has appeared on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, Crain’s Detroit Business 100 Most Influential Women in Michigan, and TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. She was also the recipient of the Community Leader and Physician of the Year award from the Arab American Heritage Council.
6. Tom Barrack
Tom Barrack, a successful Lebanese American businessman and friend of Donald Trump, made an inspiring speech at the Republican National Convention this summer. He also served as an economic advisor to the Trump campaign before the election, and is currently Chair of the Inaugural Committee, which plans the events surrounding Trump’s inauguration.
7. Ryan Kalil
Ryan Kalil, a Lebanese American football player and the center for the Carolina Panthers, found himself at Super Bowl 50 this year. Although the Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos, Kalil and his family enjoyed the Super Bowl experience.
8. Laith Al-Saadi
Laith Al-Saadi was one of the finalists on the hit music competition television series, The Voice, where he was specially commended for his bluesy voice and talented guitar stylings. Although he didn’t win, he won the hearts of many American viewers who loved his authentic performances and mild Middle Eastern influences.
9. Yasmine Al Massri
Quantico star Yasmine Al Massri has had an extroadinary year of rising to fame, speaking at the United Nations, covering magazines, and fearlessly speaking about Palestinian and refugee issues. She became a role model for Arab American women looking to enter the television industry and an outspoken advocate for improving the Arab American image.
10. Tom Lazieh
Former Mayor Thomas Lazieh shocked America when he won the Central Falls, R.I., Ward 5 council seat by only one vote. Six recounts were required before he was declared the winner three weeks after the November 8 election.
11. Sherrie Miday
Sherrie Mikhail Miday (D-OH), a first-generation Coptic-Egyptian-American lawyer born in Cleveland, Ohio became the first elected official in U.S. history of Egyptian origin on November 8, 2016. She defeated a judge whose father and grandfather were judges in the same court for decades.
12. Abdullah Hammoud
The 26-year-old Abdullah Hammoud (D-MI) won nearly 62% of the vote against his Republican opponent, who was a WWE wrestler nicknamed “Rhyno”. Hammoud is now representing the city of Dearborn, which has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the country.
13. Ilhan Omar
Ilhan Omar (D-MN), a former refugee, broke barriers when she became the first Arab American state representative in Minnesota, first Somali American elected official in the country, and the first American Muslim woman to be elected to Minnesota’s state legislature. She was also the victim of anti-Muslim rhetoric shortly after being elected, proving that she is needed now, more than ever, in lawmaking.
14. Khairuldeen Makhzoomi
Khairuldeen Makhzoomi, an Iraqi refugee and senior at the University of California, Berkley, was on a flight from Los Angeles to Oakland on April 6. While boarding the flight Makhzoomi spoke on the phone with his uncle who lives in Baghdad in his native language, Arabic, and was quickly kicked off the flight for doing so. His case swept the nation, with media outlets calling for better understanding and awareness of Arabic speakers.
15. Yousef Erakat
YouTube star Yousef Erakat has been a sensation since starting his channel fouseyTUBE in 2011. This year, he was embarked on a world tour with fellow YouTuber Roman Atwood and appeared in his first feature film, Boo! A Madea Halloween, in a role written for him by Tyler Perry.
16. Miss USA contestants
Two Arab American women were representing their states at the Miss U.S.A. contest this year. Nadia Mejia, Miss California (right), is of Lebanese and Ecuadorian descent. Zena Malak, Miss Illinois (left), is a first generation American with Egyptian and Lebanese immigrant parents. Neither contest won the crown, but their involvement in the pageant shows a level of diversity that is often missing from national platforms.
17. Olympic Athletes
The Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro saw at least five Arab American athletes this year. 1) Farida Abu-Zeida, a team handball player from Egypt. 2) Alex Naddour, a gymnast of Lebanese descent. 3) Adam El-Zoghby, a team handball player from Egypt. 4) Zain Shaito, a pentatholonist of Lebanese descent. 5) Mona Shaito, a fencer of Lebanese descent.
18. Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader graced the headlines multiple times this year. In June, he was inducted into the Auto Hall of Fame for his legendary seatbelt initiative, which has saved thousands of lives. In July, it was announced that he would receive the 2017 Gandhi Peace Prize for his social activism. And throughout the year, he was a thought-provoking commentator on the presidential elections.
19. Jim Zogby
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders chose Arab American Institute president, Jim Zogby, to sit on the DNC platform-writing committee this year. Zogby was an outspoken advocate for Palestinian human rights on the committee, garnering many headlines about the Democratic Party’s direction on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
20. Rami Kashou
Palestinian American designer Rami Kashou was chosen to celebrate Palestinian heritage at the United Nations for the month of December. He created a fashion exhibit called Palestinian Embroidery: Threads of Continuity, Identity and Empowerment, which featured embroidered dresses and clothing at the world’s top international forum.
21. Susan Muaddi Darraj
Arab American author Susan Muaddi Darraj picked up a major accolade. Her short story collection “A Curious Land: Stories from Home” received a 2016 American Book Award. Darraj set her collection in a fictitious Palestinian village on the West Bank that she named Tel al-Hilou. She was one of only 16 authors to win the award.
22. Oday Shakar
Oday Shakar’s stunning collection for spring/summer 2017 inspired by Middle Eastern art, Arabic calligraphy and geometric prints aroused an outpouring of oohs, aahs and raucous applause at New York Fashion Week. Moving to New York only this summer, Shakar hit the ground running, developing and producing everything in the city.
23. Alia Malek
The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture presented the 2016 Hiett Prize in the Humanities to journalist and civil rights attorney Alia Malek this year. Born in Baltimore to Syrian immigrants, Malek worked as a civil rights attorney in Washington and the Middle East before embarking on a journalism career focused on the people of war-torn Syria, refugees and migrants.
24. Noor Tagouri
Noor Tagouri, a 22-year-old West Virginian broadcast journalist with Libyan roots, appeared in the October issue of the legendary men’s magazine, Playboy, under the theme “Renegades.” As the news flew across social media, she received a torrent of criticism, opening a debate among U.S. Muslims who’ve lobbied for years to be included in mainstream media and pop culture.
25. Dr. Huda Y. Zoghbi
Dr. Huda Y. Zoghbi, a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular and Human Genetics, Neurology and Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine received the richest award in science, the Breakthrough Prize. Zoghbi, 61, grew up in Beirut, speaking Arabic, English and French. Heartbroken by the deaths around her, Zoghbi joined the medical field and researched the rarest of rare brain disorders.
