| R 278 |
| 2021 -- H 6350 Enacted 05/19/2021 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING APRIL OF 2021, AS "ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives McLaughlin, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Filippi, and Kennedy |
| Date Introduced: May 19, 2021 |
| WHEREAS, Annually, National Arab American Heritage Month is celebrated in April in |
| order to enhance understanding of the nuanced and diverse aspects of Arab American heritage |
| and to pay tribute to the culture, history, and myriad achievements and contributions of Arab |
| Americans; and |
| WHEREAS, Arab migrants to the United States brought with them their resilient family |
| values, strong work ethic, dedication to education, and diversity in faith and creed that have |
| added strength to Rhode Island and our great democracy; and |
| WHEREAS, Historically, the first know Arabic-speaking person to make their home in |
| Rhode Island was David Saaty, who arrived in 1886. Today, the Arabic-speaking community in |
| the State has grown to include some 6,000 to 7,000 persons, among them people from Syria, |
| Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, the Persian Gulf, and Egypt, both Muslims as well as Christians; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, Arab Americans have endured years of heightened hate crimes, bigotry, and |
| misunderstanding towards their community which make it imperative to use education and |
| information to dispel stereotypes, and embrace the power and beauty of diversity; and |
| WHEREAS, Arab Americans have made valuable contributions to virtually every aspect |
| of society, including medicine, law, business, technology, government, and culture and share the |
| common desire to see a peaceful and diverse society, where every individual is treated equally |
| and feels safe; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| proclaims April of 2021 as Arab American Heritage Month and invites all Rhode Islanders to |
| celebrate the countless contributions that Arab Americans have made to Rhode Island and |
| American society; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Thomas Lazieh, Coordinator of |
| the Rhode Island Arab America Foundation Heritage Month. |
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| LC002715 |
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