[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 28, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF HASSAN JABER'S OVER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE AS PRESIDENT 
                           AND CEO OF ACCESS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2021

  Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Hassan Jaber 
on the occasion of his retirement from The Arab Community Center for 
Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) after over 40 years of service to 
the organization. His contributions to the Arab American community in 
Michigan and across the country are significant and deserve to be 
recognized.
  Mr. Jaber was born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States in 
1977. He attended Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He 
worked at ACCESS for several years in various roles before ultimately 
serving as CEO and President. Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Jaber has 
sought to address the challenges facing Arab Americans. He has done 
this through collaborating with national foundations, think tanks, 
policy, civil rights, and advocacy organizations. A testament to his 
devotion to his heritage despite his busy schedule, he still found time 
to teach Arabic Language & Culture to students at the University of 
Michigan--Dearborn.
  Based in Dearborn, Michigan--the heart of the Arab American community 
in the United States--ACCESS is a nonprofit that honors Arab American 
heritage through community-building and service. They provide medical, 
public health, mental health, and other support services through their 
Community Health and Research Center. ACCESS also aids with employment 
services, citizenship preparation courses, youth programs, and 
philanthropy related to Arab American culture and community giving. The 
programs that they provide help so many of our neighbors each day and 
truly change the lives of the people they serve. Under Mr. Jaber's 
leadership ACCESS has grown from simple beginnings as a group of 
volunteers seeking to help the Arab immigrant population adapt to 
American life to a vast support system for Arab Americans from all 
walks of life. With Mr. Jaber at the helm, they opened the very first 
Arab American Museum in the nation.
  Those who know him know Mr. Jaber's integrity, empathy, and his 
endless quest for equity and justice. From my days serving on the Board 
at ACCESS I have personally experienced his compassion and wisdom and 
know how much he cares for the people of his community. He is a proud 
American, someone who is patriotic and is unafraid to show it. In his 
next role he will be as a consultant for ACCESS, focusing on national 
policy and advocacy and cultivating the next generation of Arab 
American leaders.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Hassan 
Jaber for four decades of service with ACCESS. His outstanding 
commitment to the Arab American community here in Dearborn and beyond 
has made all the difference. I join with Hassan's family, friends, and 
colleagues in extending my best wishes to him in his next role. His 
positive impact will be felt for years to come and we are beyond 
grateful for his leadership.