Al Sumoud (الصمود) means steadfastness : a core value in our culture and our organizing.
Al Sumoud Center is an Arab-led nonprofit based in Dearborn, Michigan. We are building a community-rooted, artist-powered, and abolitionist-aligned space dedicated to uplifting SWANA culture, collective care, and political education.
We believe in a future where our people have the resources, tools, and spaces we need to thrive..without permission, gatekeeping, or institutional control.
Our Vision.
Tangible & Transformative
If we could build without barriers, we envision a space that truly reflects the needs and creativity of our community.
Here’s what we’re working toward:
A permanent building in Dearborn that serves as a movement home: a place where cultural work, healing, and organizing can happen freely and safely.
Physical gathering spaces available for the community to use-free or low-cost-for:
Organizing meetings
Political education workshops
Film screenings
Panel discussions
Theater performances
Cultural festivals and poetry nights
An open-access art studio for local SWANA artists to create, host workshops, and display their work without needing institutional approval or credentials.
A community dance studio for Dabkeh, performance rehearsals, movement workshops, and cultural practice, prioritizing women, nonbinary, and queer artists.
The People’s Café (Kahwa Sha‘bi), a non profit cafe that reflects Arab hospitality, to gather, build relationships, and hold conversations over drinks that carry ancestral significance. Proceeds of Cafe would help sustain Al Sumoud Center’s programs.
A shared community kitchen where local cooks, and aspiring food workers can host pop-ups, experiment with recipes, and collaborate on community meals or food justice projects.
Teach-in and training rooms for abolitionist organizing, gender justice work, and survivor-centered responses to harm.
Dedicated healing and care spaces for rest, reflection, and community care—offering everything from support circles and journaling nights to skill-sharing and cultural rituals.