Our Board of Directors is deeply committed to building a nonprofit that not only serves the community, but is shaped by it.
We believe creating real, lasting change means challenging extractive models of nonprofit work. As a board, we center responsiveness to community needs, mental health and sustainability, and a commitment to deep, ongoing care in all that we do.
We see leadership as a responsibility to nurture-not manage-our collective vision for cultural preservation, justice, and healing.
Meet the board members helping guide this vision forward and learn more about the values, lived experiences, and movements that shape their leadership.
President
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President *
Jenin is a local artist and organizer based in Dearborn, Michigan. She had the idea in Aug 2020 and officially founded Al Sumoud Center in April 2021 to create a space where Arab and SWANA community members can build, heal, and organize on their own terms.
A graduate of the University of Michigan–Dearborn, Jenin has organized in Dearborn for 10 years around refugee inclusion, gender justice, feminism, and Palestinian liberation. She has always rooted in a deep commitment to collective care and grassroots power.
“When you love a place deeply, you want more for it, you want it to be safe, joyful, just, and whole. Al Sumoud is a tool to strengthen Dearborn, to heal what’s been neglected, and to remind us that we deserve more. We have everything we need to build the future we dream of together.”
Treasurer
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Treasurer *
Mohammed is a techie that has a passion for social justice. He earned an MBA and a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 2021. Since 2012 Mohammed has been involved in numerous causes that range from education and economic reform to empowerment of marginalized groups he belongs to. Nowadays, Mohammad uses his tech background to provide free internet and wifi set up services to low income families in the Metro Detroit area.
Board Member
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Board Member *
Dina is a University of Michigan - Dearborn graduate with a Health and Human Services degree.
“My passion for civic engagement and communal participation has driven me to be passionate in learning about the cultural richness Southeast Michigan has.”
With an undergraduate degree in Human Services, and an interest in Social Work, Dina has dedicated her college career to mental health and social health awareness.
Dina currently works as a case manager at ACCESS in which she has the opportunity to serve the Arab American population in the heart of Dearborn.
“From translating to conducting interpersonal services, I was able to develop a concise understanding of our community needs, and ways to narrow the communication barrier when serving the community.”
Board Member
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Board Member *
Dana is a Palestinian-American working in the field of international development. Her academic career focused on international peace and conflict resolution, with a concentration on Middle Eastern affairs. She has had extensive experience in activism, from Detroit to DC, and wishes to continue her fight for social justice, equality, and so on.
Board Member
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Board Member *
Beth is a Dearborn-based organizer who focuses on building networks of collective care. Her work builds on foundations of Mad liberation, carceral abolition, and mutual aid.
"No one enters violence for the first time by committing it"
- Danielle Sered
