OCTOBER 2019

Chaldeans bring different
views in appointed
positions
BY M. LAPHAM
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Southeastern Michigan has the
largest Chaldean population in
the country, and the largest outside
of Iraq. The second largest region,
San Diego, is a distant second. This
translates to an increased weight in
how the community is represented in
the State of Michigan’s government.
“Making sure the Chaldean community
engaged is a priority,” says Ghida
Dagher, Director of Appointments
for Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Currently, in the administration
two Chaldeans have been appointed
to key positions – Nadine Yousif Kalasho
and Grace Sesi.
Kalasho was appointed to the
Commission on Middle Eastern
American Affairs.
Housed in the Department of Licensing
and Regulatory Affairs, the
15-member Commission monitors,
evaluates, and provides recommendations
to the Governor and department
regarding issues facing the Middle-Eastern
American Community.
The Commission also works to enhance
economic opportunity, prevent
discrimination, and spread awareness
of Middle Eastern American culture.
An attorney, Kalasho is the president
and chief executive officer of
CODE Legal Aid, a nonprofit that
helps immigrants with legal counsel.
Putting herself on the frontlines of
the battle with ICE, she took on the
responsibility of trying to keep hundreds
of immigrants in the country. In
2017, she represented some Iraqi detainees
in their fight to avoid deportation
and helped win an extended stay.
Her appointment is an especially
important contribution given her experience
with the mass deportations.
Until recently, many people outside
Michigan were unaware of the mass
Chaldean detentions in Detroit. The
death of Jimmy Aldaoud, who was deported
to Iraqi and died there, made
national news, pushing Michigan into
the spotlight on the issue. The 41-yearold,
who had diabetes and severe mental
illness, had spent nearly his whole
life in Detroit until being deported. His
family said he died from lack of insulin.
Dagher says the deportation issue
is important to Governor Whitmer
and factored into the appointment.
Earlier this year the governor stopped
the sale of a state prison to the federal
government, which would have
acted as a detention center. At the
time CODE commented positively.
Kalasho succeeded Abe Munfakh
at the Commission.
Sesi was appointed to the Michigan
Board of Pharmacy. A licensed pharmacist,
the Troy native is the Greater
Detroit Area district leader for CVS
Health. She succeeded Nicole Penny,
whose term expired this past June.
These two appointments are part
of larger goal, for all groups in the
state to feel represented, according to
Dagher. She says the governor wants
“I would like to see
more diversity in
our appointments,
including Chaldeans.”
– GHIDA DAGHER, DIRECTOR
OF APPOINTMENTS
FOR GOVERNOR
GRETCHEN WHITMER
as many viewpoints as possible to
best reflect the state’s unique makeup.
This commitment sits well with the
woman in charge of appointments for
the Whitmer Administration.
“I would like to see more diversity
in our appointments, including
Chaldeans,” says Dagher. She says
more appointments may come in the
future, especially given Whitmer’s
history of working with the Arab
American Chaldean Council.
There are currently an estimated
160,000 Chaldeans in metro Detroit,
according to the Chaldean American
Chamber of Commerce, which
points out nearly two-thirds of Chaldean
households own one business
and 39 percent own two or more.
According to a March 2016 dBusiness
article, Chaldeans contribute
more than $10.7 billion annually to
Michigan’s economy.
28 CHALDEAN NEWS OCTOBER 2019