JANUARY 2024

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COVER STORY CN@20 continued from page 23 section of the paper called “In Our View,” about a (then) recently passed liquor bill that set a state minimum for pricing on liquor. This new law made it illegal for big box stores like Meijer and Costco to set their liquor prices any lower than the state minimum; a common practice that really hurt mom-andpop stores who couldn’t sell below cost. It was a victory for the Associated Food Dealers of Michigan (AFD), but as the 19-year-old article states, it wasn’t enough. The story went on to mention the need to raise the base discount (profit) store owners make on liquor sales from the static 17 percent it was then and still is now. That’s a fight the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce has taken on. A new bill which would raise the profit percentage from 17 to 35 is expected to be reviewed in January and may be in effect, at least in some form, as early as spring. Advocacy is a journey; sometimes it takes decades. Another notable story in the first January issue detailed the opening of Shenandoah Country Club, a staple of the community that has weathered some storms and come out on top. Subsequent issues followed the organization’s evolution and expansion and eventual development into a private club. A 2011 issue highlighted the year-old partnership between the CN and the Jewish News, a program that knit the two groups and formed a relationship that exists to this day. In 2015, the CN did a spread on Jacob Bacall’s book, Chaldeans in Detroit. The tome was a definitive look at the developing Chaldean community in southeast Michigan, and a veritable photo album of the warm and rich culture that immigrants brought from their homeland and continue to celebrate here. Owning the paper meant controlling the narrative. “I think the paper united the community, informed the community, and engaged the community,” reflected Garmo. “We brought awareness on several key issues such as the 2014 [ISIS] invasion in Iraq, something that other media was not covering in depth at the time.” Above: The 2005 story chronicles the opening of Shenandoah Country Club. Right: The 2011 article highlights the partnership with the Jewish community through the Jewish News. A personal triumph for Garmo was when one of the readers contacted her after the paper published a story on abortion. The reader, a teenager, was pregnant and wanted to keep the baby but didn’t know what to do. Garmo hooked her up with resources and, just last summer, finally met the “baby” whose life was impacted because of her intervention. “It brought such joy to my heart,” Garmo shared. “I think the most positive thing about the CN’s history is the job it did telling individual, often heroic, sometimes tragic, stories of our community,” says Sarafa. “There is so much talent, so much growth, so many great organizations, so many good people and positive stories that the Chaldean News was a repository for. Taken together, the 20 years of publications are like a written history of the community over those years.” One article that Sarafa remembers well has to do with the child abuse scandal/cover up in the Catholic Church. Amid the controversy, he called for Pope Benedict to resign. “It was pretty raw,” recalls Sarafa. “Calling for the Pope to resign caused a scandal in the community and a lot of heartache for my partners, which I regretted.” Pope Benedict later did resign, although for different reasons. In 2019, the publication had reached a crossroads. It had just started receiving enough ad revenue to operate in the black, and its shareholders were considering their options, including converting to a nonprofit or selling to other investors. The Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) purchased the paper in August of that year. According to an article in Crain’s Detroit Business, Martin Manna said of the purchase, “We felt it made the most sense to remain a community publication, run by a community foundation.” The CCF made some investments in the Chaldean News, expanding its digital offerings and scope and is currently developing an app. “It’s a paper for the digital age,” says Manna. “We’re on the forefront of new media, and we are excited to see where it takes us.” Plans are in place to create a working studio for the Chaldean News inside CCF West, a project in West Bloomfield that is still in its preliminary stages but is expected to be completed by late next year. There will be space for taping CNTV segments and recording podcasts as well as editing suites and a stage for live broadcasts. “We are doing it right,” says Manna, who has tasked his team with touring local studios and creating a “wish list” for the new building. (He gave no guarantees to staff, however.) Even as the CN embraces the future, there’s still attention being paid to the past. In addition to historical photos that are becoming a regular feature, recently, the CN introduced Arabic versions of some of their stories. “It feels like home for some people,” says Manna, “and we want to encourage that.” Over the years, the Chaldean News expanded its scope, embracing technological advancements to reach a wider audience through digital platforms, transcending geographical boundaries to connect Chaldeans worldwide. This publication continues to play a pivotal role in preserving the Chaldean heritage, fostering unity, and serving as a bridge between the diaspora and the ancestral homeland, reflecting the resilience and vibrant spirit of the Chaldean community. “I am so proud of how far the Chaldean News has come,” says Antone. “It is a treasure for the entire Chaldean community.” 24 CHALDEAN NEWS JANUARY 2024
JANUARY 2024 CHALDEAN NEWS 25
Page 1 and 2: VOL. 12 ISSUE IX PASSIONS FLARE IN
Page 3 and 4: AMERICA’S LARGEST ARAB AND CHALDE
Page 5 and 6: Building Business Advocacy Building
Page 7 and 8: METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY |
Page 9 and 10: AWARD-WINNING ATTORNEY ALEXANDER A.
Page 11 and 12: PUBLISHER'S CIRCLE Join the Publish
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Page 17 and 18: There are enough things out there g
Page 19 and 20: YOUR Therapy can be a big step towa
Page 21 and 22: CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Educa
Page 23: and something that would get people
Page 27 and 28: CALLING ALL MICHIGAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Page 29 and 30: to persecute Christians in the area
Page 31 and 32: 3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights,
Page 33 and 34: CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION NOW ENROLLI
Page 35 and 36: Creating beautiful smiles for life
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Page 39 and 40: “H H H H H UNMISSABLE AND UNFORGE
Page 41 and 42: WE ARE HIRING Do you possess a pass
Page 43 and 44: استذكار رواد الصحا
Page 45 and 46: PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESS

JANUARY 2024

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