MARCH 2024

Her Story
Chaldean women making history
BY SARAH KITTLE
In the tapestry of history, the contributions of
remarkable women often remain woven in the
shadows, their stories hidden beneath layers of
time, patterns, and societal norms. Yet, within the
rich and vibrant cultural heritage of the Chaldean
community, a garment of strength, resilience, and
empowerment emerges; one adorned with the narratives
of extraordinary women who have defied expectations
and altered the weave.
Standing on her shoulders
“I’m waiting for the day when we don’t use the word
‘first’ when talking about Chaldean women,” said Honorable
Hala Jarbou, the first Chaldean judge to sit on the
federal bench. “I want to hear, ‘Here’s another Chaldean
judge, or here’s another Chaldean fill-in-the-blank’.”
Jarbou recalled being one of only three Chaldean
students in her class in law school and is gratified
now to hear friends and family talk about their kids
(or their cousins) who are attending or have attended
law school and medical school. “It’s amazing how far
we’ve come,” she said.
Jarbou followed Jane Shallal to the US Attorney’s
Office and Diane D’Agostini to the bench. “We stand
on their shoulders,” Jarbou remarked, including her
mother and female relatives and all the Chaldean
women who came before. “They know the word ‘sacrifice’
very well.”
“Most of our mothers did not have a fraction of
the opportunities that we have had, yet their wisdom,
faith and strength permeate in their daughters,” said
Honorable Judge Diane (Dickow) D’Agostini, the first
elected Chaldean judge in the US. “When I graduated
high school, people actually questioned my mom
about why she would allow us to go to college, as it
was rare in the ‘80s for Chaldean girls.”
I imagine her mother’s response, at least internally,
went something like, “Try to stop her!”
“Those moments stay with me,” added D’Agostini.
“Being an immigrant made me more driven,” said
Jaclyn (Lossia) McQuaid, a by-any-definition highly
successful automobile engineer who heads up GM
in Europe. “When you have no established network,
you have to make things happen yourself.”
Her primary goal, she revealed in an interview a
few years ago, is to show all young people, regardless
of gender, ethnicity, social class, or physical ability, that
they can take their passion and make a career out of
it. As a young girl, McQuaid dreamt of designing roller
coasters; she ended up being involved in automobile
design at a pivotal time in the history of the industry.
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a pediatrician, professor
and public health advocate who gained widespread recognition
for her role in exposing the Flint water crisis.
In “An Open Letter to Fellow Chaldeans,” composed
in fall of 2020, Dr. Attisha wrote, “With all the
hateful stereotypes percolating about immigrants today
and a corrosion of the American Dream, it is important
for us to tell our story of American success. We
are immigrants engaged, active, prominent and effective
in our communities, and have been for decades.
“Understanding my role in Flint and how I see
the world is also about understanding who I am and
where I came from. My immigrant story – complete
with the Arabic I spoke at home, our food, culture
and social justice heritage – is unapologetically and
proudly part of who I am. In a sense, it’s my superpower
that has given me a heightened antenna for
injustice and the courage to fight for justice.”
A sensitivity to injustice comes with the territory
for a people who have been driven from their homeland
through persecution and terror. Dr. Attisha
summed up her philosophy simply with, “My parents
raised me never to look away.”
That speaks to the core of what it means to be accountable,
something that Renee Tomina, Senior VP
with the Project Management Office at DTE, says is crucial
for a good leader, along with the ability to inspire
and to be totally authentic with your subordinates.
“Authenticity – it’s the key to building strong,
trusting relationships,” said Tomina. “This involves
being vulnerable and letting your team see and know
the ‘real you’...and having the courage to make the
tough decisions.”
“An effective leader cares more about being respected
for their decisions rather than being popular
for their decisions,” said D’Agostini.
Jarbou, who calls D’Agostini “a trailblazer,” said,
“I don’t like the word ‘leader’ or being designated as a
leader because the way I look at it, I just do things the
way they should be done.” If she must be classified as
a leader, Jarbou strives to be a servant leader, one who
would get down in the trenches to help her staff. It is
about trust—trusting your people to do the right thing
and then having their backs when they need support.
Soft strength
“Women are strong. Our mothers and grandmothers
and great-grandmothers grew up in villages without
running water and look how much they accomplished!”
said Jarbou. “You have to put it in perspective. We have
the luxury of living in the United States where there are
so many opportunities and so many privileges. And the
Chaldean culture installs a really strong work ethic.”
“I think there is something inherent in the Chaldean
culture, especially for women, that drives us
to be strong, disciplined and have a passion for not
26 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2024