2022 -- S 2831
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LC004253
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S TATE OF RHODE IS L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022
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SEN A TE RES O LU TIO N
PROCLAIMING APRIL OF 2022, AS "ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH" IN THE
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
Introduced By: Senator Sandra Cano
Date Introduced: March 29, 2022
Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar
1 WHEREAS, Annually, National Arab American Heritage Month is celebrated in April in
2 order to enhance understanding of the nuanced and diverse aspects of Arab American heritage
3 and to pay tribute to the culture, history, and myriad achievements and contributions of Arab
4 Americans; and
5 WHEREAS, Arab migrants to the United States brought with them their resilient family
6 values, strong work ethic, dedication to education, and diversity in faith and creed that have
7 added strength to Rhode Island and our great democracy; and
8 WHEREAS, Historically, the first know Arabic-speaking person to make their home in
9 Rhode Island was David Saaty, who arrived in 1886. Today, the Arabic-speaking community in
10 the State has grown to include more than 12,000 persons, among them people from Syria,
11 Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, the Persian Gulf, and Egypt, both Muslims as well as Christians;
12 and
13 WHEREAS, Arab Americans have endured years of heightened hate crimes, bigotry, and
14 misunderstanding towards their community which make it imperative to use education and
15 information to dispel stereotypes, and embrace the power and beauty of diversity; and
16 WHEREAS, Arab Americans have made valuable contributions to virtually every aspect
17 of society, including medicine, law, business, technology, government, and culture and share the
18 common desire to see a peaceful and diverse society, where every individual is treated equally
19 and feels safe; now, therefore be it
1 RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby proclaims April of
2 2022, as Arab American Heritage Month and invites all Rhode Islanders to celebrate the
3 countless contributions that Arab Americans have made to Rhode Island and American society;
4 and be it further
5 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
6 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Thomas Lazieh, Coordinator of
7 the Rhode Island Arab America Foundation Heritage Month.
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