Mayor Hammoud announces partnership with Google, ACCESS to offer free career training and advancement for Dearborn residents

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Today, Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud announced a partnership with ACCESS and Google to connect 500 Dearborn residents with Google Career Certificates training and help job-seekers land good-paying, high-demand jobs in growing fields at no cost.

Mayor Hammoud stated, “This partnership will provide our residents with the tools and resources they need to achieve economic mobility and career success at no cost to them. By bringing Google Career Certificates to our community, we are not only providing access to valuable education and training, but expanding opportunity by connecting our residents to high paying jobs in future-driven industries.”

Built by experts at Google and vetted by national employers, the Google Career Certificates are available in the high-paying fields of cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management, user experience (UX) design, and now cybersecurity. The certificate can be completed affordably online in under six months of part-time study—with no degree or experience required.

To connect graduates directly to jobs, the Google Career Certificates program includes an employer consortium of over 150 companies—including Ford, Rocket Central, Verizon, and Google—that hire in the certificate fields.

As part of this partnership, ACCESS is taking an active role in administering and connecting residents to the Google certifications training opportunities through its Workforce Development Department, a Michigan Works agency.

ACCESS Youth & Education Director, Anisa Saboubah, stated, "Our commitment extends beyond just facilitating the program; we will offer personalized career consulting services to assist individuals in choosing the most suitable certification that aligns with their career aspirations. Through our holistic approach, which includes barrier removal, we will empower each participant to achieve their full potential, advance in their careers, and ultimately improve their economic status.”

Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google, stated, “Google wants to ensure workers in Michigan have access to the job training needed to unlock their full economic potential. Through our partnership with the City of Dearborn, we’re thrilled that more workers can access the Google Career Certificates to prepare them for well-paying, in-demand jobs in the state.”

More than 200,000 people have graduated from the Google Career Certificates program in the U.S. 75% of them report a positive career impact — such as a new job, higher pay or a promotion — within six months of completion.

Those interested in learning more about the career certificates or signing up should contact ACCESS by phone: 313-203-3925 or or by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Participants will need access to a computer, hand-held device or smartphone and the internet. If you do not have access to one or more of these tools, ACCESS can help. Participants must complete the certificate within 6 months. In addition to ACCESS’s program, those interested can enroll in the Google Career Certificates at grow.google/certificates.

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Dearborn’s Ford Community & Performing Arts Center opens art exhibit celebrating Arab American artists

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On Saturday, Sept. 16, the Padzieski Art Gallery will welcome a new exhibit titled “For the Love of Humanity”, which showcases the work of celebrated Arab American artists. The show, which features artwork from 10 distinct and diverse artists, is free of charge and runs through Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Dearborn Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave.

Participating artists include Dr. Anita Bates, Ilham Badreddine Mahfouz, Barbara Melnik Carson, Reem Taki, Graciela Bustos, Sunshine Durant, Haydar Alyassiry, Mohamed Fradi, Hussein Alshikakai, and Jean-Paul Aboudid. Opportunities for the community to interact with artists will take place on the following dates:

- Saturday, Sept. 23 from 2-4 p.m. with artist Haydar Alyassiry for a portrait workshop in the gallery
- Saturday, Oct. 28 from 1-3 p.m. to join the exhibiting artists present to discuss their work. The exhibit will close with a lecture by Dr. Anita Bates at 5 p.m.

The public is also invited to attend an opening reception at the gallery on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 5-8 p.m.

The Padzieski Art Gallery exhibits artwork from diverse groups of established and emerging artists. With an emphasis on building community, the gallery also hosts and promotes special events that foster interaction between artists, patrons of the arts and the general public.

Regular gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 12-6 p.m. and Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

For Padzieski Gallery information, visit PadzieskiGallery.org or call 313-943-2358.

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City of Dearborn previews recreation class options at upcoming Fall Fitness Day

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On Saturday, Sept. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center will be offering residents, patrons and those interested in participating in group fitness the opportunity to trial a series of classes as part of the new “Fall Fitness Day.”

A variety of options will be offered to anyone age 15 and older at $4 per class. Patrons intending to enroll in multiple classes can pay a $15 fee and sign up for as many classes as they wish.

To sign up for “Fall Fitness Day,” register by downloading the free Glofox app at the Apple App Store or at Google Play, and create a free account. See the QR code at: dearbornfordcenter.com/events/fall-fitness-day

Sean Fletcher, Director of Parks & Recreation stated, “We are excited to offer the community an opportunity to check out a variety of our fun and effective fitness classes. This is an effort to get people more involved in physical health, and it provides an opportunity for participants to determine if The Center and our classes are of interest to them.”

Classes offered include cycle, boot camp, body pump, core, step, Zumba, hustle, yoga, barre, body sculpt and foam roll, as well as a pair of aquatic offerings—water exercise and deep water exercise.

Space is limited for each class and early registration is encouraged.

Also, beginning Friday, Sept. 1, Parks & Recreation is rolling out a new way to register for programs, activities and facility rentals. Visit Dearbornparks.org to create an account and use the new registration tool.

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Dearborn residents invited to offer input on disaster recovery projects at upcoming public hearing

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The City of Dearborn will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 5 for residents to provide feedback on proposed amendments to the City’s Disaster Recovery Action Plan. The Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program action plan outlines the use of approximately $27 million in recovery funds allocated to the City by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) following the historic flooding in June 2021. Members of the public are invited to provide their input in writing through Thursday, Sept. 7.

The original action plan, which detailed the needs, strategies, and proposed uses of HUD dollars for disaster recovery, was approved by the federal agency in May 2023. The plan primarily recommends the implementation of infrastructure projects to decrease water from entering the stormwater system and mitigate stormwater runoff in the process. The proposal now has been expanded to include the following recommendations:

• Add approximately $10 million in additional funding to the CDBG-DR efforts
• Add an additional infrastructure project on Oakwood Blvd to assist with stormwater runoff
• Add an environmental project at Salina Elementary School for their Green Schoolyards Project
• Replace the proposed permeable pavement project with a green infrastructure initiative
• Provide personal flood clean up kits through the Dearborn Fire Department

The public hearing regarding the City’s most current action plan and its substantial amendment will take place at the Dearborn Administrative Center, 16901 Michigan Ave. at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5. Members of the community are invited to attend.

Any written comments on the proposed CDBG-DR Substantial Amendment must be received via email, by mail, or by fax before 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7. Comments may be mailed to the Economic Development Department, 16901 Michigan Ave., Suite 6 or emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Any feedback provided by fax should be directed to 313-943-2776.

The CDBG-DR Substantial Amendment can be viewed and downloaded at CityofDearborn.org/Disaster-Recovery. Copies of the plan may be requested at the Dearborn Administrative Center (DAC) or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The document is also posted at the following locations throughout the city:

• Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave.
• Bryant Library, 22100 Michigan Ave.
• Esper Library, 12929 W. Warren
• Dearborn Administrative Center, 16901 Michigan Ave.

Individuals with disabilities or language barriers who require special accommodation, auxiliary ads or services to respond to this notice should contact 313-943-3088. Reasonable advance notice of five days is required.

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