Detroit Evening Report: Dearborn mayor, city win national climate award for public health efforts
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” podcast.
The city of Dearborn was recognized for a 2024 Mayors Climate Protection Award at the U.S. Conference of Mayors for its work on public health and climate policy.
Mayor Abdullah Hammoud was one of 13 mayors to be recognized for leadership in climate policy.
Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.Ali Abazeed, chief public health officer for the city of Dearborn, says the award recognized the department’s hard work over the past two years.
“For taking a comprehensive approach and a comprehensive look at all of our city policy, ordinances, programs and procedures related to climate, which is basically the essence of what the public health department does. And so it’s really exciting to see this public health model of governance that we’re piloting here in Dearborn get some national recognition for that work,” he said.
Abazeed says the department’s goal is to build a culturally competent health department tailored for the city of Dearborn and its unique demographics.
In a statement last week, Hammoud said ensuring Dearborn residents have the tools to face climate challenges is a “top priority” for his administration. Dearborn was one of six cities with a population over 100,000 to be recognized nationwide by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Full descriptions of the 2024 Mayors Climate Protection Awards winning programs can be found at USMayors.org. Other headlines for Monday, July 1, 2024:- The Detroit teachers union overwhelmingly approved a new two-year contract with Detroit Public Schools Community District over the weekend — the first time in nearly three decades the union has ratified a contract before the start of the school year, Chalkbeat Detroit reports.
- WSU Alumni 4 Palestine says they sent two letters to the Wayne State University Board of Governors prior to the board meeting last week — the first demanding divestment and disclosure of investments, and the second showing solidarity with Students for Justice in Palestine.
- The mental health advocacy group Peer Minds is hosting an event, “Breaking the Silence: Mental Health Awareness in the Muslim & Arab Community,” from 5 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 7, at the Qahwah House in West Dearborn.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
