By Myesha Johnson
Tribune News Service
Ismael Ahmed, a pioneering Arab American leader who helped reshaped community services, cultural institutions and led civil rights advocacy in Michigan, has died.
Word of his passing Saturday prompted an outpouring of tributes from cultural and civic leaders who described him as a builder and bridge-maker across communities.
Ahmed was the founder and longtime executive director of ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Service).
“Ismael was a dear friend to so many, with a long and distinguished career dedicated to public service and community. He helped shape ACCESS in its earliest days, played a key role in its growth, and served as a longtime Executive Director,” said ACCESS President and CEO Maha Freij in a post on Facebook.
“The impact of his contributions to ACCESS, our community, and the State of Michigan cannot be overstated,” Freij said.
A lover of music, Ahmed co-founded the Concert of Colors in 1993 and helped build it into a long-running multicultural festival. He also shared global music as the host of a WDET radio show.
“Our mission is to bring people together,” Ahmed told The Detroit News in 2016. “There is a sense of urgency in Detroit that we really have to bring together the cultures and the communities.”
The Concert of Colors called Ahmed “our shining light” in a Facebook post, and said he “leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of music, dance, and cultural connection that brought communities together and celebrated the richness of our shared humanity.”
Rev. Horace L. Sheffield III, CEO of DABO Detroit, recalled Ahmed as “a great friend, collaborator, and social justice fighter,” citing their shared advocacy following the killing of Vincent Chin and opposition to the Dearborn Parks ban.
“Ismael Ahmed was always concerned about the marginalized,” Sheffield said.
Noting that Ahmed also played a key role in co-launching the Arab American National Museum and served on its advisory board for many years, the American Arab Chamber of Commerce called Ahmed “a foundational leader whose vision, generosity, and lifelong commitment to justice helped shape the Arab American community and the broader civic fabric of our nation.”
Ahmed’s public service extended into state and national leadership.
He served as a director at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services under Gov. Jennifer Granholm, becoming the first Arab American to hold one of Michigan’s most significant cabinet-level roles.
He later returned to his alma mater, the University of Michigan-Dearborn, as an associate provost, and was appointed to the National Council on the Arts by President Joe Biden.
Nasser Beydoun, chairman of the Arab Civil Rights League, issued a statement calling Ahmed “a giant in our community whose life was defined by service, compassion, and an unshakable commitment to human dignity.
“He built institutions that cared for people when they needed it most and inspired generations to believe that justice, equity, and community are not ideals, but obligations.”
The Detroit News chose Ahmed as one of its 1994 Michiganians of the Year.
“Ahmed’s intensity about issues and his concern for others is hard to match. … His ability to go over, around and through barriers to accomplish a goal is what makes him so good at what he does,” the accompanying article said.
“But as zealous as he is, Ahmed has the knack of being a moderator and peacemaker. He is at his best when it comes to tearing down walls between ethnic groups.”
Ahmed is survived by his wife, Margaret, their children and grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Concert of Colors.
