Government Agencies and Programs
The Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission's vision is to be an exemplary commission by adding public value to the State of Michigan and the APA community, by fully engaging APAs across the state
The Commission strives to market the state's career development services to Michigan Hispanics, encourage initiatives to reduce the high school dropout rates of Hispanic youth, and facilitate efforts to increase the enrollment of Hispanics in postsecondary education and training programs
The Michigan Immigrant and Refugee Council passionately embraces diversity, recognizing and celebrating the profound strength immigrants and refugees bring to the vibrant tapestry of Michigan. The council is unwavering in its dedication to cultivating a warm, inclusive environment that extends a heartfelt welcome to individuals from diverse backgrounds who have chosen Michigan as their new home.
The Michigan LGBTQ+ Commission, stands as a beacon of advocacy, inclusion and celebration for Michigan's diverse LGBTQ+ community. The commission's charge is to ensure equal representation, amplify voices and foster a state where everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, feels affirmed and valued.
The 15-member council will advise the department on issues relating to the Arab and Chaldean communities in Michigan and promote awareness of their culture and history
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
Vice Chair
Rebeka Islam emigrated from Bangladesh to the United States when she was 5 years old. After moving to the US, her family settled down in Hamtramck, a tiny city located on the outskirts of Detroit.
Growing up in a community consisting mostly of immigrants, Rebeka experienced first-hand how lack of opportunities and awareness, coupled with indifference and unresponsiveness from civic leaders was leaving her community behind.
The experience nurtured a strong desire to create positive change for immigrants and minority populations through community service. She has been doing this ever since.
She has worked relentlessly on behalf of Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) issues related to language access, immigrant rights, civil rights, economic empowerment, housing, public health, and voting rights.
For the past decade, Rebeka has worked with the Asian Pacific Islander American Vote MI (APIA VOTE- MI), starting as a youth intern and working her way up the ranks as the current Executive Director.
Under her leadership, the organization helped get a record number of AAPI residents to register and vote in the historic 2020 elections. In the past year alone, she has not only helped get AAPIs to the polls, but she has rallied against aggressive voter suppression efforts, and ensured that immigrant communities had access to voting resources in multiple translated languages.
