; Whereas, according to Census Bureau data, Arabic is one of the fastest-growing languages in the United States, and Arab American journalists, newspaper editors, and writers have informed their communities and others in Arabic and English, adding to the body of American literature and reporting beginning with Nabeeb and Ibrahim Arbeely, editors of the first Arab American newspaper, Kawkab Amirka, the distinguished writer of the first Arab American novel, The Book of Khalid , Ameen Rihani, the renowned poet, writer, and artist, author of The Prophet , among his other numerous writings, and founder of the Pen Bond writers, the beloved writer Kahlil Gibran, the late New York Times reporter Anthony Shadid, White House Press Corps Correspondent Helen Thomas (recognized by the World Almanac as one of the 25 most influential women in America), poet and writer Naomi Shihab Nye, novelist Diana Abu-Jaber, and hundreds more; Whereas Arab American women have provided excellent role models such as Emmy-winning actor Marlo Thomas, actress Kathy Najimy, Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, artist and poet Etel Adnan, National Public Radio host Diane Reim, and the doctor who raised awareness that children were being poisoned by lead in Flint, Michigan, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, plus all the women previously mentioned and thousands of other accomplished women not herein listed; Whereas National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM) is necessary to address the misconceptions, misinformation, Arabophobia, anti-Arabism, and discrimination against Arab Americans by celebrating their accomplishments and providing factual information about Arab American culture and persons and the need for public education, awareness, and policies that are culturally competent when describing, discussing, and addressing the impacts of being Arab American in all aspects of American society