Meet Weam Namou of Chaldean Cultural Center

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Weam Namou. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Weam below.

Weam, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
In Baghdad, I was the only Christian student in my classroom. We lived in Iraq, a Muslim country which, back then, was Baathist too. As non-Muslim, non-Baathists, we had a lot of disadvantages. I watched my family quietly maneuver through life to survive an oppressive regime and secretly leave Iraq.

I arrived in the United States at age ten, and in elementary school, my younger brother and I were the only ones born in the Middle East. The neighborhood had no one who looked, spoke, or cooked like us.

Having been “different” from the start, I had to accept myself and make the best of what I had. The only thing that mattered was my dedication to quality work. I paid attention to my grades, my behavior, who I was inside, and what things I could control on the outside. Looking back, I see how this gave me inner confidence and the freedom to pursue what I wanted without letting my gender, color, religion, or ethnicity get in the way.

So, when I enrolled in film school and was the only girl in the classroom, it did not affect how I performed. I focused on my work. Whenever I was in situations where no one looked like me, I focused on my work. I spoke through my work. I learned that was a compelling language.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m an author and filmmaker who, since 2019, has led a nonprofit organization called the Chaldean Cultural Center (CCC), which houses the world’s first and only Chaldean Museum. The museum has five galleries; each time I walk through them, I feel transported to my ancestral land. I feel a strong sense of belonging. Chaldeans are neo-Babylonians who still speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus. They trace their roots to ancient Mesopotamia. Due to perpetual wars, genocides, and oppression, their numbers have dwindled over the centuries. Today, Metro Detroit has the world’s largest population of Chaldeans, with more than 187,000 people.

Although the CCC was established in 2003, its museum did not open until 2017. The museum serves as a permanent home for the history and archival collection of the Chaldean people, the preservation of which is paramount given that Chaldea (Chaldean’s land of origin) no longer exists. We’re excited that the museum is moving to a larger location in West Bloomfield with other Chaldean organizations, allowing us to serve more people through education, to expand our programs, and to include a new “Genocide Gallery.” To be part of the new museum, feel free to contact us!

The CCC has had a tremendous impact on the local Chaldean community of Michigan, Chaldeans elsewhere in the United States, and Chaldeans in places as far away as Argentina, Austria, India, and Iraq.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Hard work, patience, and respect were the qualities that most impacted my journey and have helped me with my personal and professional life.

The hard work I’m talking about includes physical labor and mental, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual pursuits. It is a mindset that values effort, dedication, and a strong work ethic in achieving success and personal fulfillment. It involves perseverance and a willingness to push through challenges and setbacks rather than making excuses. Hard work is not limited to the years you study at a university but to hands-on experience. It is courage to say “No” to people, places, and things that do not serve your long-term pursuits.

Patience is especially essential for creatives who are often misunderstood, undisciplined, and unfocused. Remaining calm and composed in the face of difficulties, delays, or challenges helps you stay in power. Tolerating or enduring situations without becoming frustrated, anxious, or impulsive allows you to let things take time to unfold and manifest. As Billy Ocean sings, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

Respect means recognizing and valuing the worth, dignity, and rights of oneself and others. It involves treating others with courtesy, kindness, and consideration, regardless of their background, beliefs, or differences. Be mindful of your words and actions, and avoid behaviors that may belittle, demean, or harm others. Don’t be a “Miss (or Mr.) Know-it-All,” and instead, keep an open heart and mind so you can learn from the lives of others.

Self-respect is an important aspect of respect. It means recognizing your worth, setting healthy boundaries, and practicing self-care. This is often difficult for women who feel they must put aside their needs and nurture everyone around them. Work intensely on yourself so you can be the best version of yourself there is. I worked for years on issues from past traumas that led me to embrace who I am as a wife, mother, writer, and leader. When I did that, my work blossomed, and I became a better person for myself, my family, and my community.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
One day, a customer at the video store where I worked randomly gave me a book called “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind.” This was the first book of its kind that I read.

I was in my 20s, and the book drew me in from the beginning. Murphy’s clear and concise explanation of the intricate workings of the subconscious mind provided a treasure of techniques and exercises to channel its immense power. From visualization and affirmations to the art of self-suggestion, you can find strategies to take control of your thoughts and, ultimately, your life.

An important takeaway from this book is the understanding that our subconscious mind is constantly at work, influencing our thoughts and behaviors. By becoming aware of our subconscious programming, we can rewire and reprogram it with positive and empowering beliefs. This realization alone has transformed the way I approach challenges, enabling me to replace limiting beliefs with empowering ones that align with my goals and aspirations.

Dr. Murphy writes that there are three steps to success. The first step to success is to find out the thing you love to do, then do it. The second step to success is to specialize in some particular branch of work and know more about it than anyone else. The third and most important step is that your desire must not be selfish; it must benefit humanity. A complete circle must be formed so that the thing that you want does not rebound to your success only. If it is to benefit yourself only, the circle is not formed and “you may experience a short circuit in your life which may consist of limitation or sickness.”

Contact Info:

 

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
Beating Burnout

Often the key to having massive impact is the ability to keep going when others

Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,