MI Regional team
Counting Albanian Americans in Michigan.
NAR — the National Albanian Registry — is the community-led count. 85 counted in Michigan so far.
2 ambassadors organizing the count locally.
Director of Outreach
National outreach director.
Sets cross-state strategy and recruits state directors. Michigan's ambassadors report up here until a state-specific director is seated.
Iliriana Sela
Director of Outreach · National
Michigan ambassadors report to Iliriana.
Ambassadors in Michigan
Regional ambassadors on the ground.
-
Erold Merko
Regional Ambassador
NAR Treasurer. From Erseka; more than 20 years in financial services in Michigan.
-
Esti Gajda
Regional Ambassador
NAR founding engineer. Software engineer and digital marketer in Ann Arbor.
Why Michigan matters
A real count is where the work starts.
ACS 2024 estimate
26,598
Federal count
Community estimate
106,392–132,990
Methodology page
On NAR today
85
From Michigan
Capture rate
0.32%
vs. ACS
As Michigan's Albanian community becomes visible in the data systems institutions actually use, the recognition story gets stronger — for bilingual-ballot petitions in jurisdictions with significant limited-English Albanian populations, for hospital interpreter staffing, for school home-language reporting, and for university heritage programs. None of these unlock automatically from a count; they come from sustained organizing on top of one. The Census ACS stays the official federal source; NAR builds the parallel community count alongside it.
Michigan concentrations
Macomb County, Oakland County, metro Detroit
Michigan has the second-highest ACS count. Macomb County school districts already report Albanian as a top-five home language in some buildings — a credible community count strengthens the district-level case for translation services and home-language reporting.
Michigan ranks in the published ACS Albanian-ancestry counts at 26,598 (2024). Nationwide the Census counts 224,000 Albanian Americans while community estimates put us close to a million — and the same gap shows up here. NAR is the community-led parallel count that sits alongside the ACS, one self-attestation at a time.
What's happening in Michigan
4 upcoming events.
Festivals, services, fundraisers, and community gatherings the Michigan team is tracking.
- Wed, Jul 8 · 6:40 PM Sports
Detroit Tigers Albanian Heritage Night
Detroit Tigers Albanian Heritage Night at Comerica Park. Heritage jersey giveaway with Albanian flag colorway and double-headed eagle.
Comerica Park · Detroit
- Sat, Sep 5 · 12:00 PM Religious
St. Mother Teresa Feast Day Celebration
Annual Feast Day celebration honoring St. Mother Teresa at the largest Albanian Catholic parish outside the homeland.
St. Paul Albanian Catholic Church · Rochester Hills
- Sun, Sep 20 · 8:00 AM Fundraiser
St. Mother Teresa Memorial Golf Outing
Annual fall fundraiser at Saint Paul Albanian Catholic Church Rochester Hills, honoring the Albanian-born saint.
St. Paul Albanian Catholic Church · Rochester Hills
- Sat, Nov 28 · 7:00 PM Cultural
Festa e Flamurit (Albanian Flag/Independence Day)
Albanian Independence Day celebration at St. Paul Albanian Catholic Church, Rochester Hills MI. November 28 commemorates the 1912 declaration.
St. Paul Albanian Catholic Church · Rochester Hills
Organizations in Michigan
43 Albanian organizations.
Religious institutions, charities, schools, and cultural associations — free to list, claimable by the people who run them.
- ACTV — Albanian Community Television of Michigan Media
- Albanian American Business Women Organization Professional associations
- Albanian American Chamber of Commerce of Michigan Business & chambers
- Albanian American Cultural Chamber of Commerce (AACCC) Business & chambers
- Albanian American Law Student Association (AALSA) — Detroit Mercy Law Student & youth
- Albanian American Prek Cali Legacy Foundation Cultural & community
- Albanian American Radio Maria Inc Religious institutions
- Albanian American Student Organization (AASO) Global Student & youth
- Albanian American Student Organization at University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Student & youth
- Albanian Community of Michigan Cultural & community
- Albanian Professional Women (APW) Professional associations
- Albanian TV of America (ALBTVUSA) Media
- Albanian USA Festival (Albanian-American Festival at Hart Plaza) Cultural & community
- Albanian-American Bar Association of Michigan (AABAM) Professional associations
- Church Mother Teresa Kisha Nena Tereze Religious institutions
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Detroit Chapter, Albanian American National Organization (AANO) Cultural & community - Detroit Mercy Albanian American Student Organization (AASO) Student & youth
- Detroit United FC Sports clubs
- Drita SC (formerly Detroit Besa) Sports clubs
- Duka FC Sports clubs
- First Albanian Teqe Bektashiane In America Religious institutions
- Gjergj Kastrioti Scholarship Fund Education & Albanian schools
- Grand Valley State University Albanian American Student Organization (AASO GVSU) Student & youth
- Grupi Krenaria (Albanian folklore dance group of Metro Detroit) Cultural & community
- Jehona e Malësisë Cultural & community
- Michigan State University Albanian American Student Organization (AASO MSU) Student & youth
- Oakland University Albanian American Student Organization (AASO) Student & youth
- Our Lady of Albanians Parish (Kisha Katolike Zoja Pajtore e Shqiptarëve) Religious institutions
- Our Lady Of Albanians Parish Southfield Religious institutions
- Presidency of Albanian Muslim Community Centers in the United States and Canada Religious institutions
- Shkolla Shqipe "ABC" (Grand Rapids) Education & Albanian schools
- Shkolla Shqipe në Michigan (Troy) Education & Albanian schools
- Shoqata Atdhetare Kosova Cultural & community
- Shoqata Atdhetare Malësia e Madhe (Malesia e Madhe Association of Michigan) Cultural & community
- Shoqata Dukagjini (Michigan) Cultural & community
- Shoqata Kastrati Cultural & community
- Shoqata Lazerati Michigan Cultural & community
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St Paul Albanian Catholic Community Religious institutions - St. Thomas Albanian Orthodox Church Religious institutions
- The Albanian American Moslem Society Of Detroit Inc Religious institutions
- Think Albania Cultural & community
- University of Michigan-Dearborn Albanian American Student Organization (AASO UMD) Student & youth
- Wayne State University Albanian American Student Organization (AASO) Student & youth
Businesses in Michigan
18 Albanian-owned businesses.
Added by the owners themselves. Listing is free.
- Other
Plymouth, MI
Albanian-owned business in Plymouth, MI.
- Construction / trades
Bloomfield Hills, MI
Construction and trades business in Bloomfield Hills, MI.
- Professional services
Royal Oak, MI
Professional services business in Royal Oak, MI.
- Health & wellness
Troy, MI
Health and wellness business in Troy, MI.
- Construction / trades
Utica, MI
Construction and trades business in Utica, MI.
- Other
Westland, MI
Albanian-owned business in Westland, MI.
- Health & wellness
Flushing, MI
Health and wellness business in Flushing, MI.
- Construction / trades
Sterling Heights, MI
Construction and trades business in Sterling Heights, MI.
- Professional services
Plymouth, MI
Professional services business in Plymouth, MI.
- Health & wellness
Farmington, MI
Health and wellness business in Farmington, MI.
- Professional services
Novi, MI
Professional services business in Novi, MI.
- Professional services
Macomb, MI
Professional services business in Macomb, MI.
- Construction / trades
Macomb, MI
Construction and trades business in Macomb, MI.
- Other
Utica, MI
Albanian-owned business in Utica, MI.
- Restaurant / café
Sterling Heights, MI
Restaurant and café in Sterling Heights, MI.
- Professional services
Northville, MI
Professional services business in Northville, MI.
- Other
Oxford, MI
Albanian-owned business in Oxford, MI.
- Restaurant / café
Walled Lake, MI
Restaurant and café in Walled Lake, MI.
Apply
Join the Michigan team.
Each state seats up to three Regional Ambassadors plus one state outreach lead. Volunteer role. Listed publicly. Reimbursed expenses for one local event a year.
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