Arab American Institute

The Arab American Institute organizes the 3.7 million Arab Americans across the country to ensure an informed, organized, and effective constituency is represented in all aspects of civic life.LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR WORK /FIRST NAMELAST NAMEPOSTAL [email protected] PHONE (Optional)Our WorkStrengthening DemocracyVOTING RIGHTS /DATA EQUITY AND DECENNIAL CENSUS /REDISTRICTING /FAIR IMMIGRATION /Protecting Rights for All – Civil Rights and Civil LibertiesFIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH /PROFILING AND DISCRIMINATION /HATE CRIME AND BIGOTRY /SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY /Standing for Human RightsPALESTINE /ARAB WORLD /Safeguard Free Speech by Protecting Our DemocracyACTION ALERT, PALESTINE, DISCRIMINATION AND PROFILSafeguard Free Speech by Protecting Our DemocracyThe Countering Antisemitism Act (CAA) poses just as much of a threat as the Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA) to free speech as they both conflate legitimate criticism of Israel or Zionism with antisemitism. This conflation, if passed into law, would lead to government overreach and censorship, stifling political discourse and academic freedom.READ MORE →Our LatestWhen Displays of Strength Mask WeaknessMAY 13, 2024The brilliant Palestinian Fayez Sayegh once wrote that when pro-Israel groups appeared to be at their strongest, they were only masking the fact that they were at their weakest. This is clear in the contrast of Israel’s sharp decline in standing among many demographic groups of American voters and the actions and statements by Congress and pro-Israel groups, particularly in evidence during the past week. READ MORE →A Framework for Middle East Peace and StabilityMAY 6, 2024The US reaction to Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile launches against Israel was both predictable and unhelpful. More sanctions against Iran and more weapons to Israel, while at the same time calling for de-escalation, was at best contradictory. At worst, it could have the effect of exacerbating existing tensions. READ MORE →The Impact of the Student Protests on Biden’s Re-electAPR 29, 2024University student protests against US support for Israel’s war in Gaza have spread like wildfire. At last count, there have been sustained demonstrations on over 200 campuses. More recently, students have taken to establishing protest encampments in the center of some campuses. This began last week at Columbia University in New York. Ten days later there were encampments at almost four dozen universities. READ MORE →Do They Have Any Idea Where They’re Going?APR 22, 2024One Sunday afternoon, my father-in-law was on the Long Island Expressway driving the family to an event. With surprisingly little traffic on what would ordinarily be a congested highway, they were cruising along at a good speed. At one point, my mother-in-law asked, “Dear, do you have any idea where you’re going?” He chuckled and replied, “No, but we’re making good time.”  READ MORE →Protecting Our Arab American IdentityAPR 15, 2024It took over a half century to strengthen the Arab American identity and build organizations to meet community needs. Today this work is under assault by those who seek to erase our gains, fracture the community along sectarian lines, or silence our voices in US politics. READ MORE →Even When It Seems Hopeless, We Must Never QuitAPR 8, 2024Two seemingly unrelated events of the last week have caused me to reflect on the long journey we’ve taken to Arab American empowerment. The first was the March 27th death of former Senator Joseph Lieberman. This was followed by the 28th anniversary of the tragic death of former Secretary of Commerce, Ronald Brown on April 3rd. READ MORE →Yalla Count MENA In! Webinar Series: The New Race and Ethnicity Standards – April 23, 2024APR 8, 2024On March 28, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced revisions to the Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity, known as Directive 15. The revisions, the first since 1997, include the historic addition of a new “Middle Eastern or North African” (MENA) minimum reporting category, the use of a combined question format for collecting race and ethnicity, and the requirement of more detailed data collection by federal agencies beyond the minimum Standards in most situations to allow for greater data disaggregation. Join us for a webinar with leading experts to discuss what Arab Americans, as well as all racial, ethnic, and tribal populations, can expect from the new race and ethnicity standards, and how stakeholder organizations plan to address remaining gaps and implementation.READ MORE →In this Moment: An Arab American AgendaAPR 5, 2024Support an Arab American agenda that protects the rights and respects the identity of Arab Americans at home, and centers Arab American interests and concerns in American foreign policy abroad.READ MORE →Joyce Ajlouny, General Secretary of the American Friends Service Committee APR 4, 2024AFSC and their local staff in Gaza have provided emergency humanitarian aid to more than 400,000 people in Gaza, including providing thousands of families safe drinking water and food. They plan to expand their aid to tens of thousands more in the coming months. Today, as our community faces attacks both at home and abroad, we are inspired by the important work being done by Arab Americans like Joyce.READ MORE →The Importance of Land Day to PalestiniansAPR 1, 2024Guys in white shirts and ties in Washington and their counterparts in Israel are sitting around tables making plans for what they want to see after Israel ends its genocidal assault on Gaza (if they ever end it). From what I’ve read, their plans are either cruelly insensitive or downright delusional because they fail to consider that at issue here isn’t who runs what and how it will be run. What must be understood is that the wounds inflicted by this war will last and will define reality for a generation or more. READ MORE →AAI Welcomes New MENA Category & Revision of Race and Ethnicity Standards: Hailed Historic Category Fails to Capture Full Diversity of Arab American CommunityMAR 28, 2024Washington, D.C. on March 28, 2024 – Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced revisions to Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity (“Standards”). The revisions, the first since 1997, include the historic addition of a new “Middle Eastern or North African” (MENA) minimum reporting category, the use of a combined question format for collecting race and ethnicity, and the requirement of more detailed data collection by federal agencies beyond the minimum Standards in most situations to allow for greater data disaggregation. READ MORE →First Recognize Palestinian HumanityMAR 25, 2024Guys in white shirts and ties in Washington and their counterparts in Israel are sitting around tables making plans for what they want to see after Israel ends its genocidal assault on Gaza (if they ever end it). From what I’ve read, their plans are either cruelly insensitive or downright delusional because they fail to consider that at issue here isn’t who runs what and how it will be run. What must be understood is that the wounds inflicted by this war will last and will define reality for a generation or more. READ MORE →MORE LATEST NEWS /Join us to ensure that Arab Americans are represented in all aspects of civic life. FIRST NAMELAST NAMEPOSTAL [email protected] PHONE (Optional)cta-background.pngAAI_Reverse.pngABOUTAbout Us /Our Team /About Arab Americans /Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Awards/Contact Us /LATESTLatest News /LIBRARYAAI Library /RESEARCHPolling /Demographics /Census Information Center /POLICYSTRENGTHENING DEMOCRACYVoting Rights /Data Equity and Decennial Census /Redistricting /Fair Immigration /PROTECTING RIGHTS FOR ALL – CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIESFirst Amendment Right to Free Speech /Profiling and Discrimination /Hate Crime and Bigotry /Surveillance and Privacy /STANDING FOR HUMAN RIGHTSPalestine /Arab World /CIVIC ENGAGEMENTYalla Vote / LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENTAll Initiatives /Generations /Mentorship /Experiential Learning for Elected Officials / TAKE ACTIONAction Alerts /The Arab American Institute Foundation is a national civil rights advocacy organization that provides strategic analysis to policy makers and community members to strengthen democracy, protect civil rights and liberties, and defend human rights. 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