Friend,

Just a quick email with two things to do TODAY.

First, just this morning, the OMB announced they have extended the comment period for feedback on revising the race and ethnicity standards—the new deadline for submitting a comment in support of a MENA category is April 27, 2023.

I wrote you last month explaining why this is so important because after decades of work to secure a MENA ethnic category so that we can improve data collection on Arab Americans, we are finally here, and the addition of the category will improve the lives of our community for generations to come as there is nothing on the federal, state, and local level that is not impacted by census data. We need you to weigh in now in support of a MENA category and we’ve made it super easy with a draft comment for you.

Second, the White House is holding a briefing today at 3:00 PM with the chair and co-chair of the interagency working group overseeing the revision of the standards. Please see the note below and join in the discussion if you can.

Thank you!

Best,

Maya

Maya Berry

Executive Director

From: McIntee, Will T. EOP/WHO Date: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 2:35 PM To: McIntee, Will T. EOP/WHO Subject: INVITE: White House Briefing for the Arab American Community: Update to the Federal Race and Ethnicity Data Standards

The White House Logo

Good afternoon,

The White House Office of Public Engagement invites you to join a virtual briefing on Friday, April 7 at 3:00pm ET. On this briefing you will hear from the Federal Interagency Working Group on Race and Ethnicity Standards Chair Bob Sivinski from the White House Office of Management and Budget and Co-Chair Karen Battle from the U.S. Census Bureau who will provide an overview of the Working Group’s initial proposals for updating the federal race and ethnicity data standards. Here are the details

White House Virtual Briefing for the Arab American Community: Update to the Federal Race and Ethnicity Data Standards

Date: Friday, April 7, 2023

Time: 3:00pm ET/2:00pm CT/1:00pm MT/12:00pm PT

WebEx Link: https://uscensus.webex.com/uscensus/j.php?MTID=mc671d3df54d48d911fd6b23121efd2d0

Webinar password (if requested): April7-23

Webinar number (if requested): 2760 921 4050

Audio: Please call by telephone to 800-857-9849 (passcode: 8380364)

We hope that you can join us, and please feel free to share with others who might be interested in joining! Please note that this call is off-the-record and closed to press.

Thanks,

Will McIntee

The White House

Senior Advisor, Office of Public Engagement

The Arab American Institute 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. AAI 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.

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