John,

Yesterday, my colleagues in Congress passed a bill to send $26 billion U.S. tax dollars to Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu as he carries out the genocide of Palestinians and incites a regional war in the Middle East.

This ongoing support for the Israeli government’s atrocities is a devaluation not only of Palestinian lives, but of all life. It endangers not only Palestinians and people in the region, but also our Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) American neighbors, who already face systemic erasure from our federal government.

Since federal agencies began following racial and ethnic data standards in 1977, the MENA American community has been counted as “white” on the census and other government forms.

Heeding calls from advocacy groups who’ve pushed to change this for decades, I’ve led efforts in Congress to push federal entities to include a MENA response category whenever collecting demographic data, including on the U.S. Census. And we just had a transformative victory, with the federal Office of Management and Budget announcing a new MENA checkbox on the Census and other government forms.

This is an important start to ensuring that the Middle Eastern and North African community finally receives the recognition and resources they deserve. But we still have so much work to do to ensure our lawmakers see MENA Americans as human beings worthy of dignity.

We urgently need more people in Congress and at all levels of government who will invest in life rather than destruction, and who value all life no matter faith or ethnicity. My Rooted in Community Leadership PAC is training and supporting candidates who see our shared humanity and who will fight to meet their constituents’ needs, rather than sending billions of our tax dollars to commit war crimes abroad.

Can you chip in today to my re-election campaign and my Rooted in Community Leadership PAC? Together, we can help build a government where we’re truly represented by our political leaders, and where lawmakers recognize the dignity and humanity of all people.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your secure donation will go through immediately, split evenly between Rashida Tlaib and her Rooted in Community PAC

This April, we also mark Arab American Heritage Month. I just re-introduced a resolution recognizing this month and honoring the invaluable contributions Arab Americans have made in the United States.

As a proud Arab American Congresswoman representing one of the largest Arab American communities in our country, I know how important it is that our federal government represents our community and sees us as human beings.

Thank you for being by my side and for valuing all life.

In service and solidarity,

Rashida

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rashida Tlaib
Date: Sat, Apr 20, 2024
Subject: My colleagues just voted to send $26 billion to Israel’s government as it commits genocide
To: [email protected]

John,

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to send $26 billion of our tax dollars to Israel’s government as it commits genocide against Palestinians. All while many Americans are struggling to afford basic needs like rent and healthcare.

This is unacceptable and heartbreaking, and it could escalate a regional war. No U.S. weapons or tax dollars should be used to kill more civilians in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world.

Clearly, we need more people in public office who see our shared humanity and who value all life, no matter faith or ethnicity.

I founded the Rooted in Community Leadership PAC to train and support these kinds of candidates, who speak out to save lives and who care deeply about their communities. Who will fight for bold changes to meet their constituents’ urgent needs.  

To help build a government that invests in life rather than death and destruction, please split a donation today between my re-election campaign and my Rooted in Community Leadership PAC.

Israel’s government is using U.S. weapons and tax dollars to kill Palestinian civilians and to bomb multiple countries in the Middle East.

This violence and dehumanization has very real consequences for people here in the United States, including MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) Americans who are facing bigotry, repression, and violent harassment.

National media and lawmakers have also targeted Arab American communities like Dearborn, which is in my congressional district.  

As a proud and unapologetic Arab American woman serving in Congress, and the Congresswoman representing one of the largest Arab American communities in our country, I know how important it is that our federal government represents our community and sees us as human beings.

That’s why I just re-introduced a resolution recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month, to honor the invaluable contributions Arab Americans have made in the United States.

I’ve also led efforts in Congress to end our federal government’s systemic erasure of MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) Americans.

Our MENA neighbors have been forced to identify as “white” since 1977, when federal ethnic and racial data standards began. This distortion has hurt our communities and limited federal investment opportunities.

We had a transformative victory recently: After decades of groups’ advocacy, federal entities will now include a MENA response category whenever collecting demographic data, including on the U.S. Census.

In addition to demanding an end to this genocide, I will keep pushing to get April permanently designated as Arab American Heritage Month and to ensure that the MENA American community finally receives the recognition and resources they deserve.

We all deserve representatives who see us as full human beings, and who prioritize our needs as constituents rather than spending our tax dollars to commit war crimes.

Please chip in today to my re-election campaign and my Rooted in Community Leadership PAC, to help build a government where we’re truly represented by our political leaders, who recognize the dignity and humanity of all people.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your secure donation will go through immediately, split evenly between Rashida Tlaib and her Rooted in Community PAC

Thank you so much for your support. I’m honored to fight for you, and for all our rights, in Congress.

In service and solidarity,

Rashida