Friend,

I'm being brutally honest, and I know what I am sharing with you is not a surprise. This is not a normal election for our country or our community. From an increase in political violence to uncertainty about individual candidates accepting the outcome of the election, the threats to our democracy are real. The continued mainstreaming of hate and bigotry by some candidates and policymakers is felt across our community and too many others. What is also very real is the deep pain felt from knowing American policies have enabled the genocide in Gaza and the expansion of the devastating attacks into the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Lebanon. To say Arab American voters are facing a distressing choice in 2024 doesn't even begin to address the magnitude of this moment.

As a nonpartisan voter engagement project, AAI's Yalla Vote programming has never told you for whom to vote. Our job is to inform you about the candidates’ positions on the issues and ensure your seat at the civic engagement table is protected. There is one simple truth I ask you to keep in mind as you consider this moment: those who deny our humanity, do not want us to have a voice or a vote. Do not let them win by staying home. Please review the Yalla Vote resources provided, which include critical information on how to cast your ballot in ALL 50 STATES, and make your own decision about the 2024 election, including all the critical down-ballot races. For your family and friends, for your city and state, for our country, and for our Arab American community and the pain it is experiencing right now, you must vote. Yalla, vote—and if you have any questions or need assistance, call our Yalla Vote English/Arabic voter hotline at 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287).

In solidarity, 

Maya