Dear Friend,

I’m reaching out because so many of you are getting in touch about the latest threat to our institute.

For those unaware of the situation, here’s what’s happened. In recent days, a tweet from Elon Musk shared hateful and dangerous disinformation about the Arab American Institute and other groups whose missions, though varied, have been either to provide humanitarian assistance to communities in need or to provide educational services and training.

Mr. Musk reposted a tweet that listed several organizations that have received government grants in recent years. The list was almost exclusively Arab American or American Muslim organizations and labeled us all “terrorist linked organizations.” Mr. Musk’s retweet, which now has more than 16 million views, refers to “terrorist organizations.”

As troubled as we are by the bigotry, we are equally concerned for the safety and security of our staff and families because sadly, we know the very real danger, pain, and damage that this kind of hatred creates. My family and I have personally experienced it. My colleagues at the Arab American Institute have experienced it. And I know many of you have, too. It is unsettling and it can and historically has cost lives and livelihoods.

We are also not the first to have been targeted in this new era and we won’t be the last. That’s why we have stood so firmly with our allies and partners in the Black, Latino, Asian, Jewish, Muslim, LGBTQ, and people with disabilities communities. And it is why we must continue to do this work.

I know "facts" have somehow become unfashionable, but let me set the record straight about AAI's programming with the FACTS. AAI received a State Department grant in 2018 to bring Arab American elected officials and public servants together with locally elected officials in Tunisia. Later the program expanded into Morocco and Jordan. Throughout the program, of which AAI is extremely proud, Arab and Arab American participants worked together in a collaborative exchange to discuss and take action on constituent services, local resources provision, and budgeting challenges. They were building local democracy by working on the issues that make a difference in people's day-to-day lives like trash collection, community tech hubs, and entrepreneur opportunities for families with disabled children. The program, which concluded in 2023, is just one example of our many programs that protect and advance democracy.

Rest assured, AAI will continue to defend this incredible organization we have built with your support, the amazing team working tirelessly to advance our mission, and the values we seek to realize with our work. We are also taking appropriate and measured actions to protect our team and our community, and push back against all the bigoted attacks we are witnessing on our democracy. We are not silent and we are not cowered.

And, as I’ve said so many times, we wouldn’t be able to take this principled stand without you and your support.

Thank you.

-Jim

Arab American Institute Foundation
1600 K Street, NW, Suite 601
Washington, DC 20006
United States
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