Protecting Civil Rights[[link removed]]
Stand for Justice: Iranian Americans for Black Lives Matters [[link removed]] The heart wrenching death of George Floyd at the hands of U.S. law enforcement over a week weeks ago has re-ignited the fight to secure justice, equality, and civil rights for all Americans. Even as thousands of Americans don masks to peacefully march across the country to demand justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many more, our leadership is threatening to silence dissent with state-sanctioned violence.As an immigrant community, Iranian Americans know discrimination, and it is only by banding together with our fellow Americans that we protected our rights. The fight for justice cannot be won alone—and our community must not be complicit in injustice by sitting by silently. Stand up for justice today and demand Congress support legislation backed by NIAC Action, the NAACP, ACLU, Black Lives Matter [[link removed]] and more, that could change use of force standards, eliminate the transfer of military equipment to law enforcement, and so much more.
Take ACtion [[link removed]]
Only by supporting the chorus of voices demanding that Congress undertake the fundamental changes needed to demilitarize the police and protect vulnerable communities can our nation truly begin the work needed to safeguard black lives and secure human dignity moving forward. ( Artist credit: Mina Jafari [[link removed]] )
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NIAC
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NIAC
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#JusticeforGeorgeFloyd
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Letter
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Help
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✊ Contribute to Local Organizers
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GoFundMe
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Advancing Peace & Diplomacy
[[link removed]] NIAC Action Sends Letter DNC with Leading National Security Groups Urging JCPOA Return [[link removed]]NIAC Action and a dozen other organizations – including Foreign Policy for America, J Street, MoveOn, Our Revolution and Truman Center for National Policy – sent a letter jointly calling on the Democratic National Committee to support an unequivocal U.S. return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran nuclear deal, in the Party’s 2020 Democratic Platform. While there may be divisions on some issues within the Democratic Party between the center and the left, the breadth of organizations backing this letter demonstrates a political consensus on this key foreign policy issue.
📌 Read the full letter here > [[link removed]]
Learn More
🎧 NIACast Episode #7 - Bad narratives and dangerous proposals for Trump and Biden on Iran [[link removed]]
📘 Iran and the U.N. – What is the Administration Planning? [[link removed]]

Securing Equitable Immigration
[[link removed]] Case Update: Dr. Sirous Asgari Released by ICE [[link removed]]Yesterday, Dr. Sirous Asgari was finally released from ICE detention and deported to Iran, following a successful judicial decision to release him from custody. Dr. Asgari, an Iranian engineering professor who was detained by ICE despite being exonerated by U.S. courts over alleged sanctions violations. Dr. Asgari, who suffers from respiratory problems and contracted COVID-19 in detention, was held in squalid conditions in Louisiana at a facility where detainees had little to no soap or sanitizer, no social distancing, and no hygienic supplies like masks. A joint effort by Iranian-American organizations [[link removed]] , including NIAC, had pressed for his humanitarian release.
Dr. Asgari’s release comes amid reports that Michael White, a U.S. Navy veteran unjustly detained in Iran in July 2018, will be allowed to return to the U.S. soon. Both White and Asgari should have been granted their freedom long ago, along with other dual nationals who remain arbitrarily detained in Iran. NIAC reiterates its call on the Iranian government to release them, along with all prisoners of conscience, and to uphold its international human rights obligations. We also continue our call on the Trump administration to redouble its efforts to secure the release of imprisoned Americans in Iran through serious diplomatic negotiations.
📌 Read more > [[link removed]]
Spotlighting Human Rights in Iran
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Iranians Outraged After “Honor Killing” of Romina Ashrafi [[link removed]]
Iranians across the nation and globe have taken to social media to express their sorrow and anger over the death of a 14-year-old girl from a small city in the Northern Gilan province of Iran, Romina Ashrafi, who was brutally killed at the hands of her father after eloping with her 35-year-old boyfriend. Though Romina’s father was arrested and confessed to the killing, Iran’s penal code limits the prison sentence in such cases to only three to ten years. The case of Romina Ashrafi highlights not only the many injustices of Iran’s judiciary system, but also of its patriarchal structure, which enables gender discrimination. Nothing can rectify the loss of this innocent young life, but given the horrific nature of the crime, a reduced sentence is yet another cruelty. Iranians are rightly demanding justice for Romina, and a justice system that is deserving of the name. 📖 Read more from our Human Rights Tracker > [[link removed]]📥 Subscribe to receive our Human Rights Tracker in your inbox > [[link removed]]
Community & Culture My Shadow is My Skin: Voices from the Iranian Diaspora [[link removed]][[link removed]] As we navigate these challenging times, we are reminded of the importance of community, belonging, and our shared experiences and stories. A new anthology of essays from the Iranian-American diaspora entitled My Shadow is My Skin: Voices from the Iranian Diaspora bring together 32 authors of various backgrounds to tell their stories.
The stories are personal and often hard to tell, making it particularly important for a community and culture that often avoids confronting their traumas. We hope you'll checkout the anthology, and don't forget to listen to our conversations with some of the anthology's editors and authors at the links below!
🎧 NIACast Episode #4 – Book Talk with the Editors of "My Shadow Is My Skin" [[link removed]]
🎧 NIACast Episode #6 – Book Talk with Poet Darius Atefat-Peckham [[link removed]]
Shahnameh Comes to Life in the Dazzling Shadow Play: “Feathers of Fire” [[link removed]][[link removed]]For Iranians and the diaspora, one story that is central to our shared identity is the 11th century epic by Ferdowsi, Shahnameh (The Book of Kings). More than a collection of stories, Shahnameh embodies a cornerstone of Iranian history and culture. One Iranian-American artist, Hamid Rahmanian–a Guggenheim fellowship-winning visual artist–has dedicated much of his labor to telling the story of Shahnameh to the widest audience possible. Along with his wife, Melissa Hibbard, Rahmanian has created a variety of stunning work under the banner of “Kingorama,” which includes the cinematic shadow play, Feathers of Fire .
In Feathers of Fire , Rahmanian’s live-performance play combines traditional puppets, masks, and costumes, with the modernity of digital animation, to create an unforgettable visual spectacle in its most primal form, shadows. This masterful retelling of an ancient story is sure to captivate any audience, young and old. Now available to stream online [[link removed]] , don’t miss the chance to experience what Francis Ford Coppola calls, “Fantastic, spectacular… cinematic wizardry.”
🎥 Stream Feathers of Fire online > [[link removed]]
📚 Read more about "Kingorama" > [[link removed]]

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PO Box 65439 | Washington, DC 20035
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Please note, if you forward or distribute, links will open with your information filled in.
We'd hate to see less of you, but if you want fewer emails or need to unsubscribe, you can do that here [[link removed]] .