Dear Friend,

Two years of the COVID pandemic and a very different version of normal has kept our small, committed staff exceedingly busy. In the aftermath of a tumultuous four years where the pace of policy became dangerously accelerated, AAI worked around the clock to rectify wrongs done. Together, we were a force - not only to lead the fight for progress, but to win it. At every turn, on Palestine, Lebanon, 2020 Census enumeration, redistricting, voting rights, free speech, and hate crimes, we worked hard to ensure Arab Americans were heard .

A year of hard-fought victories has placed us in a stronger position to continue this critical work in 2022. Yet, our ability to use this momentum relies on your continued support. AAI has been able to fund much of our work through the generosity of Foundations and grant programs over the last several years. But the work we do is at the heart of the Arab American community — issues you care about like Palestine, free speech, and privacy, do not often attract outside funders. That's why we need you. AAI must raise $200,000 for the end of the year to continue fighting for what you care about most in 2022.

Our record together speaks for itself. Since the founding of AAI more than thirty-five years ago, we’ve fostered a network of proud Arab Americans in civic and political life. Today, I am proud that Arab Americans won a record number of mayoral races this November. They also serve on city councils, school boards, in statehouses, U.S. Congress, and as leaders in every professional field. Your support of AAI has fostered a community commitment to service.

But, even in our success, Arab Americans continue to face obstacles to our full participation in public life. Obstacles that include bigotry and hate, profiling, voter suppression, and challenges to our rights to free speech. Below you will see how we have tackled some of these obstacles, and how, with your support, we will continue to fight.

AAI’s long-standing commitment to a fair and accurate Census count and policy expertise has made us the trusted source on Arab American data and privacy concerns. AAI serves as the only Census Information Center (CIC) tasked with dissemination of data about Arab Americans. Through our highly successful Yalla Count Me In campaign, AAI worked to ensure Arab Americans were fairly and accurately counted on the 2020 Census. As a result, the first-ever release of ethnicity data for Arab Americans will occur in 2022.

Yet already, we are facing new obstacles with efforts to withhold Census data below the county level - putting at risk Arab Americans’ ability to count their communities to get the education, healthcare, infrastructure funding they deserve. AAI is already weighing in with decision-makers on this critical issue to make sure Arab Americans' unique needs are front and center. This work, although highly technical, will have an impact on our community for generations to come, and AAI is leading the fight.

Of course, this is not the only Census-related issue we are working on. Given the uniquely politicized nature of the 2020 Census, AAI used 2021 to reinvigorate our three-decade fight for inclusion of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) category so that our communities are more accurately reflected in the national data sets. I assure you that AAI won’t let this issue rest until a MENA category is included in the 2030 Census.

Moving forward, AAI is looking to the critical redistricting work that is occurring and creating an Arab American framework to support democracy.

For years now, AAI has been sounding the alarm about the hate crime crisis in our country. AAI’s reporting demonstrated a troubling trend of increased deadly and violent hate crimes. Our work on missing data in federal hate crime reporting has made AAI a go-to source for hate crime policy and data analysis. AAI is leading on this work and making a difference not just for Arab Americans but for all communities who find themselves targeted by the scourge of hate crimes.

On this front, I am particularly proud that this summer, following a bipartisan congressional vote, President Joe Biden signed the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which AAI played a major role in. AAI’s Executive Director, Maya Berry, was there at the White House signing ceremony with the families of Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer when President Biden asked the families to stand and be recognized. He stated:

“…thanks to two families here today, the law will help state and local governments ensure hate crime information is more accessible to the public…the family of Khalid Jabara — a proud son of a family who immigrated from Lebanon in search of new beginnings — who was gunned down in front door of their home here in America — in the United States of America by a neighbor fueled by hate.”

The Act provides law enforcement agencies with resources to train their officers on how to identify and correctly report hate crimes, ensuring that all hate crimes are documented and given the attention needed to halt this devastating trend. The legislation’s swift passage, only one year after its initial introduction, is a credit to our team and the coalition around it. The next phase of this work comes in the implementation of the law and AAI is already working with officials at the Department of Justice to this end. In 2022, AAI will continue to lead alongside our allies to make sure hate crimes are properly counted so they can be more effectively addressed.

Once again, our Yalla Vote program was in high gear in 2021 as a premier partner of National Voter Registration Day, and a partner with Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative, When We All Vote. Through thousands of calls, texts, and door-to-door canvassing, our partners registered Arab American voters and ensured they made it to the polls on Election Day. Our bilingual Arabic/English Yalla Vote Election Protection Hotline played a key role in helping voters, especially those targeted by election disinformation. This allowed us to ensure Arab Americans knew their rights and were able to cast their ballots on Election Day, whether it was the California recall or the governors’ races in New Jersey and Virginia.

Last but certainly not least, an issue that remains at the heart of our community – Palestinian human rights . The issue of Palestinian human rights saw many challenges in 2021. In response, AAI released a poll on American attitudes toward Israel/Palestine at the end of May. The results demonstrated growing support for Palestinian rights with Democrats now favoring Palestinians by a larger margin than their support for Israel. An overwhelming majority of Democrats also now favor cutting aid to Israel and supporting the right to boycott. Republicans were still more favorable toward Israel but by a lesser margin than before because of a shift in the attitude of younger Republicans. This poll received wide coverage - especially on social media. That effort was followed by polling questions regarding Ben & Jerry’s decision to stop selling its products in Israeli settlements. A plurality of Americans, 49%, agreed with the company’s decision. AAI shared these significant findings with policymakers, experts, and community leaders. I personally addressed a variety of groups in California, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey on issues related to US policy on Israel/Palestine.

In June, I joined a small group that met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to press him to take a more aggressive stance on pursuing justice and human rights for Palestinians. And in July, I debated a professor on anti-Semitism and anti-Arab bigotry, hosted by the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Journalism. A central part of my argument was to call out the disgraceful way pro-Israel groups have weaponized anti-Semitism using it to silence pro-Palestinian advocacy.

Reaching out to Congress, the Administration, and the public to elevate the issue of Palestinian human rights will always be at the forefront of our work and thankfully we are seeing many signs of hope. Whether it be the report from Human Rights Watch, the BAFTA winning film The Present, or progressive members of Congress, there is forward momentum. The tide is shifting. Palestinians won’t be silent, and, as long as we have your support, neither will we.

We’re only able to keep these key programs going with your support. These critical projects not only help our community but create a more just and inclusive society.

Your $250, $1,000, or $5,000 donation can help change the narrative and make all the difference to our community. A contribution at any level will help—when it comes to advocating for our community, every dollar matters.

-Jim



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