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Friend,

It’s the day after the election. At times it felt like whiplash so let me share a quick note on what we were able to achieve and where we are today. Of course, all of this is only possible because of your support. Thank you!

For nearly three decades, our Yalla Vote program has focused on voter registration, education, and turnout. To bolster these efforts, AAI runs the Arabic and English language 844-Yalla-US voter hotline in partnership with Election Protection. This nonpartisan hotline answers polling place questions and assists voters who have ID or ballot access issues. When a person’s right to vote is challenged legal professionals assist voters in real time. This election we responded to calls from first time voters, voters who moved, voters who needed to drop off their ballots, and one voter who needed an emergency ballot brought to their hospital bed. AAI wants to ensure that every Arab American who is registered has a chance to vote freely and fairly. Our 844-Yalla-US hotline is just one tool protecting our voting rights.

Headed into the midterm, we knew disinformation, or the intentional targeting of communities with false or misleading information to change or suppress their vote, would be a problem. To meet this challenge, AAI trained community leaders and cyber experts in monitoring and reporting disinformation specifically targeting Arab American voters. These volunteers identified disinformation coming in the mail, on social media, and through online traditional media. What surprised us was the level to which we saw organized efforts using Arabic language social media content to influence our community with disinformation. In response, AAI worked with leading civil society organizations to deploy accurate messaging reinforcing trust in our electoral processes and respect for the rights of individual voters. We know this worked because community turnout was higher than anticipated for a midterm election and activity at Arab American precincts was generally uneventful.

On another front, we saw outside actors use disinformation and anti-LGBTQ tactics to target our community. For these outside actors, dressing their bigotry up and calling it outreach, is nothing new. They have done the exact same thing to Arab Americans for decades, ‘otherizing’ us and casting us as ‘suspect’ so our voices and concerns would be silenced. This bigotry was deployed to target Arab American voters in at least three states, with some hailing the so-called inroads that were made. Make no mistake. Those trafficking in bigotry are not our allies, and they do not stand with us on the issues we care about. Their only agenda is to divide communities, sow confusion, and dilute our voice. We are organizing to combat this too.

In good news, I can share with you that we have some amazing Arab American public servants who were elected to office. Including firsts like Sami Sheetz, headed to the State House in Iowa and Ruwa Romman on her way to the State House in Georgia. Other Arab American elected officials include members of Congress who were re-elected, and many more all across the U.S. in local and state offices. All serving with with pride.

Elections bring a lot of unknowns but with your support AAI can meet the challenge, protect our voting rights, and help defend our democracy.

Thank you,

Maya

Executive Director
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