Arab American Civic Council

The Arab American Civic Council advances community power and grassroots democracy by moving people, organizations, and policy towards justice and equity.

In late 2011, the Arab American Civic Council was founded with the purpose of forming a dynamic grassroots organization that brings together Greater Los Angeles Area Arab Americans to facilitate civic engagement, build future leaders through youth leadership programs, promote positive image of Arab Americans to the general public, and promote unity among the diverse Arab American communities regardless of their religious or sectarian denominations.

Accomplishments:

1. Leading up to the 2024 elections, our nonpartisan Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaigns resulted in reaching out to over 100,000 Arab American and MENA voters in Orange County, California, to mobilize them to exercise their right to vote.

2. Mobilized more than 100 people to attend Anaheim Council meetings and speak in support of designating Little Arabia. The campaign gained traction, bringing local, national, and international media attention to Anaheim’s Brookhurst Street. The City of Anaheim finally designated Little Arabia on August 23, 2022. After two decades of advocacy, the long-awaited Little Arabia signs were finally installed on the I-5 and 91 freeways on September 26, 2024.

3. We advocated for the inclusion of a "Middle Eastern or North African" (MENA) category in the decennial Census, a critical step toward recognizing and directing resources to underserved populations. Our advocacy contributed to the Biden administration's approval of a new response option for "Middle Eastern or North African" in the 2030 Census, a significant milestone that will enable better representation and resource allocation for Arab American communities.

1. Strengthen and develop a well-structured and high-performing board of directors and advisory board. We seek to recruit talent to serve on our board in the following areas: Board Secretary, an HR professional, and a nonprofit management expert (i.e. retired nonprofit director).

2. Raise funds to hire a full-time community organizer.

3. Increase capacity by engaging 10 additional volunteers per year from 2025 through 2027.

4. Train 300 Arab community members by 2027 to build Arab American community power and civic engagement capacity. Build a pipeline of community leaders who can fill vacancies in positions of power in OC and secure appointments to at least 3 board/commission seats by 2027.

5. Professional development opportunities for our staff members to increase productivity and internal capacity.

Orange County and the Greater LA Area.