MENA Advocacy Day 2025 Brought 40 Community Leaders to Sacramento
Blog Post/News Release:
On April 21–22, 2025, the CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition - led and funded by the the Arab American Civic Council (AACC) - convened the second MENA Advocacy Day in Sacramento, California, bringing together over 40 community leaders, student delegates, policy advocates, and elected officials to champion the inclusion and visibility of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) communities in state policy and data systems.
The event showcased statewide solidarity, with attendees representing regions across California, including the Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego.
The advocacy delegation included representatives from a myriad of grassroots and statewide organizations, such as AACC, AAAN, ADC, Majdal Center San Diego, the Arab Cultural and Community Center of the Bay Area, and CAIR-CA, alongside #CountMENAInCA campaign partners IADC and Catalyst California. City officials, including Elen Astryan (Glendale), Soheila Bana (Richmond), and Sheila Rossi (South Pasadena), as well as youth leaders from the Associated Students of UC Riverside (ASUCR), also participated.
Participants also had the unique opportunity to connect with local decision-makers. For two days, delegates engaged with 10 Chiefs of Staff, 13 legislative staffers, and 30 legislative offices, including direct meetings with Assemblymembers Mike Fong, Buffy Wicks (Chair of Appropriations), Jessica Caloza, Nick Schultz, Avelino Valencia, Leticia Castillo, Senator Sasha Renee Perez, and Assemblymember John Harabedian, the lead author of AB-91.
In addition to legislative visits, the event featured a robust “State of MENA in California” Community Reception, which included an advocacy training workshop hosted by AACC and a series of regional presentations from coalition partners.
Catalyst California’s Maria Khan and Chris Ringewald presented the Race Counts SWANA Data Report, revealing that SWANA individuals are among the most likely to be stopped by police due to perceived racial identity, and disproportionately live near environmental hazards.
From San Diego, Dr. Ryan Fan (Majdal) and Colette Cavanagh (ADC) shared insights into educational victories and the ongoing struggle to secure culturally responsive policies within local school districts.
The Bay Area's Altayeb Abdulrahim and Amber Abughardieh emphasized the lack of visibility and support for MENA students, particularly those of Palestinian descent, within campus initiatives and outreach services.
CAIR-CA’s Basha Jamil provided an overview of the legal and civil rights implications of the state’s failure to recognize MENA populations, arguing that formal recognition would strengthen civil rights enforcement and community support services.
MENA Advocacy Day 2025 made one thing clear: MENA visibility matters. The event demonstrated the resilience of MENA communities and their willingness to engage in the civic process, united in their demand to be seen, counted, and represented.
