Armenian-American Action Network Strongly Opposes Reinstatement of Travel Ban

Armenian-American Action Network
Strongly Opposes Reinstatement of Travel Ban

January 22, 2025

UNITED STATES– Armenian-American Action Network (AAAN) strongly opposes Executive Order “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” issued by President Trump on January 20, 2025. This order initiates the process of reinstating the travel ban, instructing federal agencies to assess which nationalities will face full or partial visa restrictions. Additionally, it establishes a 60-day window for reviving the ban and introduces provisions that could lead to the deportation of individuals who were lawfully issued visas within the past four years, despite the repeal of the previous ban.

This new order mirrors Executive Order 13679 and its subsequent iterations from Trump’s first term, which barred entry to nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. These policies inflicted widespread harm on immigrant and refugee communities. Armenian families were among those affected, particularly individuals from Iran and Syria, where significant Armenian populations resided. As is the case now, such individuals faced the travel ban, during a period of significant regional upheaval, displacement, and humanitarian crisis. The reinstatement of such discriminatory policies threatens to once again disrupt lives, separate families, and deny vulnerable populations access to safety and opportunity.

Banning individuals based on their nationality and country of origin contradicts the fundamental principles of democracy, pluralism, and human rights that the United States claims to uphold. Immigrants and refugees, many of whom are fleeing war, persecution, and genocide, should not be punished or excluded based on their identity or place of birth. These policies do not enhance safety; rather, they fuel xenophobia, deepen discrimination, and undermine the United States’ global standing as a nation that welcomes those in need.

As with previous travel bans, this order will create irreparable harm—seperating families, creating fear in communities, and imposing unnecessary legal and financial burdens on those seeking safety and stability. 

Armenian-American Action Network calls on the administration to immediately rescind the order and urges Congress and the American public to reject these policies. We stand in solidarity with all impacted communities and will continue to fight against immigration policies that violate the principles of justice and equality.

Resources: 

• NIAC Travel Ban Center: https://www.niacouncil.org/travelban/ 

• ADC National Breakdown on 2017 Travel Ban Executive Order: https://adc.org/community-adivsory-toolkit-on-arab-muslim-ban/ 

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BREAKING: California State Assembly Reintroduces the MENA Inclusion Act

California State Assembly Reintroduces the MENA Inclusion Act: 
CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition Renews Push for Equity and Representation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
January 6, 2025 

Contacts: 

- Amin Nash, amin@aaciviccouncil.org, 702-493-3447

- Sophia Armen, sophia@armenianactionnetwork.org, 818-625-6284

CALIFORNIA - [1/6/2025] - The California MENA Civil Rights Coalition proudly celebrates the re-introduction of the AB 91, the CA MENA Inclusion Act, led by Assemblymember John Harabedian. Supported by key community partners across the state, this landmark legislation represents a historic step toward equity and representation for California’s unique and diverse Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) communities.

The California MENA Inclusion Act mandates that all state departments, agencies, and commissions collecting demographic data include a distinct “MENA” category on intake forms. This critical update to California policies acknowledges the diverse ethnic sub-populations within the MENA region and aims to rectify decades of erasure, underreporting, and invisibility. These systemic oversights have significantly hindered the allocation of resources and support essential to California's MENA population's quality of life and well-being.

The California MENA Civil Rights Coalition is a coalition of the leading MENA-led and MENA constituency-based organizations that work to advance MENA civil rights in the State of California and is the convener of the #CountMENAInCA campaign. 

CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition Quote:

“California is home to a vibrant and diverse MENA community that has positively impacted the state for generations. From establishing cultural neighborhoods like Tehrangeles, Little Armenia, and Little Arabia to earning prestigious honors like Academy Awards and serving as educators, doctors, and advocates, the MENA community has uplifted the Golden State in countless ways.

However, lacking a formal MENA category in demographic data has perpetuated inequities in healthcare, education, civil rights, and economic opportunities. This omission has left MENA Californians invisible in policymaking and underserved by programs that promote equity.

After tireless advocacy during the 2024 legislative session, the CA MENA Coalition remains steadfast in its mission to see this transformative legislation passed. The Coalition highlights that the passage of the CA MENA Inclusion Act will enable policymakers and community organizations to accurately assess and address disparities faced by MENA populations, ensure equitable allocation of resources across healthcare, education, and economic development, and recognize and uplift the unique cultural and economic contributions of MENA communities to California.”

Statements from Community Organizations: 

"The Arab American Civic Council is thrilled to support the CA MENA Inclusion Act, which resonates deeply with our organization’s mission. Having dedicated over a decade to empowering Arab Americans in the Greater LA Area through civic engagement, we recognize the distinctive needs of the Middle Eastern and North African communities we serve, from equal representation in civil rights to equal housing, healthcare, and education opportunities. The CA MENA Inclusion Act is pivotal in recognizing the population in all state data collection forms, which will provide important measurements to monitor discrimination and civil rights violations better, support Arab American entrepreneurs with state resources, and address community-specific health concerns. With this legislation, Arab Americans in California will no longer be overlooked. This marks a transformative moment for our community." 

- Rashad Al-Dabbagh, Executive Director, Arab American Civic Council 

“CAIR-CA proudly joins our coalition partners in celebrating the introduction of the California MENA Inclusion Act in the California State Legislature. For too long, the Middle Eastern/ North African community in California has been underrepresented and deprived of resources due to a lack of accurate data collection. As the largest civil rights organization representing American Muslims and over 1 million California Muslims, CAIR-CA has firsthand seen the effects of this issue on the community across all spheres of life - be it in schools, social services, or courtrooms. This urgent bill will ensure services made for and provided to the community are culturally sensitive, linguistically relevant, and catered to the community’s unique needs. We look forward to seeing the California MENA Inclusion Act propel through the legislature and become a reality for our community in 2024.” 

- Basha Jamil, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Council on American-Islamic Relations, California (CAIR-CA) Los Angeles (CAIR-LA) 

“The California MENA Inclusion Act is a major leap forward in advancing the civil rights of our communities, including Armenian-Americans. For far too long, MENA-Americans have been invisibilized, marginalized, and misrepresented. With this bill, we, as MENA-Americans in California, are speaking for ourselves and declaring boldly that we must be represented too. As Armenian-American Action Network, we know data on MENA-Americans will break down many doors in issue areas that our communities face every day— from healthcare and housing to education, business, representation, voting rights, and the arts, and will help us fight erasure and discrimination. The introduction of the bill from Assemblymember Harabedian represents a major milestone for MENA communities in California. It is time to #CountMENAInCA” 

- Dr. Sophia Armen, Executive Director, Armenian-American Action Network 

"Somali Family Service of San Diego proudly joins the coalition in supporting the MENA Inclusion Act's introduction to the California State Legislature. Our organization serves multicultural refugee and immigrant communities primarily in San Diego's Central and East County regions through health and wellness, economic development, youth leadership, refugee integration, and workforce development programs," said Ahmed Sahid, President and CEO of Somali Family Service of San Diego. "The MENA Inclusion Act would bolster efforts statewide by promoting access to accurately collected and reported demographic data while supporting the equitable distribution of culturally and linguistically-appropriate resources." 

- Ahmed Sahid, President and CEO, Somali Family Service of San Diego 

“The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) gladly joins the coalition of Arab, Middle Eastern, and North African community organizations supporting the proposed MENA Inclusion Act in the California State Legislature. California’s recognition of our community is an essential step to repair decades of disenfranchisement and erasure on an administrative level. As the country’s largest grassroots civil rights organization for Arab Americans, ADC is encouraged by the potential of this proposed bill to provide long-overdue resources and recognition for the community. By requiring state departments to collect and publish comprehensive demographic data, the Act will pave the way for targeted interventions and tailored support in areas such as healthcare, education, and social services. The passage of this bill will not only advance the civil rights of Arab Americans and MENA individuals but also reaffirm California's commitment to diversity and inclusion. ADC looks forward to working alongside policymakers and community partners to ensure the successful implementation of the California MENA Inclusion Act." 

- Abed Ayoub, Executive Director, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)

We applaud the re-introduction of the MENA Inclusion Act in California by Assemblyman Harabedian, a bill that advances the needs and success of our community through basic visibility. NIAC has played an active role in advancing this issue for the Iranian-American community – from the 2010 Census to the 2020 Census to the upcoming 2030 Census to now, with these significant, state-level efforts in keeping with the federal government’s own adoption of a MENA category. This is the first of many steps to not just put our community on the map through formal data collection, but to subsequently help address health disparities, business and community growth, political participation, and other defining facets of our communities which have been harmfully overlooked for far too long. We look forward to the passage and implementation of this bill and the benefits it will bring about for the Iranian-American community and other MENA sub-communities alike within the state of California.

- Myriam Sabbaghi, National Organizing Director at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC)

“The Arab Cultural and Community Center (ACCC) strongly endorses the MENA Inclusion Act, which would amplify the voices of our community members whose numerous contributions to American culture and society have often gone unrecognized. Not only would this bill highlight our contributions but it would allow us to properly address our community's distinct resource needs which include health care, affordable housing, educational opportunities, and civic engagement. The MENA Inclusion Act would provide our communities equitable access to resources and opportunities. This move is necessary and long overdue."

- Linda Khoury-Umili, Advocacy and Civic Engagement Coordinator for the Arab Cultural and Community Center in the San Francisco Bay Area

“Access California Services proudly joins the coalition of our Middle Eastern and North African community organizations and is excited for the introduction of the MENA Inclusion Act in the California State Legislature. This bill holds the promise of promoting substantial benefits by creating targeted health programs, vocational training, and educational opportunities that are culturally sensitive and tailored to the unique needs of the MENA population. AccessCal believes the bill is not just a checkbox but a commitment to inclusivity, amplifying the voices of the MENA community in shaping policies while working closely with decision-makers to benefit us all and celebrates the diverse identity of the MENA population.”

- Nahla Kayali, Founder and Executive Director, Access California Services 

"The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) is proud to support and be a part of the California MENA Coalition supporting the introduction of the California MENA Inclusion Act. This bill gives us visibility and amplifies our collective voice while ensuring the unique needs of Americans from the MENA region are met. People from the MENA region are unable to quantify the inequities they face in healthcare, primary and secondary education, and economic opportunities. Passing this legislation would show California's commitment to recognizing and uplifting communities that have brought so much to the state already.” 

- Rima Meroueh, Director of the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC)

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Assemblymember John Harabedian Introduces the MENA Inclusion Act to Fight Erasure of Ethnic Groups

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, January 6, 2025
CONTACT: Tom Steel, Tom.Steel@asm.ca.gov, (916) 319-2288

Assemblymember John Harabedian Introduces the MENA Inclusion Act to Fight Erasure of Ethnic Groups

(SACRAMENTO, CA) - Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena) introduced his first bill, AB 91 the MENA Inclusion Act, aimed at ensuring Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) ethnic groups are accurately represented and recognized in demographic data collected by the state of California.

“The MENA Inclusion Act is a vital step in fulfilling our commitment to represent and serve every Californian,” said Assemblymember Harabedian. “Accurate data representation is essential for informed policy making, and by recognizing the MENA community as a unique and diverse group, we can tackle our communities' distinct challenges and ensure that our state policy truly reflects the diverse needs of all its residents. As an American of Armenian heritage whose family came to the United States during the Armenian Genocide, we know erasure in data directly translates to erasure in visibility, resources, and representation for California’s communities.”

California is home to approximately 740,219 individuals of Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) descent who are currently not reflected in federal and state data. Accurate MENA-specific data is crucial for improving resource allocation, state planning, and policy interventions to better serve our community. In response to this gap, the Biden administration has announced a distinct MENA category in the 2030 U.S. Census, and New York has already passed similar legislation.

The MENA Inclusion Act will require that starting January 1, 2026, state agencies, boards, and commissions in California that collect demographic data on ancestry or ethnic origin must include separate categories for Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) groups. These groups include, but are not limited to:

• Middle Eastern: Afghan, Bahraini, Emirati, Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Omani, Palestinian, Qatari, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Turkish, and Yemeni.

• North African: Algerian, Djiboutian, Egyptian, Libyan, Mauritanian, Moroccan, Somali, Sudanese, and Tunisian.

• Transnational Middle Eastern and North African: Amazigh, Armenian, Assyrian, Chaldean, Circassian, and Kurdish.

“The CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition applauds the introduction of the MENA Inclusion Act. California is home to a vibrant and diverse MENA community that has positively impacted the state for generations. However, the lack of a formal MENA category in demographic data has perpetuated inequities in healthcare, education, civil rights, and economic opportunities,” said  The CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition. “The passage of the MENA Inclusion Act will enable policymakers and community organizations to accurately assess and address disparities faced by MENA populations, ensure the equitable allocation of resources across healthcare, education, and economic development, and recognize and uplift the unique cultural and economic contributions of MENA communities to California.”

“The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA-WR) is proud to support the California MENA Inclusion Act, a historic step in rectifying a long-standing injustice that has erased the distinct identities of Armenian-Americans through inaccurate and exclusionary practices of self-identification,” said Oshin Harootoonian, Chair of the ANCA-WR Board of Directors. “By ensuring proper representation, this legislation empowers our community to confront systemic challenges—whether in healthcare, education, or civic engagement—while preserving and affirming our unique heritage. We commend Assemblymember Harabedian for championing this milestone, which boldly asserts that our voices and identities matter.

“The California MENA Inclusion Act is a major leap forward in advancing the civil rights of our communities, including Armenian-Americans. For far too long, MENA-Americans have been invisibilized, marginalized, and misrepresented. With this bill, we, as MENA-Americans in California, are speaking for ourselves and declaring boldly that we must be represented too. As Armenian-American Action Network, we know data on MENA-Americans will break down many doors in issue areas that our communities face every day— from healthcare and housing to education, business, representation, voting rights, and the arts, and will help us fight erasure and discrimination. The introduction of the bill from Assemblymember Harabedian represents a major milestone for MENA communities in California. It is time to #CountMENAInCA” said Dr. Sophia Armen, Executive Director, Armenian-American Action Network 

AB 91 will be heard in Assembly policy committees this spring.

Assemblymember John Harabedian represents the 41st District composed of the cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Bradbury, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Oak Hills, Piñon Hills and Phelan.

Armenian-American organizations strongly reject erasure of Armenians in MENA checkbox, "a grave injustice for civil rights"

Armenian-American organizations condemn erasure of Armenians in MENA checkbox by Biden Administration, calling move “grave attack on the civil rights of hundreds of thousands of Americans of Armenian descent” 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Sarkis Balkhian, sarkis@ancawr.org, 818-863-2353

Dr. Sophia Armen, sophia@armenianactionnetwork.org, 818-625-6284 

March 28, 2024 

UNITED STATES— Armenian National Committee of America-WR (ANCA-WR), Armenian-American Action Network (AAAN), Pan Armenian Council Western USA (PAC-WUSA), and numerous frontline and direct constituency Armenian organizations representing hundreds of thousands of Armenian-Americans nationwide, condemn the version of the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) ethnicity checkbox released today by the Biden Administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB). While we applaud the inclusion of a MENA checkbox after decades of historical exclusion, the erasure of Armenians in MENA represents a significant violation of Armenian-American civil rights and a grave and historic injustice that has generational consequences for the Armenian-American community. Today, hundreds of thousands of U.S. residents were denied needed and accurate representation on the U.S. Census and its resultant funding and services.  

This move indicates the Census Bureau has ignored the calls of the Armenian-American community. The Armenian-American Census Coalition, anchored by ANCA-WR, Armenian-American Action Network and Pan Armenian Council, united Armenian-led, Armenian-based, and Armenian-constituency based organizations across the political spectrum in the call for Armenian classification in the MENA draft, as a transnational indigenous MENA community that comprises one of the largest groups numerically in the category. Furthermore, in response to the Federal Registrar Notice of 2023, in a historic move, over 10% of all MENA public comments submitted called for the inclusion of Armenians in the Census in the new MENA draft. This was the largest number of comments of any specific ethnic group in MENA. Instead of requiring the rigorous testing and research the Census Bureau must do to develop the categories to actually improve the count of all communities, these standards rely on a flawed 2015 Census Bureau National Content Test (NCT) and ignore overwhelming stakeholder input and community comments resulting in the exclusion of Armenian Americans. This announcement indicates that public comment and the voices of thousands of Americans were not taken into consideration and the Census Bureau acted on its own without input from U.S. Armenian residents, scholars, elected officials, and community members across this country. Furthermore, today’s announcement glaringly reveals the Armenian community outreach necessary for the Census Bureau to create a transparent, scholarly-backed and data-based Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) checkbox never occurred. This happened despite the nation’s leading experts and stakeholders consistently demanding engagement of Armenian voices.

We maintain that over the past decade, the federal government has failed to engage Armenian organizations, scholars and elected leaders, in any step of the formation of the MENA checkbox. By not being invited to the table, the Census has produced an incomplete, inaccurate, and exclusionary MENA designation that will undercount, separate, deny funding and resources to, and fail to represent, hundreds of thousands of U.S. residents of Armenian descent. The Biden Administration and Census Bureau  has failed to do its due diligence throughout the creation of the version of the category that was announced today. This has severe consequences for the Armenian ethnic community in the United States for generations to come. 

This move will have centuries-long systemic impact. Lack of representation on the U.S. Census continues to have dire consequences for Armenian-American issues, needs and priorities. The exclusion of Armenians from accurate federal Census classification means that millions of dollars of funding and resources is denied to Armenians each year as data drives U.S. policy. SPD 15 excludes Armenian communities, so Armenians do not receive equitable protection of their voting rights and face redistricting that cuts through Armenian neighborhoods. Armenian-American small businesses are the backbone of our communities, but owners suffer from a variety of cultural, linguistic, political, and spatial barriers to stability yet are not visible in the data. Meanwhile, Armenians are not protected by the Small Business Act. Armenian-Americans continue to face ongoing hate crimes, marginalization and discrimination but are unable to address such realities because of lack of classification, nor are governments and scholars able to demonstrate gaps in equality of opportunity. Centrally, Census classification determines federal, state and local dollars and lack of Census representation means Armenians are being marginalized across every level of U.S. society. The invisibilizing of Armenian communities in U.S. policy is an alarming trend that must be course-corrected immediately.

The Federal Government has cited the 2015 NCT for much of what it announced today with regard to MENA. Unlike all of the major MENA subgroups, the Armenian-American community nor its dozens of representative organizations that do Census outreach, were not engaged but rather generally ignored in community outreach efforts of the NCT. Furthermore, even in the NCT, the results fail to hold water as Emraitis responded with 6% identifying as MENA and yet were included despite testing at a lower rate for MENA than communities like Armenians. Also, only 26% of those who identified as “Middle Eastern” and 31% of those who identified as “North African”actually checked the MENA checkbox on the NCT. An objective examination of the results of the NCT demonstrates its deep flaws with regard to the MENA category. As the coalition has maintained, the NCT had inherent testing bias and reflected the groups who saw themselves listed on the box. Armenians were never given that chance. Higher respondents were those communities that saw themselves in the box themselves and Armenians were never given the option to even consider despite being the third highest ethnicity numerically. 

In this NCT, the code 012 for the first time was also randomly assigned to Armenians instead of the longstanding ancestry code that historically has placed Armenians in MENA coding and is more in line with UN statistical classification. In the NCT, the Census Bureau racialized Armenians as non-MENA unlike other communities by its own arbitrary decision ahead of testing instead of using the ancestry code in MENA, again revealing inherent bias in the structure and methodology of the test creation itself. The Census Bureau must justify why arbitrary and seemingly preferential treatment was given to some communities over others and address the lack of transparency and consistency in its efforts, outreach, consultation of scholars, and methodology. 

In response to the news ANCA-WR Executive Director Sarkis Balkhian stated, “the failure to engage Armenian-Americans in the MENA checkbox process is an affront to the civil rights of hundreds of thousands of Americans of Armenian descent. Armenian-American have effectively mobilized to ensure their voice is heard in the revision process and for years executed culturally-relevant outreach efforts for the U.S. Census. Today the Biden Administration and the Census Bureau failed Armenian-Americans. We reject this erasure and demand that this action is immediately rectified.”  Dr. Sophia Armen, scholar of Middle Eastern-American Studies and Executive Director of AAAN, furthered that this move “indicates the Census Bureau and the Biden Administration has chosen politics over the needs of a large, historic, and vital community in the U.S. The failure to engage Armenian voices, including Armenian experts of the MENA region, is a massive error and miscalculation that will affect the everyday working Armenian family for generations to come. With these standards, what the government is saying to us as Armenians, is “You do not matter’ and that is deeply concerning and alarming.” 

Furthermore, on the eve of Armenian Genocide Remembrance and Armenian-American Heritage Month, with this announcement, the Biden administration and Census Bureau has seemingly stepped into genocide denialism, perpetuating the ideological myth at the foundation of the Armenian Genocide: that Armenians are not indigenous to this region which justified their erasure and the refusal to acknowledge Armenians fully, as a transnational community with ties that cross borders and modern-nation states. By the Census’ own numbers Armenian-Americans specifically continue to be part of their MENA definitions yet now will have their Armenian identity erased, and Armenian data rendered even more inaccurate, undercounted, split, and invisible than before. This announcement today particularly has grave consequences for the future of Americans with Armenian heritage from Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Western Armenia and will directly impact the future survival of the Armenian diaspora and its cultural, religious and linguistic heritage over generations, both in the region and in the United States. 

The exclusion of Armenians as a transnational MENA community in the Census Bureau’s decision is a grave attack on the civil rights of hundreds of thousands of Americans of Armenian ethnic heritage. The exclusion of Armenian checkbox in these new standards is glaring omission of a large and significant population of Americans. We will not stand for our exclusion and will act to safeguard our community from erasure, discrimination, and invisibility. 

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CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition Launches #CountMENAinCA

CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition Launches #CountMENAinCA

February 22, 2024

Contacts: 

• Amin Nash, amin@aaciviccouncil.org

• Sophia Armen sophia@armenianactionnetwork.org

CALIFORNIA - [2/22/2024] - The California MENA Civil Rights Coalition member-organizations applaud the introduction of AB 2763: California MENA Inclusion Act. The bill was introduced by California State Assemblymember Bill Essayli and supported by key community partners. This legislation will require all state departments, agencies, and commissions that collect demographic data to include a standard titled “MENA” across all intake forms. It further requires the State of California to recognize the diverse ethnic sub-populations from the MENA region.

Simultaneously, the CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition launched the #CountMENAInCA Campaign, a movement aiming to support the passage of AB-2763 and end years of invisibility, undercounting, underreporting, and marginalization of the MENA community. California is home to the largest MENA community in the United States. For several decades, community members have advocated for a distinct demographic classification, citing that the absence of a category has led to several inequities in healthcare, education, and civil rights. Organizations and leadership that work closely with the MENA population cannot provide crucial interventions to improve the quality of life for their population without recognition of the MENA population and effective data. 

Introducing the California MENA Inclusion Act, alongside the #CountMENAInCA Campaign, is crucial to recognizing and supporting the vibrant, impactful, and diverse MENA community. To learn more about the campaign, follow the hashtag #CountMENAInCA on social media or visit the campaign site, http://www.countmenainca.org/

Statements from Community Organizations:

"The Arab American Civic Council is thrilled to support the CA MENA Inclusion Act, which resonates deeply with our organization’s mission. Having dedicated over a decade to empowering Arab Americans in the Greater LA Area through civic engagement, we recognize the distinctive needs of the Middle Eastern and North African communities we serve, from equal representation in civil rights to equal housing, healthcare, and education opportunities. The CA MENA Inclusion Act is pivotal in recognizing the population in all state data collection forms, which will provide important measurements to monitor discrimination and civil rights violations better, support Arab American entrepreneurs with state resources, and address community-specific health concerns. With this legislation, Arab Americans in California will no longer be overlooked. This marks a transformative moment for our community." 

• Rashad Al-Dabbagh, Executive Director, Arab American Civic Council.

“AB-2763 is a major leap forward in advancing the civil rights of our MENA communities. For far too long, MENA-Americans have been invisibilized, marginalized, and misrepresented. With this bill, we, as MENA-Americans in California, are speaking for ourselves and declaring boldly that we must be represented too. As Armenian-American Action Network, we know data on MENA-Americans will break down many doors in issue areas that our communities face every day— from healthcare and housing to education, business, and the arts. The introduction of the bill from Assembly Essayli represents a major milestone for MENA communities in California. It is time to #CountMENAInCA” 

• Sophia Armen, Executive Director, Armenian-American Action Network   

“CAIR-CA proudly joins our coalition partners in celebrating the introduction of the California MENA Inclusion Act in the California State Legislature. For too long, the Middle Eastern/ North African community in California has been underrepresented and deprived of resources due to a lack of accurate data collection. As the largest civil rights organization representing American Muslims and over 1 million California Muslims, CAIR-CA has firsthand seen the effects of this issue on the community across all spheres of life - be it in schools, social services, or courtrooms. This urgent bill will ensure services made for and provided to the community are culturally sensitive, linguistically relevant, and catered to the community’s unique needs. We look forward to seeing the California MENA Inclusion Act propel through the legislature and become a reality for our community in 2024.”

• Nazeehah Khan, Policy & Government Affairs Manager, Council on American-Islamic Relations, California (CAIR-CA)

"Somali Family Service of San Diego proudly joins the coalition in supporting the California MENA Inclusion Act's introduction to the California State Legislature. Our organization serves multicultural refugee and immigrant communities primarily in San Diego's Central and East County regions through health and wellness, economic development, youth leadership, refugee integration, and workforce development programs," said Ahmed Sahid, President and CEO of Somali Family Service of San Diego. "The California MENA Inclusion Act would bolster efforts statewide by promoting access to accurately collected and reported demographic data while supporting the equitable distribution of culturally and linguistically-appropriate resources." 

• Ahmed Sahid, President and CEO, Somali Family Service of San Diego

“The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) gladly joins the coalition of Arab, Middle Eastern, and North African community organizations supporting the proposed MENA Inclusion Act in the California State Legislature. California’s recognition of our community is an essential step to repair decades of disenfranchisement and erasure on an administrative level. As the country’s largest grassroots civil rights organization for Arab Americans, ADC is encouraged by the potential of this proposed bill to provide long-overdue resources and recognition for the community.  By requiring state departments to collect and publish comprehensive demographic data, the Act will pave the way for targeted interventions and tailored support in areas such as healthcare, education, and social services. The passage of this bill will not only advance the civil rights of Arab Americans and MENA individuals but also reaffirm California's commitment to diversity and inclusion. ADC looks forward to working alongside policymakers and community partners to ensure the successful implementation of the California MENA Inclusion Act."

• Abed Ayoub, Executive Director, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)

“Access California Services proudly joins the coalition of our Middle Eastern and North African community organizations and is excited for the introduction of the CA MENA Inclusion Act in the California State Legislature. This bill holds the promise of promoting substantial benefits by creating targeted health programs, vocational training, and educational opportunities that are culturally sensitive and tailored to the unique needs of the MENA population. AccessCal believes the bill is not just a checkbox but a commitment to inclusivity, amplifying the voices of the MENA community in shaping policies while working closely with decision-makers to benefit us all and celebrates the diverse identity of the MENA population.”

• Nahla Kayali, Founder and Executive Director, Access California Services 

“We applaud the introduction of the MENA Inclusion Act in California, a bill that advances the needs and success of our community through basic visibility. NIAC has played an active role in advancing this issue for the Iranian-American community – from the 2010 Census to the 2020 Census to the upcoming 2030 Census to now, with these significant, state-level efforts that will ratchet up the necessary pressure for parallel action at the federal level. This is the first of many steps to not just put our community on the map through formal data collection, but to subsequently help address health disparities, business and community growth, and political participation. We look forward to the passage and implementation of this bill and the benefits it will bring about for the Iranian-American contributions to the community and other MENA sub-communities alike.”

• Myriam Sabbaghi, National Organizing Director at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC)

"The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) is proud to support and be a part of the California MENA Coalition supporting the introduction of the California MENA Inclusion Act. This bill gives us visibility and amplifies our collective voice while ensuring the unique needs of Americans from the MENA region are met. People from the MENA region are unable to quantify the inequities they face in healthcare, primary and secondary education, and economic opportunities. Passing this legislation would show California's commitment to recognizing and uplifting communities that have brought so much to the state already.” 

• Rima Meroueh, Director of the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC)

“The Arab Cultural and Community Center (ACCC) applauded AB-2763, which would empower our community members' voices in their unique contribution to American culture. Not only would this bill highlight and amplify our contributions to society, but it would also address our community's needs for better health resources, educational needs, affordable housing, and civic engagements. AB-2763 would move our work from the undercover to the recognizable world with the other racial recognized groups.

• Altayeb Abdulrahim, Operation Manager for the Arab Cultural and Community Center in the San Francisco Bay Area

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#CountMENAInCA is a campaign led by the CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition to pass AB 2763, commonly referred to as the California MENA Inclusion Act. The California MENA Inclusion Act would finally make the State of California have a distinct MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) category for all state data and agencies.

About Armenian-American Action Network

Armenian-American Action Network (AAAN) is an U.S. advocacy and research organization fighting anti-Armenian racism and discrimination in the United States, teaching Armenian-American history, and forwarding civil, immigrant and refugee rights for Armenian-Americans.

info@armenianactionnetwork.org

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Armenian-American Action Network Calls for Immediate #CeasefireNOW

Armenian-American Action Network Calls for Immediate Ceasefire Now

February 20, 2024
info@ArmenianActionNetwork.org

Armenian-American Action Network, a leading Armenian-American civil rights organization, calls for the United States government to work for an immediate ceasefire now and to lift the siege on Gaza. The toll on civilian lives and infrastructure is devastating and cannot continue. We urgently call for an immediate ceasefire to end the ongoing violence and suffering. Since October 7, over 28,000 Palestinians have died, including over 12,000 children. As descendants of genocide survivors, we call for #CeasefireNOW.

About Armenian-American Action Network

Armenian-American Action Network (AAAN) is an U.S. advocacy and research organization fighting anti-Armenian racism and discrimination in the United States, teaching Armenian-American history, and forwarding civil, immigrant and refugee rights for Armenian-Americans.

info@armenianactionnetwork.org

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Armenian-American Action Network Condemns Citi's Anti-Armenian American Discrimination, Welcomes CFPB Announcement, and Calls for Immediate Action

Armenian-American Action Network Condemns Citi's Anti-Armenian American Discrimination, Welcomes Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Announcement, And Calls for Immediate Action

For Immediate Release
December 20, 2023
info@ArmenianActionNetwork.org

UNITED STATES—Armenian-American Action Network, a leading Armenian-American civil rights organization, strongly condemns Citi's extensive and systemic discrimination against Armenian-Americans. We call on Citi corporation to redress the harm caused, compensating all affected individuals, and take decisive action immediately to eradicate anti-Armenian discrimination within its operations and work toward such efforts, in partnership with Armenian-American-led and constituency-based organizations, within larger U.S. society.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has ordered Citi to pay $25.9 million in fines and consumer redress for intentionally and illegally discriminating against credit card applicants the bank identified as Armenian-American. Armenian-American Action Network welcomes the news of CFPB’s investigation and fines. More action, however, must be taken on the corporation’s behalf to demonstrate that such racism and illegal activity will not be part of Citi’s future. Citi must invest in efforts to tackle anti-Armenian racism in the future.

According to the CFPB investigation, from 2015 through 2021, Citi singled out for discrimination applicants for credit cards, based on their surnames, whom it suspected of being of Armenian descent. This is an illegal, jarring and unethical example of institutional and structural anti-Armenian racism against Armenian-Americans in the United States. Citi must apologize and make material reparations to the identified consumers and commit to advancing the fight against anti-Armenian discrimination and supporting the wider Armenian-American community through programming, support, education, awareness, and resourcing. AAAN Executive Director Dr. Sophia Armen stated the following:

“Armenian-Americans are outraged and disturbed that Citi would engage in such unlawful activity and racist policy, especially targeting immigrant Armenians in our community. As patrons of Citi’s business, Armenian-Americans must be treated with their full rights and protections as required by law, as all other people in the United States. We are extremely concerned not only with Citi’s systemic anti-Armenian racism and discrimination revealed by CFPB but also by the action, and lack of action, of the Citi corporation after the investigation came to light.”

Armen continued “Calling crime rings ‘Armenian,’ identifying Armenian last names as criminal, and thus all Armenians as inherently suspect of dubious and illegal activity, reveals widespread bias in the structures of Citi and perpetuation of anti-Armenian racism, anti-immigrant racism, and anti-refugee racism. Citi must move forward by demonstrating tangible action on confronting this painful past in order to be part of a more inclusive and just future. Citi must compensate all affected individuals and invest in Armenian institutions, anti-bias training, and meaningful partnerships with the Armenian-American community or we don’t see how Armenian-Americans nor advocates of equality could ever use Citi’s services again.”

Armenian-American Action Network calls on the leadership of Citi to engage Armenian-American community organizations to change course immediately and make meaningful strides to support anti-discrimination efforts of Armenian-Americans. Armenian-American Action Network calls for the leadership of Citi to engage in training and education on historical and current anti-Armenian discrimination and racism in the United States. Armenian-American Action Network calls on Citi to invest in Armenian-American institutions and initiatives to begin the road to repair and reconciliation.

About Armenian-American Action Network

Armenian-American Action Network (AAAN) is an U.S. advocacy and research organization fighting anti-Armenian racism and discrimination in the United States, teaching Armenian-American history, and forwarding civil, immigrant and refugee rights for Armenian-Americans.

info@armenianactionnetwork.org

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In Response to Recent Anti-LGBTQ Events in Los Angeles Schools

IN RESPONSE TO RECENT ANTI- LGBTQ+ EVENTS IN LOS ANGELES AREA SCHOOLS

For immediate release
June 8, 2023

In light of the dangerous rise of anti-LGBTQ+ attacks locally and nationwide, GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society, Armenian-American Action Network, and Southern California Armenian Democrats call attention to the collective safety of LGBTQ+ Armenians, the need for active allyship, and the dangers of alarmist and racist narratives about the Armenian immigrant population.

Locally, in the course of one week, the Los Angeles area communities saw two violent protests against LGBTQ+ inclusion in school curricula - in North Hollywood and Glendale. This included attendance by agitators who were not part of the local or allied communities. We maintain that the use of physical violence, especially against marginalized peoples, immigrant and LBGTQ+ people, is unacceptable, it hurts our community and its causes, and must be unequivocally condemned by all, including our elected officials, leaders, institutions, and human rights and community organizations.

Within the current divisive climate of hatred displayed toward LGBTQ+ lives, LGBTQ+ Armenians exist at an especially vulnerable and endangered intersection. We are presently living in an especially dangerous time for all LGBTQ+ communities across the nation. On June 6, the same day as the violent protests in Glendale California, the Human Rights Campaign released a report warning of a National State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans. Given the national and local dangers faced by LGBTQ+ communities, we express extreme concern about the safety of LGBTQ+ Armenians as they are facing multiple layers of vulnerability within this current political climate. As organizations doing the ongoing work in our community, we stand with marginalized Armenians, especially LGBTQ+ Armenian youth. We are all contributing members of the larger Armenian community, which is diverse, multifaceted, and should not be reduced to a monolith. Our community must be welcoming and safe.

We seek to correct the record on the events that transpired on June 6th, at the Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) Board meeting: our collective of LGBTQ+ Armenian and allied local Armenian immigrant organizations were present at the GUSD Board meeting and the vast majority of all public comments consisted of Armenians in support of inclusive curriculum, including Armenian parents and allies. The monolithic perception of Armenians vs. LGBTQ+ people is a false, inaccurate account of the events at the GUSD Board meeting and furthers systems of oppression that erase LGBTQ+ Armenian people and voices, and enables discrimination. These inaccuracies put LGBTQ+ Armenians and the larger Armenian community directly in harm’s way.

Armenians understand what it means to be targeted for our identities from our painful history. We also understand what it means for our voices to be erased from school curriculum and our stories to not appear on the news. Like all other people, we are entitled to dignity and respect, especially those of us who are marginalized Armenians. People’s lives are not a matter of debate, and their civil rights must be protected as all other people in the United States.

Many, including the media, have painted Armenians with broad strokes and continue to bury the most important story: Armenian LGBTQ+ people and Armenian immigrants had a strong, inspiring presence at the GUSD Board meeting, spoke in favor of inclusive education and addressed pressing civil rights needs in our city. The overshadowing of these realities because of the actions and use of physical violence by some outside agitators must be corrected and is jeopardizing all Glendale residents’ safety. We must come together against hate and violence.

We are concerned that protesting parents and community members are acting from a place of misinformed fear. At the same time, opportunist social media influencers are using this to propagate racist and orientalist ideas about the entire Armenian community. We refuse this divisive narrative about our community and urge all Armenians and allied communities to stand with marginalized Armenians and to approach each other with respect, dignity, and love.

We also urge the broader LGBTQ+ community to resist type-casting Armenians, as this harms not only the LGBTQ+ Armenian population, but also the broader Armenian immigrant population. It leaves LGBTQ+ Armenians vulnerable without support in either of their marginalized identities. Queerness exists in all communities and cultures around the world. Queerness is not a product of Western society or a new phenomenon. Despite many systemic barriers, queer people do and will continue to lead and exist in our communities. As immigrant-serving organizations, we will continue to advocate for the civil rights of all of our people in this country, especially those most marginalized.

The erasure of LGBTQ+ voices from school curriculum is homophobic and transphobic, and encourages bullying and discrimination. We are in full support of our public schools' acknowledgement of diverse families and acknowledgment of LGBTQ+ identities. LGBTQ+ students must see themselves positively reflected in the curriculum, instruction and programming of schools and must feel safe amongst their peers. We ask our community members and allies to push for safer and welcoming schools where all students are seen and included.

As the leading voice for advancing equality for LGBTQ+ Armenians worldwide since 1998, GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society continues to provide a safe haven and critical resources for LGBTQ+ Armenians in diasporan communities.

Today, the Armenian LGBTQ+ community needs the following support:

1. Elevate the voices of LGBTQ+ Armenians - invite us to share our stories, and bring critical awareness to the resources that we have and we need.

2. Be vocal about your intersectional allyship - make your commitment to ensuring the well-being of marginalized communities known. We need vocal advocates organizing for and within our immigrant communities.

3. Refrain from spreading dangerous generalizations about the Armenian community.

4. Donate to GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society - support us in building our critical resource base in order to protect and educate our community.

We urge all people who believe in human rights to join in uplifting and supporting marginalized people. As a community already so under attack, we maintain that principled unity, love, and tolerance is what makes us strong. Armenians continue to show the world that systemically minoritized and erased peoples survive and thrive against great odds. Onward toward freedom and justice for all.

About GALAS

GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society (GALAS) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit based in Los Angeles, providing resources and programming for the LGBTQ+ Armenian community and beyond. Since 1998, GALAS has been the leading voice in advancing equality for LGBTQ+ Armenians worldwide.

galasboard@gmail.com

About Armenian-American Action Network

Armenian-American Action Network (AAAN) is an U.S. advocacy and research organization fighting anti-Armenian racism and Armenophobia in the United States, teaching Armenian-American history, and forwarding civil, immigrant and refugee rights for all communities.

info@armenianactionnetwork.org

About Southern California Armenian Democrats

Southern California Armenian Democrats (SCAD) is the first and the largest regional Armenian-American Democratic Club in CA & U.S., working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout California and the U.S.

armeniandemsinfo@gmail.com

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100+ Civil Rights Organizations Call Out Anti-Immigrant Texas Legislation

100+ Civil Rights Organizations Call Out Anti-Immigrant Texas Legislation

April 5, 2023
Contact: Sophia Armen, sophia@armenianactionnetwork.org

AUSTIN, Texas — Today, Armenian-American Action Network, National Iranian American Council (NIAC), United Chinese Americans, RISE AAPI and over 100 other national and Texas-based civil rights organizations signed a letter to Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick and the members of the Texas State Senate and House opposing Texas SB147. This bill follows a national trend of legislation barring immigrant communities from basic freedoms American citizens are entitled to.  

“This bill is a blatantly racist attack against immigrant communities,” said NIAC President Jamal Abdi. “It targets people who legally live, work and pay taxes in the United States because of their national origin. Gov. Abbott is trying to gain national notoriety by pandering to our worst anti-immigrant instincts and depriving people of their basic rights.” 

“We urge Texas lawmakers to reject these bills and any legislation that would discriminate against individuals and families based on their national origin or ancestry,” said Nabila Mansoor, Executive Director of Rise AAPI. “We encourage them to meet with potentially impacted community members and to speak out against all bills that end up targeting and harming the individuals and communities that make Texas and our country stronger.”

If passed, SB147 and SB711 would prevent people from Iran, China, North Korea and Russia from purchasing property in Texas. Two other bills also target immigrants. HB4736 would prohibit people from these countries from attending public universities in the state. SB552 would prohibit businesses from entering into agreements with individuals from these countries. 

The United States has a long, grim history of violating human rights based on national origin. In the last century, discriminatory laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act restricted immigration from Asian countries. Similarly, laws known as the Alien Land Laws barred Asian people from owning property. What began as limits on civil liberties such as property ownership quickly escalated into internment camps for Japanese American citizens during World War II. More recently, Trump’s 2017 Executive Order 13679 often referred to as the “Muslim Ban” blocked immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States. The Texas bills are of the same ilk, stripping civil liberties from immigrant communities and preventing legal American citizens from living freely. 

Advocates fear the Texas bills may be a bellwether. Civil rights organizations emphasize the urgency to defeat these bills in an effort to prevent further anti-immigrant attacks from becoming law in other states. 

“We must stop these proposals now to protect immigrant communities’ right to own a home, own a business, or attend college,” said Jamal Abdi. “Standing up for these communities is standing up for all Americans.” 

““Our communities deserve dignity, rights, and freedoms like all communities in the United States. Immigrants and refugees from Iran, which include many individuals of Armenian, Afghan, Assyrian, Kurdish descent and other ethnic communities, must not be subjected to this horrific bill. SB147 is fundamentally discriminatory and an ugly case of nativism and racism that should be beneath the values of the Lone Star State.”  said Armenian-American Action Network Co-Director Sophia Armen.

Read the letter here.

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AAAN Stands in Solidarity with SF Muslim-Americans Calling for Eid School Holiday

AAAN Stands in Solidarity with SF Activists Calling for Eid School Holiday

March 5, 2023
Contact: Info@ArmenianActionNetwork.org

SAN FRANCISCO— Armenian-American Action sent the following letter to the SF Board of Education urging the committee to approve and incorporate Eid holidays into the school year calendar.

Dear San Francisco Board of Education and Superintendent Matt Wayne,

We, Armenian-American Action Network, write today to condemn the reversal of the decision to include Eid holidays in the 2023-2024 school calendar, after caving to racist backlash. This is an attack on immigrants and cultural/religious communities. All communities in the United States deserve to celebrate their holidays freely, especially children, who want to be with their families on holidays to observe their faith, celebrate, and participate in their culture.

The community organized for three years, went through the process SFBOE had in place to implement holidays, demonstrated research, and provided wide community support from grassroots organizations to the Human Rights Commission, and the United Educators of San Francisco, and the equity driven purpose and alignment with SFUSD values. This led to the Eid holiday resolution, led by SFUSD students of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) being passed with overwhelming community support and a majority SFUSD Board vote on August 9, 2022 deciding to implement cultural holidays of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha in SFUSD’s official calendars. We are disturbed to learn that SFUSD commissioners have now refused to remove the stay on the resolution, in fear of bigoted litigation.

The SFBOE must continue on its initial course and affirm this historic victory. This was the right move by policymakers and should have happened decades ago. Erasure of such work and such rights are unacceptable. Action must be taken immediately to put Eid Holidays back on the calendar.

Hate has no place in our schools or communities. We firmly stand with Muslim-Americans and their children in San Francisco schools and the larger community in their fight to have Eid as an official holiday recognized by SFBOE.

Signed,

Armenian-American Action Network (AAAN)

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Civil Rights Organizations Call Out Abbott & Texas House Over Legislation Banning Property Ownership

Civil Rights Organizations Call Out Abbott & Texas House Over Legislation Banning  Property Ownership

AUSTIN, Texas – Today, 26 national and Texas-based American advocacy and civil rights organizations released a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, the Texas State Senate, and the Texas State House, criticizing a Texas state legislature bill, SB 147, which would ban citizens of Iran, China, North Korea, and Russia from purchasing property in Texas. The passage of Texas SB 147 would also set an alarming precedent, as similar legislation is being considered in other states across the country.

The organizations called the bill discriminatory and a threat to the principles of equality and justice, stating in the letter: "This bill is both racist and unconstitutional and must not be signed into law. Our communities should not be discriminated against because of national origin. Our communities cannot be denied the ability to purchase property and live freely based on our heritage. This is a direct violation of protected constitutional rights, and a flagrant disregard for people’s humanity."

Donna Farvard, National Organizing Director for the National Iranian American Council said, "Immigrants and refugees from Iran deserve freedom in the United States, to have all rights that other citizens and residents have, and not be subjected to laws like this exclusionary and oppressive bill. We cannot allow the state of Texas to move our country back over 70 years to a time when alien land laws were last in place." 

Sophia Armen, Co-Director of Armenian-American Action Network said, “Our communities deserve dignity, rights, and freedoms like all communities in the United States. Immigrants and refugees from Iran, which include many individuals of Armenian, Afghan, Assyrian, Kurdish descent and other ethnic communities, must not be subjected to this horrific bill. SB147 is fundamentally discriminatory and an ugly case of nativism and racism that should be beneath the values of the Lone Star State.”  

The signatories of this letter stand in solidarity with all those who may be affected by this legislation and reiterate their call on the Texas Governor and state legislators to withdraw support from and denounce SB 147. The fight for justice and equality must continue, and we will not rest until every person, regardless of their country of origin, is granted their full rights and freedoms under the law.

The signatories include: 

Armenian American Action Network (AAAN) 

National Iranian American Council 

ACCESS of WNY

Afghans For A Better Tomorrow

Arab American Civic Council

Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC)

Armenians for Housing Justice

Asian American Leadership Council

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for Justice in San Antonio, TX

Asian Texans for Justice

Brooklyn Raga Massive

CAIR-Houston

Elmahaba Center

Japanese American Citizens League

MPower Change Action Fund

Muslims for Just Futures

National Immigration Law Center

PANA (Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans)

Rise AAPI

Palestinian Youth Movement

Tsuru for Solidarity

Woori Juntos

Yerazad

For more information, please contact info@armenianactionnetwork.org, or Etan Mabourakh, Digital Associate at the National Iranian American Council at emabourakh@niacouncil.org

Armenian-American Action Network condemns racist anti-Armenian fliers posted around Los Angeles amidst the community wide March for Artsakh organized by the Armenian Youth Federation-West

January 31, 2023

Contact: Info@ArmenianActionNetwork.org

Armenian-American Action Network condemns the racist anti-Armenian fliers posted around Los Angeles amidst the community wide March for Artsakh organized by the Armenian Youth Federation-West.

Community members attending the march on January 28, 2023 found fliers posted on several poles that included calls to "wipe Armenia OFF the MAP" and celebrating "Erasing Armenia off the World Map." These were reported by organizers and allies of AYF-WUS. We condemn these events as an act of anti-Armenian racism against the Armenian-American community and larger Armenian global community. We call for a full investigation of these events and call on policymakers to prioritize and take seriously ongoing threats and attacks against the Armenian-American community. We thank authorities who have opened investigations thus far. We demand a thorough investigation and action.

Examples of anti-Armenian racism in the United States continue to persist and continue to go on unaddressed. Our policymakers must protect our civil rights and community safety. These events are another instance in a long string of recent anti-Armenian hate crimes, including attacks at Armenian schools and churches.   We urge the community to stay vigilant and report any instances they experience. And we thank all who have and continue to show solidarity.

Armenian-American Action Network joins Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) to fight for a better New York

January 27, 2023

Armenian-American Action Network joins Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) to fight for a better New York

UNITED STATES—We are grateful and excited to join the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF). Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) is a pan-Asian children and families’ advocacy organization bringing together over 75 community-based organizations as well as youth and community allies to fight for equity for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, in New York.

Armenian-American Action Network looks forward to building lasting partnerships to fight for the needs of all our communities. And appreciates the support of the coalition in advocating for Armenian civil and immigrant rights. We look forward to building a movement for community change that empowers and mobilizes a broad base of community leaders, together. Learn more about @cacf at CACF.org

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Armenian-American Action Network condemns racist remarks against the Armenian, Black, LGBTQ+, Asian, Jewish and other communities by LA officials and Calls for Immediate Resignation of All Involved

October 15, 2022

Armenian-American Action Network condemns racist remarks against the Armenian, Black, LGBTQ+, Asian, Jewish and other communities by LA officials and Calls for Immediate Resignation of All Involved

Los Angeles officials including Nury Martinez made racist remarks against Armenians alongside other racist, anti-Black, and homophobic slurs. As an Armenian-American civil rights organization based out of Los Angeles, we condemn all such speech & call for all involved to resign & be accountable immediately. 

Armenian-American Action Network condemns the anti-Armenian racism displayed by Martinez, Herrera, de León & Cedillo. In leaked audio reported by Knock LA, racist remarks are said about Krekorian’s district & mention “The guy with one eyebrow.” Martinez then asks what his last name is, which receives a reply of: “I bet it ends in I-A-N.” This comes in a climate of larger and historical structural marginalization of Armenians in Los Angeles and after we as an organization and community expressed deep concern over racist redistricting. Our community has been and continues to be subjected to acts of hate and violence both locally and globally. Our elected officials must do everything in their power to combat hate and racism targeting immigrants, refugees and racialized communities in the United States. 

Our beloved city Los Angeles is home to vibrant communities from all walks of life. Our communities are what make this city great. We condemn these statements and all statements made against the Black community, LGBTQ+ community and other communities within Los Angeles. 

Our communities must unite in fighting racism and hate. No elected official must espouse these ideas and plot for the disenfranchisement of a community. We call for accountability and justice for our communities. We demand that elected officials representing the communities of Los Angeles display respect, care and organize for the diverse communities of Los Angeles that they represent. We need a government by the people, for the people. All four of these officials must resign and a new era of dignity, love, unity, power and justice must begin, rooted in those impacted by the city’s policies. 

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AAAN Statement on Rittenhouse Verdict

AAAN Statement on Rittenhouse Verdict

Armenian-American Action Network issues the following statement after the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse, who was charged on five counts after shooting 3 and killing 2 protesters at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in 2020:

The U.S. courts have failed in delivering justice for the protesters who were murdered at the Black Lives Matter demonstration in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last summer. While this is not surprising, it is extremely troubling because it sets a dangerous precedent in the U.S. This ruling signals to white supremacists that their violent actions aimed at racial justice protestors are sanctioned by the U.S. courts and will go unpunished. It also sends a chilling message to all of us who are committed to taking action and exercising our first amendment rights to bring about racial and social justice.

However, it will not intimidate us in our fight for a country free from racism, discrimination, and violence. Armenian-American Action Network condemns this ruling and stands in solidarity with community leaders in the Black Lives Matter movement, as they continue to define, strengthen and inspire a generation to fight injustice.

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Armenian-American Action Network Condemns Vandalism & Possible Hate Crime Against St. Peter's Armenian Church in Van Nuys, CA

Armenian-American Action Network Condemns Vandalism & Possible Hate Crime Against St. Peter's Armenian Church in Van Nuys, CA

LOS ANGELES, CA —More than eight stained glass windows were shattered and other items damaged in the early morning at St. Peter’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Van Nuys, California. We condemn this despicable act of vandalism and possible hate crime, and are monitoring the situation. According to authorities, the investigation is ongoing.

Security footage by the church reveals the attack was by a man with a mask with what appears to be a baseball bat. We encourage the community to stay vigilant and are deeply saddened by this attack on this sacred center of our Armenian-American community in Los Angeles.

The windows were over 60 years old, and like much of St. Peter’s built by early Armenian-American communities. St. Peter’s continues to serve the spiritual needs of Armenian-Americans and Armenian immigrants.

Armenian-American Action Network stands in solidarity with the leadership and community members of St. Peter’s Church. We are continuing to monitor the situation and are encouraging officials to investigate possible motives and designation as hate crime(s). As a new organization dedicated to protecting Armenian-American civil rights, we will continue to fight anti-Armenian racism in all forms.

There is no place for hate in our communities.

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Donations are being accepted for the church here. Please give what you can.

Armenian-American Action Network joins Calls to Biden for #RefugeesWelcome

UNITED STATES—As a United States civil rights and refugee rights organization, we have signed onto to two coalitional calls to Joe Biden for Lebanese and Afghan refugees. As a community built by refugees, we believe refugee rights are human rights, and necessary for social justice and global justice.

We have signed onto the ADC -led letter calling on Biden to grant TPS for Lebanon which is in ongoing crisis. Many Armenians in Lebanon continue to face the horrors of economic, political and social collapse in Lebanon. Additionally, the crisis in Afghanistan is a now refugee crisis.

We join more than 300 social justice organizations and faith groups in asking Joe Biden to support vulnerable refugees.

Read the letters here:

ADC

Refugee Council

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Armenian-American Action Network Statement on Jimmy Williams Comments on Armenians and Armenia

Armenian-American Action Network Statement on Jimmy Williams Comments on Armenians and Armenia

UNITED STATES—American political commentator Jimmy Williams tweeted a series of statements against Armenians, Armenian-Americans and Armenia on July 3, 2021. We maintain unequivocally that these statements are racist and are part of larger structures of anti-Armenian racism, white supremacy, and American exceptionalism. Williams has still not adequately rectified these actions. 

In response to another Twitter user, who is of Armenian descent, he chose to making sweeping statements directed against our entire community, focusing on the user’s identity. We called on Williams to apologize and take them down, and if he would not for Twitter to take action, as these statements were clearly a breach of Twitter’s community guidelines. 

The tweets included statements “My favorite Armenians are the ones who stick to their country,” “When did Armenians start blaming Americans for all that is wrong in the world? I don’t get it.” and “Oh honey the last place I would colonize is Armenia.” Hundreds of Armenian-Americans responded, and asked Twitter to take down the posts and suspend Williams’ account. 

Williams eventually did take them down and posted a long message. Armenian-American Action Network finds the original statement and it’s follow up apology inadequate as it failed to first, address that any harm had been done, and secondly, provide action steps on how Williams will engage the community in the future, and what proactive measures he will take for repair. 

Williams must acknowledge that his statements were and are racist and he must learn about how his actions are connected to larger histories of anti-Armenian racism. Both his statements were and are racist. 

Armenian-American Action Network, is an organization dedicated to protecting Armenian-American civil rights and serves as a resource for the larger U.S. community for issues of racial, economic, and social justice.  Since the tweeted statements, Williams has still not taken adequate action to address his harm. We encourage Williams to reach out to us as a resource to learn about how to support efforts to fight anti-Armenian racism and build meaningful allyship.

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Armenian-American Action Network Welcomes President Biden’s Recognition of the Armenian Genocide

Armenian-American Action Network Welcomes President Biden’s Recognition of the Armenian Genocide

On April 24 2021, in a historic address, President Joe R. Biden acknowledged the 1915 systematic and planned atrocities of the Ottoman Empire against its Armenian, Assyrians, Greeks and other minoritized citizens as Genocide. This came about as a result of over a century of a grassroots global struggle for formal U.S. Recognition of the Armenian Genocide. It also comes during a moment when anti-Armenian racism is on the rise because of the continued campaigns of aggression and denial of the Turkish and Azerbaijani governments. 

The action by President Joe Biden is an affirmation of historical facts. Over 1.5 million Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks were massacred and deported in a systematic campaign by the Turkish government at the time to wipe out these peoples from their homelands. We know that in order to prevent genocide, we must condemn genocide. While U.S. recognition is not justice, we believe it is one step toward justice. We thank President Biden for breaking the cycle of denial so many Armenian-Americans have had to live through year after year. 

There are over 1 million Armenian-Americans in the United States today, many of them, the direct descendants of these events. When Armenians arrived here as Armenian genocide refugees they faced racism, discrimination and marginalization. These are lessons we will not forget. We know racism must be eradicated in our society in any time period, and in any form, including to this day. President Biden’s action is a step in just that. Armenian-Americans are deeply thankful to President Biden for being on the right side of history. The root of genocide is racism and we must work at its source. 

Armenian-American Action Network Co-Director Sophia Armen stated “As a descendent of genocide survivors, I welcome this long awaited step towards justice for the descendents of Armenian Genocide survivors who continue to live in forced diasporas around the world. Armenian-Americans are the source of this victory, who for generations refused to give up the fight for U.S. Armenian Genocide Recognition” Our fight for justice continues on as we advocate for building futures free from racism, injustice, family separations, deportations and violence. 

Armenian-Armenian Action Network would like to thank our allies for standing with us in this fight, the dozens of non-Armenian organizations and advocates who have joined our calls. Armenian-American Action Network would also like to thank the ANCA and Armenian Assembly for their tireless grassroots, governmental advocacy on this campaign. And lastly, we would like to thank every Armenian-American who has called, marched, campaigned, spoken, remembered, and thrived. This victory is because of you. This victory is for you, for us all. 

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Press Release: Justice Organizations and Activists Call on Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide

Justice Organizations and Activists Call on Biden to Recognize the Armenian Genocide 

UNITED STATES— Organizations and activists in the United States leading the fight for racial, economic, and global justice call on President Joseph R. Biden to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in his address on April 24, 2021. Signatories include organizations leading domestic movements for social justice and immigrant rights to organizations fighting for human rights and the end of racial discrimination, displacement, and disposession, globally. Among them are American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, a civil rights organization with chapters in all 50 states, Justice for Muslims Collective an organization fighting Islamophobia through political education,organizing, coalition building & civic engagement, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement an organization of Afrikans/New Afrikans whose mission is to defend the human rights of Afrikans/New Afrikans & promote self determination, Jewish Voice for Peace, a national organization dedicated to U.S. foreign policy based on peace, human rights, and international law, and the War Resisters League, the oldest secular anti-war organization in the U.S. founded in 1923, along with dozens of organizations and activists on the frontlines of community movement work in the United States. The join the calls of thousands of Armenian-Americans across the country urging President Biden to be on the right side of history and Recognize the Armenian Genocide. 

April 24th is the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide that saw over 1.5 million Armenians, Assyrians & Pontic Greeks killed from 1915–1923 and displaced from their homeland. This marked a foundational moment in the making of the modern Middle East, that is often erased by scholars and organizers in the West. There are 10-15 million Armenians and Assyrians who continue to live in forced diaspora around the world today because of these events. The government of Turkey and the government of the United States historically have claimed the Genocide never happened and work together to deny recognition to the communities. Thanks to generations of community organizing, the US House and Senate finally, just recently passed a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide in 2019. Now it is up to President Biden to make recognition of the Armenian Genocide official U.S. policy.

Letter to President Joseph R. Biden: 

We, the undersigned justice organizations and organizers, call on President Joseph R. Biden to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide this year in his annual address on April 24th. 

Armenian-American community organizers have been calling on the United States to be on the right side of history and affirm the truth of these historical crimes, for decades. As organizers for justice, dignity, and freedom we join these community calls and add our voices to them. It is time for the United States to fully recognize the Armenian Genocide as historical fact and be committed to building futures free from racism, injustice, family separation, deportation, and violence. 

We fight today against oppression and know that we have the ability to join together to struggle against these forces wherever and however they appear. No longer can the U.S. give excuses because of geopolitical interests and power, to deny justice for the Armenian Genocide and to the global diaspora that was forced into exile around the world because of it. 

Justice cannot wait. President Biden, we call on you to Recognize the Armenian Genocide. 

Signed,

Organizations 

Armenian-American Action Network

Adalah Justice Project

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)

Arab American Civic Council

Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC)

Armenian Youth Federation - Western United States

Association of Raza Educators, Los Angeles

Borderlands for Equity

Coordinating Committee on Armenian Nonviolence (CCAN)

Elmahaba Center

Electoral Justice Now

Ethnic Studies Now Coalition

Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition

Jews for Racial & Economic Justice

Jewish Voice for Peace

Justice for Muslims Collective

Majdal: Arab Community Center of San Diego

Malcom X Grassroots Movement

MuslimGirl

Muslim Student Association West (MSA West)

Nikkei Resisters

Palestinian Youth Movement

SAYRAN

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

SGV LGBTQ+ Center

The Feminist Front

War Resisters League

Yerazad Coalition

Zoravik Collective

Individuals 

(Note: Orgs used for identification purposes only) 

Sophia Armen, Armenian-American Action Network 

Dr. Suzie Abajian, Armenian-American Action Network 

Lara Kiswani, Executive Director, Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC)

Sharif Zarkout, Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) 

Kifah Shah, Activist 

Isabella Leon-Chambers, Chair of Operations, The Feminist Front

Mejgan Afshan, Borderlands for Equity

Donna Farvard, National Iranian American Council (NIAC)

Ramah Kudaimi, Syrian-American Activist

Lydia Yousief, Elmahaba Center 

Neda Maghbouleh, Professor & Author of “The Limits of Whiteness: Iranian Americans and the Everyday Politics of Race”

Samia Assed, Human Rights Activist 

Amani al-Khatahtbeh, Founder, MuslimGirl 

Cassie Rubio, Co-Chair, The Feminist Front

Sanyika Bryant, Malcom X Grassroots Movement 

Loubna Qutami, Assistant Professor, UCLA Department of Asian American Studies

Azadeh Shashahani, Legal & Advocacy Director, Project South, past President, National Lawyers Guild

Siroun Kaloustian, Activist

Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi, Director and Senior Scholar, Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diaspora Studies, San Francisco State University  

Shiyam Galyon, Activist 

Tallie Ben-Daniel, Director of Special Projects, Jewish Voice for Peace 

Rebecca Vilkomerson, Activist 

Ahmad Abuznaid, Activist 

Angelica Isai Becerra, Artist & Activist 

Clarissa Bitar, Musician & Activist 

Omar Offendum, Poet, Rapper & Activist 

Rashad Al-Dabbagh, Arab American Civic Council

Khadijah Abdulmateen, Muslim Student Association West (MSA West)

Sarah Farouq, The Feminist Front

Dilkhwaz Ahmed, Activist

Remi Kenazi, Poet & Activist

Rafael Shimunov, Activist 

Dr. John Fernandez, Coordinator, Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition

Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona, Ethnic Studies Now Coalition

Darakshan Raja, Co-Director, Justice for Muslims Collective

Yetvart S. Majian, Independent Scholar

Sayran B., Artist/Designer

Kenneth Rotter, SGV LGBTQ+ Center Board of Directors

Massoud Hayoun, Writer 

Mohammed Khader, Policy Advisor and Political Analyst

Miya Sommers, Nikkei Resisters

Ammad Rafiqi, Kashmiri lawyer and activist

Thomas Simsarian Dolan, PhD Candidate, American Studies, George Washington University

Carene Rose Mekertichyan, Artist & Activist, Yerazad

Joel Weisel, Queer Trans-nonbinary SWANA writer and organizer

Arya Jemal, Yerazad

Kohar Avakian, Scholar at Yale University

Yasmeen Obeid, Majdal Center

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