YALLA VOTE ‘08 Our Voice. Our Future.

In a city where DOJ, DOD, and SABER make sense, we have added a new acronym. Although ITBPPP or the ‘Inside The Beltway Party Plank Plaform’ is a tongue twister any way you say it, it promises to be a ‘let you hair down’ event where you can talk politics over Shisha and pizza.

In DC it really doesn’t matter which definition of Party you use. We either party with our party or party bi-partisanly. AAI invites you to join our bi-partisan ITBPPP Party.

When: Friday, July 25th at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Logan Circle

To RSVP to this event and get the address and directions, please contact Hilary at project1@aaiusa.org or call (202) 494-9859.

If you can’t come to this Friday’s Platform Party, then host one of your own! It’s easy, and AAI is here to help make your party a success with guidelines, suggestions, and free buttons, posters, and more. Just visit http://www.aaiusa.org/yallavote08 for additional info.

Florida in July is hot, and Yalla Vote is heating it up even more this summer! With so many ways to get involved this July, you may need to sit in front of the fan just to read this!

Platform Plank Events

Remember when we said that this was OUR VOICE, and OUR FUTURE? Well, Obama and the GOP are putting that to the test by letting the people get involved in the platform writing process. Want to host an event in Florida? Contact Community Relations and me! There are directions on the AAI website that make it very easy to get involved! Want to take part in an existing event in your city? E-mail me at aai-florida@yallavote.org for the latest Florida information.

Sign the Declaration

Chances are, if you’re reading this you’ve already signed the Declaration, but if not, click here to sign it now! And of course, forward it along!

Register to Vote

Here in Florida, the last day to register to vote in the primary election on August 26^th is July 28^th. You can find all the information about elections at the Florida Division of Elections’ website.

Attend a local party meeting

So you’re already registered to vote, holding or attending a plank event, and you’ve gotten the Declaration around to everyone you know? Do some research on your local Democrat or Republican club and go to a meeting. Be sure to let AAI know, and take pictures!

Some links to local political parties follow below. For the most part they meet once a month, and have other events throughout the month.

Volunteer

If we want to make our voices heard, we can’t do it alone! Volunteers are so important to getting the Yalla Vote message out to the community! Whether you have an hour a week or twenty, there is something you can help with! E-mail me at aai-florida@yallvote.org for more information about volunteering - or if you’re not in Florida, e-mail your local organizer!

However you choose to make your voice heard this election, remember, YALLA VOTE!

-Mia

Read the rest of this entry »

AAI is hosting a bi-partisan platform plank event next week… the details are coming together even as I type. What AAI wants to know is…

ARE YOU?

Let us know. Drop us a comment here on this post, or send an e-mail to cr@aaiusa.org and let us know the whens and wheres. AAI will be happy to send you Arab American Democrat or Arab American Republican buttons and signs, and Yalla Vote materials, to help you host your event.

We’ve made it so easy for you, with checklists, sign-in sheets, agendas, all branded for your Democrat or Republican event. Visit the Yalla Vote section of the AAI website for the complete low-down on this incredible opportunity to really make a difference.

How do you define Platform? Plank?? PARTY???

Whether you’re a lone thinker or a social butterfly, there’s a way for you to make your hopes for the next administration heard.

AAI knows how to do it. Do you?

What are you doing next week? The Obama Campaign and the Republican Party have offered all Americans the opportunity to contribute to the Party Platforms this year. Arab Americans must make their voices heard in every way possible, and this is an extraordinary opportunity to do just that.

The Arab American Institute has made it easy for you to organize your own Platform Plank events, with forms and guidelines, and all the tools you’ll need to be a success. Don’t forget to use the language of the National Declaration to form your planks, and click here for instructions on how to get this done.

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING!! If you form a platform plank event, please call AAI at (202) 420-0210, Community Relations, and we’ll send you Arab American Democrat/Republican buttons, signs, and other paraphernalia to make your party a success.

The Yalla Vote campaign is truly grateful to all of the sponsoring organizations that endorse it, and lend support. Recently, a Yalla Vote volunteer named Thomas Zraick paid a visit to one of our endorsers, the American Mideast Leadership Network at their Astoria office. The occasion was a pair of workshops for Arab Americans looking for help getting their resumes together, and making some networking connections. A number of the attendees were recent immigrants, and Yalla Vote was there stressing the importance of civic engagement and voting in the upcoming election. The event was very successful, and allowed for some great collaboration between the AMLN and Yalla Vote in building a strong and prosperous Arab American community. It’s always gratifying to see a Yalla Vote representative getting hands on with the community, but it’s even better when it’s one of our volunteers…and it’s EVEN BETTER when it’s a volunteer representing Yalla Vote in conjunction with one of our amazing sponsoring organizations. Bravo all around.

WOW Yalla Vote is in definitely in full swing…

As you may know, we are still in the midst of Arab American Heritage week in NYC which in true Arab fashion actually spans two weeks. For more information about Heritage Week,  visit http://arabheritagenyc.net/

Here’s what Yalla Vote has been up to in New York this past week or so:

1. The week began EARLY…around 7am to be exact, at the CBS early show, where I joined members of NAAP, the Arab American Association of Bay Ridge, and more to promote both Heritage Week and the Yalla Vote Declaration. I managed to weasel my way directly behind the interview taking place so my Shirt and sign were prominently displayed on national TV for a solid chunk of time. Here’s a picture of all of us with

CBS Early Show host Harry Smith

2. I went to promote the Declaration at a screening of Sling Shot Hip Hop at Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens. The event was hosted by ArteEast, and was a huge success. The weather even managed to hold out long enough to allow us as a beautiful evening. The movie itself is remarkable, and if you haven’t already done so, go see it. Now. I gathered signatures, recruited volunteers, schmoozed, and saw a great film with the New York City skyline as the backdrop. Does it get better than that? I submit that it does not.

3. Yalla Vote put on a strong showing at Bay Ridge’s own Arab American Bazaar at in the 79th St. Shore Rd. Park. It was a beautiful day and a bazaar filled with vendors, performances, food, and family fun. I got a great tan from working the Yalla Vote table all day, and also got a lot of positive feedback from the community. We even got some attention from local Congressional candidate Steve Harrison, who was very excited to see the Arab American community encouraging one another to take part in the voting process.

All in all, it’s been an exciting and successful “week,” and it’s far from over. There are more great events on the way, and Yalla Vote will be there front and center! Until next time…

-Matt

Today there was an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer about Yalla Vote in Cleveland as well as the upcoming C.A.M.E.O (Cleveland American Middle Eastern Organization) annual picnic at which Yalla Vote will have a presence.

Read the full article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer here.

Join the Arab American community at a KaboBBQ!

Learn about the Yalla Vote campaign, meet new people, and enjoy free food, courtesy of the Lebanese Taverna. Stick around for a game of football (that’s soccer for you Yanks) in the park.
Special thanks to Nora Burgan, GLS, and Lebanese Taverna for their generous contributions to this event!

WHEN: Saturday, July 26

WHERE: Mason District Park, Annandale, Virginia (click here for maps and directions)

WHEN: 3:30 - 8PM

WHO: RSVP to Community Relations by calling (202) 429-9210 or e-mail cr@aaiusa.org

Free parking! Free food! Good times! Get together and get out the vote this November.

Yalla Vote KaboBBQ

As I had mentioned in an earlier post, I met with the Lakewood Democratic Club a few weeks ago to let them know about Yalla Vote and are initiative to get more Arab Americans involved in the political process. Today I had the opportunity to meet with the Rocky River Republican Club, another suburb of Cleveland that has a high Arab American population. I was given the opportunity to speak to the entire group about the mission of Yalla Vote, the importance of the Arab American vote, and the need for both parties to actively reach out to the Arab American community. Everyone in the group was very receptive and interested in what we’re doing not only in Ohio but throughout the country and very curious about the roles that Arab Americans have played in politics. I even met representatives for a few candidates for local office in Cuyahoga County as well as some of the candidates themselves who came to the meeting to speak to the group. Overall it was a very positive experience and I hope to encourage members of the Cleveland area Arab American community to get involved in both parties this year when it is most important.

Yalla Vote!

This past Thursday, I had the amazing opportunity to go to the World Council Affairs Meeting which took place in the heart of Los Angeles. The main topic of the night was on the Arab-Israeli conflict, why peace hasn’t occurred, what needs to be done, and the problems on both sides. As in any discussion about Palestine and Israel, things got heated and people were voicing their opinion about the problems. The highlight of the dinner was Marwan Muasher who is the former Jordanian ambassador and currently serves as the senior vice president for the World Bank In External Affairs. Mr. Muasher spoke about the problems currently impeding progress on the peace process in the Middle East and promoted his new book, “The Arab Center”.

Overall, the event was a success and I was able to mingle with diplomats and network for the “YALLA VOTE ” campaign. I got a chance to meet the president of the Jordanian Embassy in Los Angeles, and was able to talk politics with people on both sides of the issue. In the end, despite all the heated debate and arguing, the sentiment was one of Peace. Everyone wants the conflict to end and this is the reason why we all gathered for this event. I talked to Marwan Muasher about the Yalla Vote Campaign and he was really happy to know that a movement was on the way to get Arabs more active. I also met people who were donors to AAI , and they were happy to know there money was put to good work. The night was great, I heard an informative speech, met many people, networked, introduced people to the Yalla Vote Campaign… So until the next adventure… The best field organizer in the United States will be off…

Salam

Samar Alhinnawi