YALLA VOTE ‘08 Our Voice. Our Future.

As we all gear up for our last push before the election, we’re asking you to help us find volunteers to make calls this month, using an exciting, new on-line tool that makes it easy for us to get out the Arab American vote.

Yes, we’re all really busy, but the Yalla Vote Virtual Phone Bank makes it simple to reach out to registered Arab American voters across America.

Here’s how the Yalla Vote Virtual Phone Bank works:

1. Fill out the fast, simple form at www.aaiusa.org/volunteer.
2. You will receive an e-mail with details of how to log onto the Yalla Vote Virtual Phone Bank and get started.
3. Set aside an hour or two between 10AM and 9:00PM on days of your choosing to call registered Arab American voters and remind them to vote on November 4th.

We’re asking for just an hour or two of your time to give this easy, convenient system a try. Call registered Arab American voters and remind them to vote on November 4th. If you like the system, you can make as many calls as you like.

It can’t be simpler-and it couldn’t be more important. The stakes have never been higher. It’s our voice. It’s our future. Click here now and make a difference.

Thank you for your help.

Majid Al-Bahadli, Obama delegate from Washington State, danced on the floor of the Democratic National Convention, cheered on by members of his state’s delegation, this past August. How he came to be there, the only Iraqi delegate on the floor, is an inspiration to us all.

Born and raised in Iraq, the budding political activist knew the risks of opposing Saddam’s regime: in 1980, his uncle and cousins, and many other family members, were executed for it. When Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1991, Majid heeded the United States’ call to rise up against him. But when the U.S. withdrew and power was restored to the dictator, Majid’s life was at risk. He slipped through the border checkpoints and surrendered to an American soldier. For nearly five years, he lived in a prisoner of war camp in the Saudi desert. Finally, a United Nations delegation entered the camp and conducted the interviews that would lead to Majid’s release as a political refugee in 1995, and later to his naturalization as an American citizen. There were some difficult years between his arrival in the U.S. and the day he became a citizen in 2000-although politics is his passion, he lay low for fear that his actions might jeopardize his impending naturalization. Today, he works fearlessly to get out the vote in his adopted Seattle, Washington. He is a warm and gracious person whose enthusiasm for American politics is inspirational and infectious. He won his position as delegate in a landslide vote, with 87% in support of his bid to travel to Colorado.

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After a blogging hiatus for a 2 week Jury Duty stint, and some beginning of school/ LSAT prep madness, I have returned to update everyone on the happenings in the world of Yalla Vote New York. As you know, the congressional primaries are fast approaching, and the 13th District will choose its candidate tomorrow, September 9th.

As the Yalla Vote Field Organizer in New York, I have had the opportunity and the privilege to interact with the major players in the race for the 13th District. All of the candidates are out in full force looking for votes, and trying to pick up the pieces left over from the Vito Fosella scandal, which rocked the 13th District, and upset the balance of what has historically been a Republican-leaning voting population. Among the hopefuls are Steve Harrison (D), Michael McMahon (D), and Jamshad Wyne (R), all of whom I have had an opportunity to connect with. In particular I have had conversations with Mr. Wyne and Mr. Harrison about the importance of Arab American political involvement, and about the concerns of many Arab American voters.

Regardless of who emerges from the fray on September 9th, Arab American voters in the 13th District will have the opportunity to grill those candidates at the Yalla Vote Candidates Night. Yalla Vote will be hosting the Democratic and Republican nominees at Widdi Catering Hall on 56th St. and 6th Avenue at 6:30pm on October 23rd. Of course food will be served, and the dialogue between candidate and voter promises to be interesting. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion of the 13th District congressional primary. Until then…

-Matt

National Field and Political Coordinator Maram Abdelhamid has been traveling lately. This past weekend took her to Florida, where Dierdre Connor of the Florida-Times Union caught up with her. “Arab Americans Get out the Vote” is a nice piece, with some good facts about Arab Americans in Jacksonville.

How are you planning to get out the vote in your community?

The polls closed Tuesday night August 5^th on Michigan’s state primary elections, and as we recuperate here in the office, it seems like all our hustle over the last two weeks has paid off – at least a bit – in the face of dismally low general voter turn out.

As we neared the primaries on Tuesday, we took to the streets to post flyers, urging people to vote, and passed out handbills at local mosques and businesses. On Tuesday our volunteers called local AAI members with a last minute message to get out and vote.

Arab Americans were involved in all aspects of the elections: volunteering, voting, working at the polls, getting-out-the-vote. Many ran on the ballot as precinct delegate candidates and a few others ran for their parties’ state representative nomination in their respective districts.

In the 12^th District, which includes the multi-ethnic communities of Southwest Detroit, Rashida Tlaib won the Democratic nomination by a landslide, as the first of eight candidates.

John Kuriakuz (D) of the 39^th District came in as the 2^nd of two candidates, despite large get-out-the-vote efforts in the Chaldean community.

Thanks to all our volunteers who helped us get-out-the-vote this week here in Michigan! We’re not slowing down anytime soon.

-Amir

David Munir Nabti is flying back to the US for the Democratic Convention this August. He is the first ARAB AMERICAN to be chosen as a delegate to the committee for the Democrats Abroad Europe-Middle East-Africa region. The LA Times posts a fabulous blog about our overseas Get Out The Vote hero…

Despite moving to Lebanon in 2004 to bond with his roots and work in the development field, Nabti never really lost his connection with the U.S. It is in California, where he grew up and later studied political science.

So last year, with a small group of like-minded people, he decided to start the Lebanon chapter of Democrats Abroad, which is the official overseas branch of the U.S. Democratic Party with members in 164 countries.

We hope that all Americans, at home and abroad, cast a ballot this November 4th.

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.

This week I have had the opportunity to meet many people who seem to be really excited about what AAI and Yalla Vote are doing. I spent a few hours on Monday going around to a few Arab American businesses in the area asking them to keep copies of the National Petition in their stores and ask their customers to sign it. With the exception of one, all of the stores were glad to do it. (So if you live in the area and have not signed the Petition…just stop by your local Arabic store or restaurant to sign it)

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No, Outlandish isn’t relocating the states. The presence of the Danish trio, however, has gone from dream to reality in six U.S. cities thanks to MAS (Muslim American Society) “Youth for Change”.

MAS Youth organized a six city tour called “Voices for Change” for the Muslim hip hop group. Tampa, Florida was the first stop on the tour, and I had the opportunity to attend. The concert was held at the Sun Dome at the University of South Florida.

The opening acts for the show were hand selected by MAS, and included groups that addressed social issues and moral living. One of the groups that opened was D-Clique, a Muslim-American rap duo from Tampa. The other was Raef Band, a more rock ‘n roll style band from Germantown, Maryland.

Raef will be opening for Outlandish at all of the other shows on the tour. Each city also has it’s own local talent opening. The best news is, AAI’s Yalla Vote teams will have tables at the events in Michigan and California, so if you go to one of the concerts, please stop by, say hello, get some bumper stickers and buttons, and sign the petition.

If you live in Tampa or Chicago, you’ve already missed it. But, Outlandish will be performing in four more cities this month. They include Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas.

In addition to hearing some great music from progressive artists, I had the opportunity to talk with MAS organizers and representatives about Yalla Vote during the intermission, and I look forward to building a relationship with the Muslim American Society of Tampa.

A quick spin around the blogosphere this morning brought an article in New America Media to our attention.Reporters Mohamad Ozeir and Michelle Salamey noticed a disturbing trend at January’s Michigan primary, and wrote the article, Lackluster Arab American Turnout in Michigan:

Though it is tempting to explain the low turn out in Michigan’s primary based on snow and falling temperatures, the weather was not a factor. Many Michigan voters who should have ventured out to cast their ballots didn’t show up. It was true for the general population, but even more evident among Arab American youth, many of whom felt their vote wouldn’t matter.

The problem is… each vote DOES matter. If we don’t participate in the elections, we don’t have a voice on the Hill and in our own backyards to represent the issues closest to our hearts and minds. If we don’t follow the candidates, know how they vote on our issues, and support those who support us, we will be mute and powerless.

Encourage your friends and family to get involved this November. One vote can make the difference… 100,000 can change everything. What would 1,000,000 Arab American voters do?