YALLA VOTE ‘08 Our Voice. Our Future.

Arab Americans voters are a key demographic with the potential to affect the outcome of this election. The Arab American Institute will be hosting a Candidates’ Night and Presidential Debate Watch Party on Friday, September 26^th, 2008 at 7 pm at the Ramallah American Club in Jacksonville, Florida. This event will provide an opportunity for the community to engage their candidates and allow for greater insight into the issues that matter most to them this election year. Local and state representatives will be on hand for a moderated conversation with the community; surrogates at the Congressional level are also expected to attend.

Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama has sent AAI a personal, video communication that touches on his commitment to address the issues that concern Arab Americans and America as a whole. The McCain campaign will send a surrogate. At the conclusion of the Candidates Night, guests are invited to stay and watch the presidential debates.

A recent AAI poll, conducted by Zogby International, reveals that the economy, not the war in Iraq, is the top issue of concern for Arab Americans.

This is an opportunity to experience your local Arab American community’s reaction and discussion during the first presidential debate. Come see what this targeted community really thinks about the candidates.

Registration is 6-7 pm

Program runs from 7-9 pm

Presidential Debate at 9 pm

Ramallah American Club of Jacksonville

3130 Parental Home Road
Jacksonville, FL 32216

Don’t forget to stick around after to watch the Presidential Debates. The Times-Union has asked for live bloggers at tonight’s event, so bring your Blackberry and settle down for an interesting night.

How many times over the course of the 2008 political campaign have we heard the phrase “Middle East oil?” Candidates for office at the federal (and even state levels) have promised to end U.S. reliance on Middle East oil, with the danger varying from the potential instability of the region to “oil wealth funding terrorists.”

Such statements demonstrate both ignorance about the U.S. energy equation and the intention to score political points at the expense of Arab Americans. Here are a few useful facts from the U.S. government. Use them well….
Read the rest of this entry »

The stage is set for what is sure to be a fascinating race for New York’s 13th congressional district seat- but

more on that later…this Past Tuesday, I hit the streets for some good old fashioned GOTV work on 5th Avennue in Brooklyn. The only problem was the streets decided to hit back with a good old fashioned torrential downpour. Nevertheless, I blanketed the streets with some snazzy palm cards designed by the attendees of our most recent coalition meeting. The cards reminded people to vote, provided a number for those unclear on their polling location, and offered rides to the polls. Foot traffic was a little light, but I’m looking at it as a warm up for a much larger GOTV effort in November.

However, in the midst of the rain and chaos, an election took place that day. The two candidates who emerged from the primary fray are Bob Straniere, and Michael McMahon. Now the proccess begins of getting both of them to come to our candidates night for a little Q&A. Both candidates have fiercely loyal supporters, and the racr between Democrats and Repiblicans is heating up in the 13th district in a way that it has not for many years. Democrats are making a lot of noise this year in a traditionally Republican district, which is sure to lead to a tight and hotly contested race.

Also going on in the world of AAI New York, is preparation for the upcoming AAI “Fear of Arab Planet” Hip Hop Tour, on which I plan making Fordham University a memorable stop. But more on that to come…’Til Next Time

-Matt

Did you know, you don’t have to wait until November 4th to cast your vote? Starting today, much of America  will start to cast their  ballots, six weeks before the general election.

“Absentee voting” is done by mail; “Early Voting” requires that voters cast their ballots in person at the offices of county clerks or other approved voting stations. At least 34 states, plus the District of Columbia, allow residents to vote before November 4th.

In a year that promises record turnout, making your choice early might be a good idea.

Big question is, where is it permitted, and what are the guidelines?

The following states permit ‘no-excuse’ absentee balloting: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

These states require that an absentee ballot be signed  by a witness or notary public: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia

In addition, many states require that absentee ballots be signed by a witness or notary public, in some instances only when a voter has required assistance with the ballot, but other states make it mandatory across the board. The National Conference of State Legislatures website does a great job of breaking it down for you here. Be sure to check their table of when things are due where.

Yalla Vote at the Islamic Center of Detroit!

We have been out and registering people to vote here in Michigan by hitting every mosque and church in town. On Friday, September 5th, 2008, Yalla Vote had a voter registration and information table at the Islamic Center of Detroit in Michigan. We registered new voters and reminded them about how important it is to make our voices heard this November. Hassan Abraham assisted me in registering people and also getting signatures for the National Declaration.

Everyone was excited about the Yalla Vote Campaign and appreciated us being there and expressed gratitude. Many young people were present and wanted to be a part of our upcoming events in Michigan.

Three young people , Walid Ali, Suheib Bukhatmi, Mohamed Al-Jabbery, offered to help us with voter registration and also expressed interest in volunteering for their candidate of choice. This election is crucial and we will be registering more people to vote to increase Arab American participation . If you know a church or mosque we haven’t been at in Michigan, contact me via e-mail at aai-Michigan@yallavote.org and let us know!

-Jana

Mezza in Minneapolis…
At 9 pm on September 2nd at the Minneapolis Convention Center, “Mezza in Minneapolis” kicks off. Make sure you’re there to sample our sumptuous feast, enjoy the excellent live music, and view a fascinating exhibit that features the history of the keffiyeh, courtesy of the Arab American Museum. Tickets are free - but make sure to reserve your spot now. For more details, please click here. Comedy Kabob, Well Done…

Comedy Kabob, Well Done…
Monday night’s “Comedy Kabob” was a total success. Thank you to everyone who showed up to support AAI and to enjoy the comedy of Maz Jobrani, Dean Obeidallah, and Ahmed Ahmed. The event got some good reviews and notable mentions - check out the first batch of articles published this week. Start by reading the stories in the Washington Post, CQ Politics, and Roll Call, then keep going with the North Jersey’s The Record and Bob Braun of NJ Voices. Read the rest of this entry »

The Yalla Vote campaign has been all over southern California the last two months as I have ventured from one fundraising dinner to the next, meeting future congressional candidates to taking them on tours of the Arab community.  Every day has been an exciting and rewarding experience for me, not knowing what is in store.  Now the summer is slowly winding down and looking back, it has been a great summer for me.  The fall is fast approaching and we are getting ready for GOTV and going full gear in October.  The following pictures are from my adventures as a field organizer the last two months.  So enjoy, and know that there are more to come. Peace.

The Florida primary election is August 26th. There are plenty of local offices being decided, and candidates for national elections. Early Voting has already ended yesterday - the official Primary Election Day is August 26th.

Be prepared when you get to the polling location! Check out the Florida Division of Elections homepage at http://election.dos.state.fl.us/ to find voting locations and other information. And remember, if you’ve never voted before in Florida, you will need to show some form of ID. You can also call the Voter Assistance hotline at 1-866-308-6739 with questions.

Why are you still sitting there reading this?  Yalla VOTE!

-Mia

AAI is all set for the DNC Convention in Denver, Colorado. Not only are we hosting the “Comedy Kabob” on Monday night, but our staff will be there to cover the events and make sure our voices are heard, loud and clear. AAI President James Zogby is a superdelegate and has already given testimony to the DNC’s 2008 Platform Committee on issues affecting the Arab American Community.

If you haven’t already gotten your tickets, time is running out - the 9 pm show is already sold out! You can reserve tickets, see event details, find parking information and more by clicking here. Keep an eye on the event listings at the DNCC too, because there are other groups putting on relevant events that promise to be interesting.

If you won’t be in Denver then we’ll see you the next week in Minneapolis. Stay tuned for more updates and information.