YALLA VOTE ‘08 Our Voice. Our Future.

Hop on over to Kabobfest for an interesting article about the Arab American Vote… “A recent Zogby International poll suggests that Senator Obama leads Senator McCain by a three-to-one margin among Arab Americans in both the two-way match-up and the four-way match-up.

Obama earns the greatest support ever recorded for a Presidential candidate among Arab American voters. In the two-way race, Obama leads 64/23, while in the four-way race (adding Barr and Nader), Obama leads 62/22. The poll projects that 68% of Arab American voters will vote for Obama on Election Day. These findings may be significant because 30% of Arab American voters live in five battleground states - Michigan, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. (McCain in effect conceded Michigan by re-directing staff and ending television advertising.)”

The two polls, conducted by Zogby International on behalf of the Arab American Institute in September and October, can be found by clicking here.

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.

Jana lets Michigan know: Voting is just as important as eating your fruits and vegetables.

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.

Hana Alawy (on the left) and Iraqiah Musaad, along with Addbah Musaad (not pictured), work the polls in Dearborn, MI.

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

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.

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

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!

Last week writer Gregg Krupa for The Detroit News, one of Michigan’s two major daily publications, came to our office in Dearborn to interview AAI intern Jana Musleh and former Yalla Vote Michigan Field Organizer Hassan Abraham for a story on the Muslim community’s reactions to the current presidential election campaigns. Krupa writes that many Muslims in the Metro-Detroit area have expressed the similar concern that both John McCain and Barack Obama have not reached out to local Muslim leaders, although candidates have done so in past elections. As a consequence, both Arab and Muslim community members are changing their minds about who they might vote for in November, while others express anger and apathy. Jana breaks it down: “McCain and Obama are not saying anything about Muslims and Arab Americans, and we are being discriminated against every day…They are not saying anything about our issues.”

Read the rest of the article at http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807050354.

On Saturday Night, June 28th, the Moroccan Congress of USA held their “Unite Tonight” for Obama event at Shiraz Grill in Orlando. The event was spearheaded by Jamila “Mimi” Chami, who is the director of the Moroccan Congress in Florida.

There was great Iranian food, live music, and of course, sheesha. The Moroccan Congress event at Shiraz was a great time to talk to the community about their political interests and get them to sign the National Declaration.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Moroccan Congress, click here to visit their website. Or, send me an e-mail and I’ll get you hooked up with the right people (after recruiting you as a volunteer of course :)).

And, for those of you who are SO sad that you missed this event, don’t worry… I’ll be having a meet and greet event on July 19th. Details to come soon! Yalla VOTE!!

P.S…. Let’s hear from the REPUBLICAN side of the aisle soon, ok? If you’re a Republican organizing in Florida, I’d love to hear from you and help you get out the vote!

-Mia

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to be a guest speaker at NAAP (network of Arab American Professionals) Mixer. The room was filled with excitement and the crowd was pumped. I gave a speech on why Arabs need to come together and vote and talked about the “YALLA VOTE ” Campaign and the National Declaration that we are circulating. I was really happy with the feedback that I got . Even though I was really sick that day ( I came down with strep throat), I was able to give my speech and networked with Arab professionals in the community. Many people came up to me and wanted to involve their children as volunteers. I said “Give me their number and I’ll take it from there.”

After the NAAP dinner, many of us moved next door to, of course, the shisha bar, and finished the night there. If you haven’t picked up on this already I love going to shisha bars and collecting signatures. I have a good time, talk politics, smoke shisha and pass on the Yalla Vote message, which fufills my duty as a YALLA VOTE Field organizer. So until my next adventure, I’ll keep you posted.