Arab-Americans: Making Their Voice Heard Through Their Votes

Arab-Americans are one of United States’ oldest ethnic groups, having settled in the U.S. since the mid-1800’s. Consequently there are a large number of Arab-American nonprofits focused on meeting their own needs and serving the greater good in areas ranging from civic participation to cultural promotion to social services.
 
Today they make up just a little over one percent of the population, yet they are proportionally well represented voters. Eighty six percent of Arab-Americans are registered to vote, compared to 72% for all Americans.  This makes their vote count, especially in states with significant Arab-American communities. Successful Arab-American nonprofit organizations have used this to the community’s benefit, by representing the policy interests of Arabs throughout the United States. Groups such as the Arab American Institute (AAI) strive to promote Arab-American participation in the U.S. voting system by focusing on two key areas: (1) campaigns and elections and (2) policy formation and research.
 
Headquartered in Michigan and founded in 1985, AAI has developed a variety of programs throughout the country that provide benefits to their community. Their programs range from carrying out voter education get-out-the vote activities, serving as a liaison with national parties to promote Arab-American interests, and helping both Arab-American Democratic and Republican leadership councils. Through informing and working with Arab-American voters in key states, they facilitate an Arab-American vote that is noticed by policymakers.
 
Arab-American leaders help promote AAI’s activities through media outreach and providing public information. AAI Founder and President Dr. James Zogby, of the renowned Zogby International which conducts polls around the world, writes a weekly column for the Arab-American press called Washington Watch.
 
AAI also publishes reports on violence and discrimination against Arab-Americans, which combined with Arab-American Anti Discrimination Committee’s programs (ADC), forms a strong voice speaking out against Arab-American defamation. As the nation’s largest Arab-American grassroots organization, ADC has been committed since 1980 to defending the rights of Arab-Americans through legal services, communications outreach and educational programs which aim at ensuring a fair and accurate portrayal of Arab-Americans in schools and in the media.
 
Though compared to the greater U.S. population their numbers are small, Arab-Americans have proven that power does not necessarily lie simply in numbers. Instead, it lies in unity, cohesion and ensuring that every person plays a part in the civic process.