Arab American Civic Council (AACC)

Background

The Arab American Civic Council was created in 2011 to promote “grassroots democracy” and “justice and equity,” along with “an empowered Arab American community.” ⁴

In April 2025, AACC urged its constituents to call their representatives to support freeing Mahmoud Khalil, a foreign national who had expressed support for Hamas and allegedly had a leadership role in the occupation of a university building at Columbia University. ^{5 6}

AACC has claimed that the U.S. Congress is funding “genocide” in Gaza, posting to Twitter/X the statement “End the Ongoing Nakba” the day after Israel’s Independence Day in 2024. ⁷

On October 7, 2023, the day of Hamas’s attacks against the state of Israel, the group tweeted, “Senator [Alex] Padilla, ignoring the daily Israeli violence and apartheid practices against Palestinian enables continued violence against them. Listen to your constituents and condemn Israeli violence.” ⁸ AACC also reposted a statement by Amer Zahr on October 7, who claimed “Nothing about today is ‘unprovoked.’” ⁹

Initiatives

Little Arabia

The Arab American Civic Council was involved in convincing the Anaheim City Council to designate an area in west Anaheim, Brookhurst Street, as “Little Arabia,” in reference to it being a hub for the local Arab community. ^{10 11} “Little Arabia” was officially designated in August 2022. ¹⁰

MENA Inclusion

AACC has worked to have Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) designated as a “distinct ethnic minimum reporting category” to be used on all forms in the state of California. ¹² The group claims “MENA populations and subpopulations have experienced prejudice and systemic bias.” ¹²

Civic Education

AACC provides civic education for its constituents and encourages civic participation. ¹³ The civic education includes promoting Arab voting, advancing U.S. Congressional advocacy, delivering an effective public comment, and requesting a “proclamation” from a city government in support of a cause. ¹³

Financials

In 2023, the Arab American Civic Council reported a revenue of $362,764, expenses of $225,643, and total assets of $284,659. ¹⁴

That year, the group received $40,000 from The California Endowment ¹⁵ and $120,000 from the Proteus Fund. ¹⁶ In 2022, it received $10,000 from the Tides Foundation. ¹⁷

AACC has also received funding and in-kind donations from the RISE Together Fund (a Proteus Fund initiative), The California Wellness Foundation, the National Network for Arab Communities, the Center for Arab American Philanthropy, Resist, the Weingart Foundation, Groundswell Fund, and the Orange County Social Justice Fund. ¹⁸

Leadership

Rashad Al-Dabbagh is the founder and executive director of the Arab American Civic Council. Amin Nash is the policy and advocacy coordinator, and Ayah Shiadah is the organizing manager. Shiadah is a photographer who has documented the “Palestinian liberation movement” throughout Southern California. ^{19 20}

Al-Dabbagh has expressed anti-Israel sentiment on X (formerly Twitter). On April 9, 2025, he tweeted an Electronic Intifada article entitled, “Key 7 October ‘mass rapes’ witness denounced as liar by Israeli reporter.” ²¹

In response to a March 9, 2025 tweet from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) supporting “severe consequences” for those who provide support to terrorist organizations or incite violence, Al-Dabbagh claimed, “ADL’s mission is to intimidate and harass anti-genocide protestors.” ²²