Arab American Institute

The Arab American Institute (AAI) is one of the two most prominent Arab American lobbying organizations in Washington, D.C. The AAI was founded in 1985 by James Zogby, a second-generation Arab American who was actively involved in Democratic Party politics, particularly the Rainbow Coalition. Zogby had previously been executive director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, but had left after a conflict with its founder, James Abourezk, and founded the AAI as a way of continuing his activism. Zogby is the brother of John Zogby, a respected pollster and also a Democratic party activist. The AAI is divided into two segments, the AAI and the AAI Foundation, which are legally distinct but are highly integrated in their actions. AAI is highly focused on federal U.S. policy, and has a strong focus on actions in Washington, D.C., with a less substantial presence on the ground in other Arab American communities.

The AAI is a lobbying and policy-monitoring body. Bipartisan in framework, it focuses on monitoring U.S. policy toward Arabs in the United States and the Middle East. AAI publishes an annual Congressional Scorecard, which provides information about the voting records of all members of Congress on issues that it deems important to Arab Americans. In 2011, the relevant issues were the Arab Spring, Palestine, Lebanon, civil liberties, and immigration reform; From 2009 to 2010, they were Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, civil liberties, immigration reform, and other pieces of legislation that were specific to the Arab world. AAI also assists Arab American candidates for office in their elections and keeps records of Arab Americans in elected offices, from the local to the national level. Finally, AAI conducts occasional opinion polling of Arab Americans, and is generally considered a prime source for information about Arab American public opinion.

Since 2001, the AAI has made statements opposing the restrictions on civil liberties imposed by the Patriot Act, the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Israeli policies toward Palestinians, and other elements of U.S. foreign policy. These are consistent with AAI's pre-2001 positions. These criticisms have earned the organization the ire of many U.S. citizens; in particular, in 2006 the organization received a series of violent threats in the form of voice mails and e-mails. However, AAI has also been criticized by members of the Arab American community for not speaking out on the issues in stronger terms.

The AAI Foundation focuses on education and research. First, it provides the most detailed demographic analysis of the Arab population in the United States available to the general public, although it is limited by its use of U.S. Census Bureau data. Second, it sponsors Yalla Vote, a voter-registration and get-out-the-vote campaign in major Arab American communities and swing states with Arab communities during the years in which there are presidential elections. Third, it helps organize the Arab American Day of Service, along with the National Network of Arab American Communities. Finally, it is involved in educational and public opinion outreach to non-Arab Americans, with the intention of improving understanding of Arab communities, culture, and life among non-Arabs.

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