About Us

The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) is a consortium of independent Arab American community-based organizations. Established in 2004 as a project of ACCESS, NNAAC currently has 27 members in 11 different states.

Our vision is a just and equitable society with the full participation of Arab Americans.

Our mission is to improve the lives of Arab Americans by amplifying their voices, strengthening the capacity of member organizations, improving representation, and increasing accountability to our communities.

NNAAC has four core work areas. They include:

Capacity Building

A key element of NNAAC’s mission is supporting the growth and sustainability of its member organizations. The Capacity Building program helps members through one-on-one technical assistance, identifying local and online trainings and webinars, annual capacity building grants, and offering other customized assistance to NNAAC members. NNAAC also organizes a national conference or training institute annually that offers training, workshops, plenaries, peer-to-peer learning and networking.

Advocacy and Civic Engagement

As service providers and grassroots organizations rooted in their communities, NNAAC member organizations are uniquely positioned to tackle the complex, multi-faceted issues facing the Arab American community. NNAAC’s Advocacy and Civic Engagement (ACE) program works to increase the civic participation of Arab Americans and increase member organizations’ capacity to engage in advocacy and civic engagement initiatives in their local communities. NNAAC’s ACE program focuses on the following areas: immigrant rights, civil liberties and racial profiling, access to human services and the Campaign to TAKE ON HATE.

Youth and Community Service

NNAAC and its members are dedicated to supporting the next generation of leaders and providing meaningful ways for the Arab American community to engage in community service.

Policy and Advocacy

Quite like the communities they serve, NNAAC member organizations are civically engaged at the local levels but sometimes lack proper representation at the Federal and state level.

NNAAC’s Policy and Advocacy program works with both NNAAC members and their communities to articulate the needs and interests of the Arab American and broader Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) community, effect positive change at each stage of the Arab American community life-cycle, and create an equitable direct service delivery model that includes Arab Americans.

NNAAC’s Policy and Advocacy team focus on the following issue areas:

Citizenship and Integration for Immigrants

Health and Educational Equity

Economic Opportunity and Community Development.

TAKE ON HATE, To develop our policy recommendations and advocacy actions for each issue area, we consider the intersection of Federal and state policy, the capacities and service offerings of our NNAAC members, and the needs of the communities they serve.