For almost 50 years, data on Arab American and MENA populations have been reported under the white category. As a result, policymakers, researchers, and representatives could never refer to official statistics to prove what we have long known to be true: Arab Americans are unique from white communities and have been systematically underserved and disenfranchised.
After decades of advocacy efforts by Arab American organizations and activists across the nation, including ACCESS, NNAAC, and the Center for Arab Narratives (CAN), the OMB has revised Statistical Policy Directive Number 15 (SPD 15) which outlines the minimum standard for Federal data collection on race and ethnicity. Now, all agencies are required to collect and report detailed data on race and ethnicity through a combined question that includes a MENA response.
The MENA category could have positive impacts on Arab American and MENA communities by expanding our civil rights protections, providing more culturally competent healthcare, direct services, and educational opportunities, expanding loan access to minority small businesses and funding opportunities for Arts & Culture organizations, and increased political representation and voting rights protections.
The fight for MENA Inclusion isn’t over yet though! #CountMENAIn is a national movement and many of our statewide campaigns and the #CountMENAInHealth campaign are still going!
In 2024, ACCESS was integral in mobilizing community members and advocating for more equitable representation of the MENA community in the redistricting process. Community members gave public comments to the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to share their stories and speak for how they want to be represented.
From January through April 2023, we mobilized 13,550 community members to advocate for a MENA category in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Thanks to the hard work of Arab American Family Services and their partners, as of 2023 Illinois was the first state to add a MENA category in state data collection on race and ethnicity.
We are currently actively circulating the Health Equity and MENA Community Inclusion Act in both the House and Senate to get a MENA category in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
