Our Mission
THE AMERICAN-ARAB ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
COMMITTEE (ADC) IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO DEFENDING THE
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE OF ARAB DESCENT AND PROMOTING THEIR RICH CULTURAL
HERITAGE.
ADC, which is non-sectarian & non-partisan, is the largest
Arab-American grassroots organization in the United States. It was founded
in 1980 by former U.S. Senator James Abourezk and has chapters
nationwide.
ADC's Advisory Committee is made up of an impressive group of people that
include: Muhammad Ali, Her Majesty Queen Noor, U.S. Congressmen John
Conyers (D-MI), Darrell Issa (R-CA), & Nick Joe Rahall (D-WV), as well
as the Honorable Paul Findley, Clovis Maksoud, Edward Said, Casey Kasem,
Archbishop Philip Saliba and others.
ADC is at the forefront in combating defamation and negative
stereotyping of Arab Americans in the media and wherever else it is
practiced. In doing so, it acts as an organ-ized framework through which
Arab Americans can channel their efforts toward unified, collective and
effective advocacy; by promoting a more balanced U.S. Middle East policy
and serving as a reliable source for the news media and educators. By
promoting cultural events and par-ticipating in community activities, ADC
has made great strides in correcting anti-Arab stereotypes and humanizing
the image of the Arab people. In all these efforts, ADC coordinates
closely with other civil rights and human rights organizations on issues
of common concern.
Through its Department of Legal Services, ADC offers counseling in cases
of discrimination and defamation and selected impact litigation in the
areas of immigration.
In its efforts to educate the public and maintain regular communication
with its members, the Media & Publications Department issues a
bi-monthly newsletter, ADC Times, Issue Papers and Special Reports, which
study key issues of defamation and discrimination; community studies,
legal, media and educational guides; and action alerts, which call on
members to act on issues necessitating grassroots response.
In the Department of Educational Programs of ADC, the Research Institute (ADCRI)
publishes information on issues of concern to Arab Americans and sponsors
ADC's Reaching the Teachers campaign, which aims at ensuring an accurate,
objective and fair portrayal of Arab history and culture in schools. ADCRI
also administers a year-round college internship program for Arab American
students and others.
ADC's achievements demonstrate the success of Arab Americans in building
vibrant institutions which not only draw on the strength of the Arab
American community, but also engender the support of individuals and
groups who are equally committed to deterring discrimination against all
people.
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