About
#CountMENAinCA
#CountMENAInCA is a campaign by the CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition, anchored by Arab American Civic Council and Armenian-American Action Network, to pass AB 91, commonly referred to as the California MENA Inclusion Act. The California MENA Inclusion Act would finally make the State of California have a distinct MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) category for all state data and agencies.
History of the California MENA Inclusion Act
(AB 91):
In 2024, the CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition introduced a version of the MENA Inclusion Act, requiring all state departments, agencies, and commissions collecting demographic data on Californians to include a “Middle Eastern or North African” (MENA) category, further broken down into specific subgroups. However, the bill stalled in appropriations in April 2024.
On January 6, 2025, Assemblymember John Harabedian reintroduced the bill as AB 91 to continue the push for MENA inclusion across California. Under this legislation, state departments—such as the California Department of Education—would be required to collect and report data on MENA communities, including student success rates, bullying incidents, and support needs, where applicable. This mandate would apply to all state agencies collecting demographic data.
Over the course of several decades, members of the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) community in the United States have been advocating for a distinct demographic classification to finally represent people of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) heritage. The absence of a designated MENA category has resulted in significant disparities, particularly evident in California.
To rectify these inequities, California has the opportunity to introduce a distinct category specifically for individuals of Middle Eastern or North African descent (MENA), ensuring accessibility and representation for all residents.
About
CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition
The CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition is a coalition of MENA-led and MENA constituency-based organizations that work to advance MENA civil rights in California. It is convened by the Arab American Civic Council and Armenian-American Action Network and aims to protect and advance California's MENA population's civil rights and equal opportunities.
The central purpose of the coalition is to advocate for the civil rights of MENA Communities in the United States, specifically in the State of California. The first goal of the CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition is to pass AB 91, the California MENA Inclusion Bill, through the #CountMENAInCA Campaign. The bill would require all state agencies and departments to include a MENA demographic category of different populations identifying with the MENA region. Further goals of the MENA Coalition include advancing equal opportunities and special classifications of the MENA population to improve the civil protections of the community.
The coalition comprises MENA-constituency and MENA-serving-based organizations that forward and are led by MENA communities. The coalition celebrates the diversity of the MENA population and seeks to uplift the marginalized communities often left invisible in conversations, services, and issue-based advocacy.
CA MENA Civil Rights Coalition Member-Organizations
Arab American Civic Council
Armenian-American Action Network
National Network of Arab American Communities (NNAAC)
Access California Services
Arab Cultural & Community Center
CAIR California
National Iranian American Council (NIAC)
American-Arab Antidiscrimination Committee (ADC)
Somali Family Service