Farrah Khan, left, mayor of Irvine, speaks through the kickoff launch of the SAMENA Collective, South Asian, Center Japanese and North African, a gaggle of 17 native non-profit organizations, on the Entry California Providers in Anaheim on Friday, July 19, 2024. (Picture by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A brand new group in Orange County is concentrated on championing the pursuits of South Asian, Center Japanese and North African communities.
The SAMENA Collective, comprised of 17 nonprofit companies in Orange County, advocates, creates insurance policies, collects information and shares sources for underserved South Asian, Center Japanese and North African communities, SAMENA Collective spokesperson Rida Hamida stated.
The group additionally supplies psychological well being help tailor-made particularly to members of the SAMENA neighborhood who expertise discrimination and isolation, Hamida stated. Moreover, the group addresses housing points and serves as a collective voice for neighborhood wants.
“SAMENA Collective is a testomony to the dedication of the organizations which have been on the forefront of serving and advocating for our South Asian, Center Japanese and North African residents,” OC Supervisor Doug Chaffee stated.
Native SAMENA communities have been underserved, Nahla Kayali, founding father of SAMENA stated.
“For much too lengthy, SAMENA communities have confronted systemic neglect and underrepresentation,” Kayali stated. “However at this time, we stand at a historic time, to make sure that our SAMENA neighborhood receives the popularity, sources and illustration they rightfully deserve.”
Based on 2020 census information, 102,916 Orange County residents are Center Japanese or North African and 76,814 are South Asian.
“The time is correct now to make sure fairness and illustration for our SAMENA neighborhood, whose contributions have been woven into the material of Southern California for over a century,” Kayali stated.
The brand new group is actively on the lookout for volunteers, members and donators, SAMENA Collective Membership Chairman Wali Qazizada stated. To study extra about methods to take part, go to the group’s web site, www.samenaoc.org.
The SAMENA Collective launched on Friday with a press convention the place the completely different nonprofits introduced their contributions to the collective. Native authorities officers, together with Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan and Anaheim Councilmember Stephen Feassel, had been additionally current.
The nonprofits that make up the SAMENA Collective embrace Entry California Providers, Arab American Civic Council, Council on American Islamic Relations, Group Nexus and World Hope 365. The complete listing of nonprofits will be discovered on SAMENA’s web site.
By means of these companions, the SAMENA Collective’s mission is to “advance fairness, illustration and high quality of lifetime of the SAMENA neighborhood via advocacy, useful resource improvement and strengthening of providers,” in response to the group’s web site.
