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New CA Team Leader Named

Posted on Monday June 6, 2005

ANAHEIM, California – The Arab American Institute (AAI) has named Mona Farraj to head the organization’s Community Relations Outreach Team in Southern California, a position in which she will foster relationships with other minority organizations and government officials to promote Arab American causes and the involvement of Arab Americans in the political process. Farraj, 27, was named to the newly-created position by Jamal S. Baadani, coordinator for AAI-Southern California.

“The selection of Mona Farraj is indicative of her tireless efforts and involvement to represent AAI in Southern California,” Baadani said. “Mona has reached out and developed relationships with other ethnic organizations in Southern California such as the League of United Latin American Citizens, Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Additionally, Mona has been very active in developing relationships with local officials, campaigns and organizations in Southern California.”

A graduate of Loyola Law School, Farraj is currently a principal at the Law Offices of Mona Farraj. Prior to founding her own firm, Farraj was an associate at the Riverside offices of Best, Best & Krieger LLP. She also is a lecturer on real estate law and is a licensed Real Estate Broker. Active in Southern California political and professional groups Farraj is a member of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, the Orange County Community Housing Corporation, the Lincoln Club, Los Amigos of Orange County, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Farraj said she looks forward to helping grow AAI-Southern California into a potent political organization that will represent Arab Americans of all persuasions. “One of my main goals will be to clearly communicate and represent to the various political officials around Southern California how it is absolutely essential that they be cognizant of the growing Arab American community in our region,” Farraj said. “We represent one of the largest single concentrations of Arab Americans in the country, and our growing economic and political relevance makes us a key constituency for elected officials.”

California is home to the largest Arab American population in the country. Arab Americans are represented in 56 out of the 58 California counties, and most are highly concentrated in the greater Los Angeles and Orange County areas of Southern California. For that reason, Farraj works very closely with City of Anaheim Public Officials and City Council.

In other news, AAI-Southern California Programs Team Leader Rudy Gharib has been selected to be a full-time intern at the Arab American Institute Foundation in Washington, D.C. Gharib, a Cal State Fullerton student, will participate in the foundation’s Summer program. The 21-year-old Gharib has been active in Southern California as a political activist and organizer, having worked on former California State Assembly candidate Ferial Masry’s campaign and co-founded the Middle Eastern Student Society at Cal-State Fullerton.