With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
A New Attempt To Count Americans Of MENA Descent In California
A mural on the wall of a business on Brookhurst Street in Anaheim's Little Arabia.
(
Leslie Berestein Rojas
/
LAist
)
A new California Assembly bill would require state departments, agencies and commissions that collect demographic data to include an ethnic category for Californians of Middle East and North African descent.
Proponents say that AB 2763, known as the California MENA Inclusion Act (MENA stands for Middle East-North Africa) will help state public agencies better serve a population that for now continues to be categorized as “white” on census and other forms.
“It’s important because the Middle East-North African group has a very, very different experience than their white counterparts,” said Amin Nash, a policy and research coordinator for the Arab American Civic Council in Anaheim, an advocacy nonprofit.
“They are perceived different, they have different health stressors, they have different traumas,” said Nash, who is Iraqi American. “A lot the times when organizations, health agencies try to collect data about the Middle East-North African group, they don’t have accurate information.”
Support for LAist comes from
According to the bill, a category for MENA respondents would be included on state forms that offer racial or ethnic designations; the data would be included in state demographic reports.
The bill was introduced in mid-February by Assemblymember Bill Essayli, a Republican from Riverside County who is Lebanese American. Essayli said in a statement that the bill “will ensure that state agencies and legislators will have the necessary data to make informed decisions about policy priorities and resource allocation.”
The California bill comes after years of similar efforts, including a failed attempt to include a MENA category in the 2020 census.
That plan was nixed by the Trump administration. However, the 2020 census did allow a write-in response area to the “white” racial category, which yielded a glimpse, if incomplete, of how the nation’s MENA population breaks down.
MENA IN THE CENSUS
-
The 2020 Census did not include a distinct MENA category. But it allowed write-in responses in the “white” racial category that yielded this data:
- More than 3.5 million people identified as being of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent
- California has the largest MENA population
- Of those who identified as MENA in California, the largest group identified as Iranian
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
- More than 3.5 million people identified as being of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent
The U.S. Census Bureau’s analysis of those responses found that more than 3.5 million people self-identified as being of MENA descent, either alone or in combination with another group. The largest self-identified national origin groups were Lebanese, Iranian and Egyptian. And the state with the largest MENA population is California, with a self-identified MENA population of more than 740,000.
Support for LAist comes from
Southern California is home to long-established enclaves like Anaheim’s Little Arabia and Westwood’s Iranian American community, known lovingly as Tehrangeles. The California bill’s broader definition of MENA also includes several “major transnational” groups, including Armenians; Los Angeles, Glendale and Burbank have some of the region’s largest Armenian populations.
Advocates for MENA recognition have continued to push for an accurate count. The Biden administration has revived the possibility of a MENA category for the 2030 census, along with other proposed changes. And last year, the governor of Illinois signed a data collection bill similar to the one being proposed in California.
The California bill is expected to be heard in an Assembly committee next month.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
Best of LAist