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Nowruz Resolution Introduced in Senate Today

Urge Your Senators to Support the Nowruz Resolution!

 March 19, 2010, Washington, D.C. - Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced a bipartisan resolution honoring the Iranian New Year in the U.S. Senate.  

“I look forward to seeking broad support from my colleagues in recognizing Iranian culture and the contributions of Iranian-Americans by the Senate for the first time.” Senator Menendez explained to PAAIA.  “This is something that should have been acknowledged long ago and I am proud to lead the effort in the Senate to recognize one of the Iranian people’s most cherished traditions.”

Take Action Now!

Click here to read Senators Menendez and Cornyn’s joint press release.

  Kat Haydarzadeh Sanam Zahir Mahasti Afshar Nina Beizai Morad Ghorban

 

News & Press Releases News and Press Releases

Thank Your Member of Congress for Voting for the Nowruz Resolution!

On March 15, 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Nowruz resolution (H.Res.267). This truly historic event would not have been possible without the support of the 384 representatives who voted in favor of the resolution. Please take a moment to thank them for recognizing the significance of Nowruz, our Persian heritage.

Take Action Now!

 

PAAIA Carries the Torch of Success to the Tri-State New York Area

Nine of Our Community's Finest Headline Passing the Torch in New York

March 18, 2010, New York, NY - Building on the success of similar events held at UCLA and Orange County, PAAIA is pleased to bring its signature event “Passing the Torch of Success” to the Tri-State New York area on Sunday April 25, 2010 at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.

Click here to read more

 

The Transition to Sustainable Growth - Sharing Thoughts on Economic Outlook with Fellow Iranian-Americans

By Roozbeh Aliabadi

March 17, 2010, Pittsburgh, PA - The recession of 2008 has not yet been relegated to a page in the history books. Throughout 2009 and into 2010, the economy and markets have been in their recovery phase, which has led to greatly improved conditions. However, there is still more progress to be made before we—as consumers—feel like the return to growth is assured. In order for us to reach that point, we need to go through the next phase of the market’s road to recovery: what we call the transition to sustainable growth.

Click here to read more

 

Nowruz Greetings from U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) 

 

NOWRUZ RESOLUTION MAKES HISTORY

  Watch Congressman Honda's Statement on the House Floor

 

From: Sonya Greco
Date: March 16, 2010 11:28:37 PM EDT
To: "Dr.Akbar Ghahari", Firouz Naderi, Morad Ghorban
Subject: Thank you PAAIA


Dear Drs. Ghahary and Naderi, and Mr. Ghorban:
The passage of the Nowruz resolution was a proud moment for me as a PAAIA member.  I wanted to send my gratitude to both of you as PAAIA Board Members for all your efforts in making this historic event happen.
I am also very glad to see the city of Pittsburgh where I reside recognizing this holiday.  I will be there this Friday when they celebrate Nowruz at our City Hall.  
Thanks to PAAIA, my country and my city will celebrate the Nowruz with me and my family this year and for years to come!!!
 
Regards,
Afsaneh Moezzi-Greco

 

The House of Representatives Passes the Nowruz Resolution!

By PAAIA Editorial Staff

March 15, 2010, Washington, D.C. - We are very pleased to report that the House of Representatives passed the Nowruz resolution (H.Res.267) today by a vote of 384 to 2.

PAAIA first approached Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15th) in February 2009, urging him to introduce a resolution in honor of Nowruz in the House of Representatives. “The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans has given instrumental support towards this resolution. Their initiative to work with me on the Nowruz resolution has fostered a greater understanding of the Iranian American community, and I look forward to continuing my work with them,” stated Congressman Honda.

Click here to read more

 

Farshad Rastegar: Lending a Helping Hand to Thousands Across the World

By Mahasti Afshar

March 10, 2010, Los Angeles, CA – In the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck Haiti and Chile recently, much of the world’s attention has been focused on how relief and support can be provided to the victims of these natural disasters. Central to this mission are international aid agencies whose primary purpose is to provide crucial supplies and services when no-one else can. Enter Iranian American Farshad Rastegar, founder of the international aid organization, Relief International. Established nearly 20 years ago, RI is a non-profit agency that provides emergency relief, rehabilitation, development assistance, and program services to vulnerable communities in over 20 countries worldwide.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Farshad Rastegar to learn more about him, Relief International, and the role Iranian Americans have played in the organization.

Click here for full interview transcript

 

PAAIA’s New York City Chapter Gathers to Support the Reelection of Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney

By Morad Ghorban and Siavash Dejgosha

March 11, 2010, New York, NY - On March 5th 2010, PAAIA members and friends gathered to support the reelection of New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-14th). The event was sponsored by the Iranian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC), the connected PAC of PAAIA, and held at the home of Mr. Akbar Lari.

Click here to read more

 

Respecting Diversity

By Sharon Baradaran, Ph.D.

March 9, 2010, Irvine, CA - Angella Nazarian, Author of Life as a Visitor, recently paid homage to the Samuel Jordon Center for Persian Studies in a blog posted on Huffington Post. Housed on the campus of UC Irvine in California, the innovative center seeks to foster an understanding of Persian culture by studying Iran’s rich ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity.  A speaker at the center herself, Nazarian writes of her interest in the center’s integration of cultural experiences of Iran’s minority groups such as Jews, Armenians and Bahá'ís.

I hope you enjoy reading the article.

 

It’s Your Turn Next, because community matters

Dear Community –

I was introduced to you in mid-January soon after I joined PAAIA. Since then, I have had the opportunity to work with PAAIA’s founding executive director, Babak Hoghooghi, as well as the board. Rubbing shoulders with such an extraordinary group of people who volunteer their personal time and resources in the service of their ideal, which is to advance the well-being of Iranian Americans, has been a rare privilege. I feel honored and amazed.

 

Today, it’s my pleasure to introduce Team PAAIA to you. In alphabetical order, they are: Nina Beizai/Public Affairs, Morad Ghorban/Legislative Director, Kat Haydarzadeh/Community Relations, Ramin Naderi/Legislative Assistant, and Sanam Zahir/News & Network. It just so happens that all four women are at PAAIA’s new headquarters in LA (address forthcoming) while the two gentlemen are in Washington, DC, where PAAIA was founded almost three years ago.

 

Soon it will be your turn to share your thoughts and voices with the PAAIA family, online and on the ground. We plan to interact with you—our members, Chapters and NexGens, as well as with the community at large—by developing a highly interactive website and social media presence. We will also help organize our membership around a variety of activities, from community service to celebrations to competitions. The idea is for PAAIA to provide the framework and the tools through which our members can get to know one another, network, play, and explore ideas. We want you to discover and engage in stimulating debates, have fun learning, and vote and act on shared goals that serve our community and the U.S. society at large.

 

Our ultimate goal is to help us Iranian Americans function like an extended family of friends. We want you to think of PAAIA both in times of need—you’re looking for a job or a good book to read, a place to stay, a cause to support, or a soccer coach—and also when you have something to share, an opening in your shop or office, a brilliant idea, tickets to the theatre, time for mentorship, funds to spare for an educational or environmental project. In short, along with other Iranian American organizations and individuals, we plan to do our part to strengthen our sense of identity, unity, and pride in our community’s achievements, enhance our image in society based on the values that we practice and the causes that we support, and enjoy the fruits of our influence in the country we call home.

 

On that note, I wish you all a wonderful spring cleaning time ahead of Nowruz, which will occur on March 20 at 10:32AM PST/1:32pm EST.

 

Warm Regards,
Mahasti Afshar