12
Jun
2010
Why PAAIA?
How does PAAIA complement other Iranian American organizations?
PAAIA believes the Iranian American community can most effectively advance its common interests if its many individuals and organizations act collectively and collaboratively. PAAIA seeks to serve as a nexus for this collaboration, and has enunciated “community building” as one of the three pillars of its mission. As such, PAAIA is reaching out to all credible and reputable Iranian American organizations with overlapping missions or interests to capitalize on possibilities for collaboration.
That said, PAAIA is different from and complementary to other existing Iranian American organizations in the following ways:
* PAAIA is the first Iranian American organization to engage in proactive image building on a national scale to present an accurate and positive image of our community as one of the most successful diaspora communities in the U.S.
* PAAIA is the first Iranian American 501(c)(4) organization set up for issue advocacy on behalf of our community (in contrast, the extent to which 501(c)(3) organizations can engage in issue advocacy and lobbying is limited by law).
* PAAIA’s approach to empowering the Iranian American community is holistic, with the three pillars of community building, image building and influence building mutually reinforcing.
* PAAIA will be the first truly grassroots Iranian American organization with an active local presence in metropolitan areas with significant Iranian American populations.
* With its Board of Directors elected by the membership at large, PAAIA’s inclusive and transparent governance structure furthers accountability and openness and ensures that the organization truly belongs to and represents the Iranian American community.
We invite you to look through our website, learn about our initiatives and let us know your thoughts. PAAIA belongs to the Iranian American community.
