The Arab American Civic Council applauds the Anaheim City Council members for voting in favor of a formal designation of Little Arabia on Tuesday, August 23rd. After four decades of Arab American contributions and advocacy, the Council designated a portion of the Brookhurst Corridor, from Broadway to Ball, as Little Arabia.

Council members also voted in favor of conducting a Brookhurst Corridor Study that will be guided by the Little Arabia designation. The study will search for possible district options, among them a Cultural District, to be assigned to Little Arabia. This would provide recommendations for funding and resources to enhance Little Arabia.

The designation effort has been a long time coming. Little Arabia started as a project of various Arab American entrepreneurs during the late 1990s and turned into a beloved cultural destination for the Arab Americans community. Little Arabia provides the community with a sense of belonging, safety, and fulfillment. 

In a statement, Arab American Civic Council Executive Director Rashad Al-Dabbagh said, 

“The decision to designate Little Arabia was a historic moment for us as a community. Over the years, Arab Americans have transformed Brookhurst Street into a thriving cultural and business destination. Our contributions to the city of Anaheim are finally being recognized with a formal designation of Little Arabia. This is the beginning of a partnership with the City of Anaheim to work together on expanding and improving Little Arabia.” 

In a statement, Arab American Civic Council Research Fellow Amin Nash said 

“After more than two decades, Anaheim City Council has finally recognized the contributions of Arab Americans and the broader Southwest Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African communities. This is a community that has felt “visibly invisible” for a very long time. Now, Anaheim is saying they see the community, and are giving the community a place to showcase their humanity. I am very proud of the hard work of all the organizations and individuals who helped in this process, and I am very proud of the council members who worked together to make this happen.”