The Gala Was Sold Out. The Message Was Louder.

There are evenings that linger long after the lights go down. The Arab American Heritage Gala: Showing Up Like Hope was one of them. On April 25th, the Arab American Civic Council gathered a sold-out room of community members, advocates, allies, elected representatives, and supporters to mark a milestone 15 years in the making.

Every seat was filled. Every corner of the room hummed with the energy of a community that has spent 15 years refusing to be invisible — and has never been more united.

The evening came alive the moment Palestinian-American filmmaker and storyteller Rolla Selbak stepped to the podium as emcee. Her warmth and authenticity set the tone for everything that followed, reminding everyone in attendance exactly why this community continues to grow stronger.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta offered a video message promising to continue protecting Arab Americans against hate and discrimination.

The evening featured a tribute to individuals whose unwavering commitment to justice has bolstered the community, highlighting three distinct awards. 

Dr. Diane Shammas was presented with the Lifetime Service Award, a recognition long overdue for a woman whose decades of tireless civic advocacy have quietly and profoundly shaped the Arab American community. Her commitment is the foundation upon which so much of this work stands.

Jenan Awaida received the Emerging Leader Award, honored for her bold vision  and her deep commitment to equity and justice. A community organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement and Operations Manager at the People’s Center for Palestine in Orange County, Jenan has quietly and powerfully become one of the most essential voices in the Palestinian diaspora movement in Southern California. She represents the next generation of Arab American leadership — fearless, grounded, and undeniably powerful.

The Solidarity in Action Award was jointly presented to Fernando Deveras and Leslie Priscilla, two allies who have demonstrated through their actions and words what it truly means to stand with the Arab American community.

Then came the moment the room had been waiting for. Cenk Uygur, founder and host of the groundbreaking progressive news network The Young Turks, joined Rolla Selbak for a captivating fireside discussion. With the fearlessness that has made him one of the most uncompromising voices in American media, Uygur spoke candidly about the destructive influence of money in politics, and how organizations like AIPAC have shaped elections, silenced representatives, and kept the political establishment firmly aligned with pro-war policies that the American people never asked for. He made clear that this is not a partisan issue — it is a democracy issue — and he left the room not in despair, but with a charge: that Arab Americans, allies, organizers, and everyday citizens must come together to dismantle the war lobby from the ground up through organizing and through refusing to stay silent.

None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary outpouring of support from every person who attended, every sponsor who invested in this community, and every ally who has walked alongside us over the past 15 years.

To our sponsors: your commitment made this evening a reality, and we are profoundly grateful.

To our attendees: the fact that this event sold out is a testament to what has been built here and what is still to come.

As the Arab American Civic Council steps into its next chapter, one thing is clear: this community is showing up. And it is showing up like hope.