American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the Arab-American Business and Professional Association (ABPA) are currently working on a petition to the Small Business Administration (SBA). The petition requests that the SBA designate Arab Americans as a socially and economically disadvantaged minority pursuant to Public Law 95-507 (1980) and SBA Regulations 13 C.F.R. § 124. The petition is being drafted by the Law Firm of Shearman & Sterling of New York City on a probono basis.

The requested designation is extremely important to the Arab-American community because it would create a presumption of eligibility for all members of the Arab American minority thereby eliminating the need for amassing and producing evidence of social and economic disadvantage by every individual Arab-American applicant seeking statutory benefits under the 8(a) program.

ADC has been working to achieve official recognition of the Arab American identity by federal, state and local governments and has repeatedly pointed out that, within the broader American society, over 3.5 million Arab Americans comprise a distinct ethnic group which is not identifiable under most current classifications. Consequently, Arab Americans have been ignored by governmental institutions despite the fact that Arab Americans have faced a pattern of historical discrimination.

In our efforts to compile statistics and information for the petition, ADC is gathering information about Arab-American business owners. If you are an Arab-American business owner, please complete the following questionnaire and return it to ADC 4201Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 300, Washington D.C. 20008 or fax it to 202-244-3196 or e-mail it to legal@adc.org:

Name of owner: _______________________________

Address:______________________________________

Name of Business:______________________________

Type of Business: ______________________________
Have you applied to the 8(a) program before? Yes __ No __ If so, were you approved?

How would you have benefitted from the 8(a) program?

Please provide additional information that may assist ADC’s efforts in this regard.

	31 July, 2001
	ADC Petitions for Arab-American Minority Status


	The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the Arab-American Business and Professional Association (ABPA) are currently working on a petition to the Small Business Administration (SBA). The petition requests that the SBA designate Arab Americans as a socially and economically disadvantaged minority pursuant to Public Law 95-507 (1980) and SBA Regulations 13 C.F.R. § 124. The petition is being drafted by the Law Firm of Shearman & Sterling of New York City on a probono basis. The requested designation is extremely important to the Arab-American community because it would create a presumption of eligibility for all members of the Arab American minority thereby eliminating the need for amassing and producing evidence of social and economic disadvantage by every individual Arab-American applicant seeking statutory benefits under the 8(a) program. ADC has been working to achieve official recognition of the Arab American identity by federal, state and local governments and has repeatedly pointed out that, within the broader American society, over 3.5 million Arab Americans comprise a distinct ethnic group which is not identifiable under most current classifications. Consequently, Arab Americans have been ignored by governmental institutions despite the fact that Arab Americans have faced a pattern of historical discrimination. In our efforts to compile statistics and information for the petition, ADC is gathering information about Arab-American business owners. If you are an Arab-American business owner, please complete the following questionnaire and return it to ADC 4201Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 300, Washington D.C. 20008 or fax it to 202-244-3196 or e-mail it to legal@adc.org: Name of owner: _______________________________ Address:______________________________________ Name of Business:______________________________ Type of Business: ______________________________ Have you applied to the 8(a) program before? Yes __ No __ If so, were you approved? How would you have benefitted from the 8(a) program? Please provide additional information that may assist ADC’s efforts in this regard.