Arab American Action Network

09/02/2026

09/02/2026

Join the AAAN and partners TODAY, Wednesday, Sept 2nd at 5:30 PM as we rally outside of the Oak Lawn Village Hall and then at 6:30 for the board meeting.

We absolutely cannot back down to any racist system and institution, like the Oak Lawn Police Department, that continue to harm, brutalize, and assault our loved ones and community members. Last month, racist Oak Lawn Police officers assaulted a 14-year-old Palestinian child. Then, later arrested the child’s mother, a AAAN staff member, and a leader and organizer with CAARPR & CTU! The OLPD is doing this in hopes that they can scare us and get rid of us — we cannot allow them to win and hide. They KNOW that they made a BIG mistake. They know their crimes will be exposed, and they are scared of our organizing. They KNOW that they will lose - but only if we keep showing up, protesting, and fighting back! They are trying to intimidate us and push us out in hopes we don’t come back.

Our larger community needs to be outraged, and we all need to stand together, side by side, with a strong show of people power. We are demanding justice for Murod, justice for our youth, justice for our community, and justice for every single person harmed and violated by Oak Lawn’s racist Police Department!

If Oak Lawn’s Board of Trustees refuse to take responsibility and ownership for their failure to hold the Fire & Police Commission board members THEY have appointed and the violently racist Police Department accountable for their crimes, then it is up to US to remind them of that responsibility! It is up to US to defend our community members against racist cops that violently target and harm us, against a racist Fire & Police Commission that only mock and taunt us, and against the entire Oak Lawn Village institution that clearly has violence and racism deeply embedded into their systems.

Today, we are returning back to protest the Fire & Police Commission board with a force of our people power. We cannot allow OLPD intimidate us and force us into a place of fear. It is up to US to FIGHT back and demand justice.

WE WILL NEVER BACK DOWN. We will not stop fighting until justice is served! See you tonight!

09/02/2026

On the one-year commemoration of his passing, we hold Zachariah Alyafai deep in our hearts. A former AAAN youth leader, brother of our Youth Organizer Nadiah Alyafai, and beloved member of our extended family and community, Zachariah tragically left us on September 2nd, 2025, at the age of 21.

He was a natural leader, bringing a crew of young men into the AAAN Youth Organizing Program (YOP), and naturally guiding and inspiring all his friends and colleagues. He was brilliant, always understanding complicated political concepts and ideologies, while his larger than life, witty personality kept everyone around him laughing, sharp, and filled with joy.

As written previously by AAAN Organizing Director Muhammad Sankari, “Zachariah’s personality and leadership abilities [and] his infectious humor and wit played a critical role in breaking down stereotypes and leading to lasting friendships between Palestinian and Yemeni teens that transcended national barriers. Unlike his sister Nadiah, Zachariah was never the one on the mic, or the MC at the rally, or the loudest chanter, or the chair of meetings, but he lived and embodied the spirit and camaraderie that we have always tried to instill in all of our YOP members.”

That tragic day last year changed all our lives — we will miss and love Zachariah forever.

The AAAN extends its most sincere condolences to Zachariah’s parents and siblings, especially our colleagues and dearest friends Nadiah and Iesha. May he continue to Rest In Power!

You may donate to this Water Well Project on behalf of Zachariah: https://www.gofundme.com/f/water-well-project-on-behalf-of-zachariah-alyafai

Link also in our bio.

And please pray for mercy upon him.

08/31/2026

08/31/2026

‼️ACTION ALERT: ALL OUT FOR THE OAK LAWN FIRE & POLICE COMMISSION MEETING!

WHEN: Wednesday, September 2nd, at 5:30 PM

WHERE: 9446 Raymond Ave., Oak Lawn, Illinois

Join us for our monthly protest at the Oak Lawn Fire & Police Commission meeting, to demand justice for our community, Kurdi and his family, and justice for all who have been harmed by Oak Lawn’s Police Department!

08/28/2026

In a direct response to cops from the Oak Lawn Police Department (OLPD) assaulting a 14-year-old Palestinian American child at the Oak Lawn Fire & Police Commission meeting on August 5th, 2026, the Arab American Action Network (AAAN), Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), U.S. Palestinian Community Network, Southsiders for Peace, and others organized over 100 community members on Tuesday, August 25th, to rally outside the Oak Lawn, Illinois, village hall and attend the Village Board of Trustees meeting.

READ OUR STATEMENT HERE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JtvSHwt0g-ygmkpsFtqwlTKy-3H1ST6O8E0TthQ1rZY/edit?usp=sharing

The next Fire & Police Commission meeting is set to take place at the same Oak Lawn village hall on Wednesday, September 2nd, and we will again be there at 5:30 PM to demand the charging and firing of Oak Lawn’s racist cops.

Also join us at the Cook County Circuit Court - Bridgeview Courthouse on Thursday, September 17th, at 1:30 PM, to support the three brave activists who have been unlawfully arrested.

And please also sign this petition NOW to demand that Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul investigate the OLPD’s crimes: https://tinyurl.com/tznu4f35!

Photo credits to Caeli Kean Photography and Alec Ozawa

08/26/2026

Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and AAAN statement on the racist, retaliatory arrest of one of our best allies and one of CAARPR'S leaders, Kobi Guillory, by Oak Lawn Police last night. SHAME on Oaklawn Police Dept!

08/25/2026

The AAAN, our community, and our allies will not be intimidated by the political repression from the corrupt and racist cops and village leaders in Oak Lawn. Today, we rally outside of Oak Lawn’s Village Hall, and we will be going inside the Village Board’s public meeting to speak our demands! We will not be silenced, no matter what! Join us now!@

08/25/2026

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تعالو سجلو معانا بكرا يوم 26 على الساعة ١٠ الصبح