BRIEFING MEMO

Date: 02/22/17
To: MLS
From: Yvonna, 760-267-7487

Meet & Greet with Arab and Muslim Community Leaders

Saturday, February 25, 2017
4:30pm 6:00pm

Mayors Role: Speaking

Event/Meeting Objective: Speak about the current political moment and your commitment to
protecting all Oakland residents

Transportation Logistics: YC and MLS will walk over from the Emerge Event in City Hall

Event/Meeting Name: Meet & Greet with Arab and Muslim Community Leaders

Meeting/Event Time: 4:30pm- 6:00pm

Location: City Hall, Mayors Conference Room

Parking: Reserved Parking Mayors Spot

Onsite Contact:

Press (yes/no): No

Background: See Organization Overview

Is the Mayor Giving Remarks? Yes but informal exchange of conversation

Suggested Remarks:
- Thank everyone for their attendance and ask each to share what they are hearing in the
community, and what are their top two concerns
- Share your story and background
- Share top priorities
- What motivated you to declare Oakland a sanctuary city (provide a story).
- Restate your commitment to and plans for protecting Oakland families and residents;
- Who or what specific organizations or communities she is engaging with to realize those
plans

Agenda/Run of Show:

(4:30-4:45) WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS

Name, Organization, are you in Oakland resident and or how many of your members are in Oakland?

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(4:45-4:50) MAYORS PRIORITIES & CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE- MLS
(4:50-5:50) DISCUSSION
What are you hearing in your community?
What is your biggest concern or top two concerns?
What is your organization doing to address current challenges?
How can the Mayors Office support your efforts?
(5:50-6:00) CLOSING

Profile of Attendees/Audience: 20 people (23 invited)

Dr. Payman Amiri, Executive Director, Islamic Cultural Center of Northern CA
Miriam Zouzounis, Board Member, Arab American Grocers Association
Mohammed Mugalli Saleh, Imam Masjid Al Salam (religious leader)
Imam Faheem Shuaibe, Imam Masjid Warithdeen (religious leader)
Zahra Billoo, Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Ahmed Basiri, Yemeni Merchant, Yemeni Grocers Association (no longer active)
Hashem Awnallah, Sr. Strategic Adviser, Pure Hands, Inc. (at OCO Forum a few weeks ago)
Roya Sakhai, PhD, MFT, Executive Director, Multi-Lingual Counseling Inc.
Lara Kiswani, Executive Director, Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC)
Zahra Salamat, Boardmember, Islamic Cultural Center of Northern CA
Ali Sheikholesslami, Boardmember, Islamic Cultural Center of Northern CA
Mike Algazzali, Store Director, Gazzali's Supermarket
LB Algazzali, General Manager, Gazzali's Supermarket
Rona Popal, Executive Director, Afghan Coalition
Dr. Waheed Momand, Board President, Afghan Coalition
Nazema Momand, Board member, Afghan Women Association
Ahmad Rashid Salim, Board member, ICCNC
Hakim Jehan, Spokesperson, Yemeni Alliance Committee

(Invited but not confirmed)

Masjidul Waritheen, Sr. Clara Muhammed School
Anason Abdullah, President, American Association of Yemeni Students & Professionals
Suzanne El Gamal, President, Aswat Ensemble
Josiah Operations Manager, Afghan Coalition
Faye Algazzali, Bakery/Deli Manager Gazzali's Supermarket
Joe Sciarrillo, ACSW/DOJ Accredited Representative, African Advocacy Network

Overview of Organizations:

Islamic Cultural Center of Northern CA Located in downtown Oakland, works on housing and
homelessness issues and partners with multi-faith leaders. Islamic Cultural Center of Northern
California (ICCNC) is an independent, non-profit, community-based organization. ICCNC provides
a dynamic space that cultivates an exchange of ideas about Islam through art, culture, and education
programs. Our mission is to celebrate Islam through art, culture, and education. Our vision is to
achieve a more compassionate and just society by giving a contemporary voice to diverse perspectives
of Islam.

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Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) The largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy
group. It is headquartered on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., with regional offices nationwide.

Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) Three staff/board members from Oakland. AROC is a
grassroots organization working to empower and organize our community towards justice and self-
determination for all. AROC members build community power in the Bay Area by participating in leadership
development, political education, and campaigns.

The Afghan Coalition Participated in the ALL IN Alameda County and lifted up its biggest need - low
income housing. The Afghan Coalition is a non-profit community based organization that seeks to
empower refugee families, women and youth, both locally and in Afghanistan and to build bridges between
the United States and Afghanistan. The mission is accomplished through the provision of community
services, supporting member organizations community based programs and fostering understanding,
reconciliation, reconstruction and mutual relations between the people of Afghanistan and the people of
the United States.

Yemeni Alliance Committee - Yemeni Alliance Committee is equipped with a rapid response team,
developed to support Yemeni-American communities in the Bay Area during periods of social unrest.

Gazzalis Supermarket - Conveniently located at 7000 Bancroft Ave in the Eastmont Town center in
Oakland. Gazzalis was established in 2004 at this very location. Our mission is to provide the freshest
meats, fruits, vegetables, and a wide range of groceries at the lowest prices while providing the friendliest
customer service possible. We strive to provide many specialty Cajun products that are hard to find as well
as authentic Latino goods to satisfy our multi-cultured patrons.

Pure Hands Hashem attended OCO forum and brought religious leader. Humanitarian aid for Yemeni
people in Yemen and across the United States.

Multi-lingual Counseling - In recognizing the need for cultural and language specific mental health services
in the Bay Area and lack of multi-lingual speaking counselors, we created Multi-lingual counseling center to
serve the needs of growing multi-lingual community. Our mission is to provide mental health services and
treatment to individuals suffering from different mental health symptoms such as depression, PTSD,
Bipolar, anxiety, ADHD and all other mental health Diagnosis. We offer, Individual, couple, child, elderly,
group therapy in English, Farsi, Dari, Italian, German and Spanish. We offer cultural competence therapy.