National Iranian American Council (NIAC) - Celebrities, Artists Come Out in Support of NIAC's Work

Celebrities, Artists Come Out in Support of NIAC's Work

Written by Michelle Moghtader

Thursday, 05 November 2009

California - In a remarkable weekend in September, intellectuals, artists, Congressional Representatives and Iranian Americans from all across California came out in support of NIAC and its work for the Iranian-American community. In Los Angeles, celebrated Iranian-French dancer Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam gave a breathtaking performance depicting the struggle of the Iranian people against oppression. In San Francisco, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) wowed the crowd with her stories of her Assyrian-Iranian heritage, authors Hooman Majd, Reza Aslan, Juan Cole and Ali Akbar Mahdi discussed the future of the Green movement in Iran.

Over 120 NIAC members were mesmerized by Moshkin-Ghalam’s special performance entitled “Daar.” The world acclaimed dancer rarely performs at private functions, but made an exception for NIAC and its supporters.

A panel discussion followed featuring Professor Juan Cole and Professor Ali Akbar Mahdi, discussing domestic political situation in Iran and the role Iranian Americans can play in supporting the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people.

In San Francisco, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) delighted the crowd of nearly 200 Iranian Americans with stories of her Assyrian-Iranian family and their life in the city of Orumiyeh. Discussing the struggles of Iranians’ quest for human rights in Iran, she stressed that many in America are looking to our community for advice and direction - underscoring the need for an organization like NIAC to mobilize the Iranian-American community. The crowd also heard from Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), the lead sponsor of the Norooz Resolution and long-time friend of the Iranian-American community.

A panel discussion with TV celebrities Hooman Majd and Reza Aslan followed, addressing developments in Iran and the prospects for democracy. There were three common themes between the panels in LA and San Francisco: patience is needed but ultimately the will of the people will prevail, sanctions will only make matters worse and Iranian Americans can play an important role for the future of Iran and the US.

The next day, Iranian Americans of all ages attended our civic participation workshop - Demystifying Democracy – at UC Davis, where they learned how to turn their political opinions into an action plan. The workshop is a three-hour interactive lecture that teaches participants the many ways in which they can let their voices be heard, from voting on Election Day to meeting with their Congressional leaders. NIAC has conducted this workshop in more than 30 cities to date, including New York, San Diego, Seattle, Costa Mesa, Daytona Beach and Louisville.

Thanks to a diverse array of support, from artists such as Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam and celebrity authors such as Reza Aslan, and most importantly our members’ passion and dedication to strengthen the Iranian American community, NIAC was able to raise close to $160,000 at these events.

Los Angeles Fundraiser