Fwd: PAAIA News: PAAIA Brings Panel on Electronic Curtain to Capitol Hill

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From: Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans <Public_Affairs_Alliance_of_Irani@mail.vresp.com>
Date: Sat, Jul 7, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Subject: PAAIA News: PAAIA Brings Panel on Electronic Curtain to Capitol Hill
To: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com

PAAIA News
Celebrating the accomplishments of Iranian Americans and our community.            We are PAAIA.
PAAIA Brings Panel On Electronic Curtain to Capitol Hill June 26, 2012, Washington DC – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), in conjunction with Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA) held a panel  at the House Foreign Committee on Capitol Hill entitled "Behind the Electronic Curtain: Perspectives on Internet Restrictions and Access to Media in Iran."   The panelists included cultural diplomacy expert and former U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, Ambassador Cynthia Schneider; State Department diplomat Ramin Asgard;, and senior policy advisor to Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ),  Jodi Herman. Ambassador Schneider is currently a professor of diplomacy at Georgetown University and fellow at the Brookings Institute.  Ramin Asgard currently serves as Director of Partnerships and Strategic Communication at the Conflict Stabilization and Operations Bureau at the State Department. Jodi Herman is the senior policy advisor to Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) on trade and foreign policy.  The event was moderated by PAAIA's Director of Research and analysis, Amir Bagherpour.   To read the full report, click here. Five Iranian Americans Among Immigrants Honored by Carnegie Corporation July 4, 2012, New York City, NY - As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists." Since the days of the early settlers, immigrants have made significant contributions to the economic and social well-being of the United States.  Today, more than ever, immigrants from all nationalities, are an essential part of the social and political tapestry of this country. As noted by Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation, "Here, in America, we are trying to form a nation that transcends its limits and where the people transcend their differences in order to share a common purpose and common ideals. And here, in America, we must all understand that participating in our civic life, the rich and vibrant life of our nation, is not just a right but also an obligation. And perhaps most important of all, it means being a citizen."  As it does annually, on July 4, 2012, Carnegie Corporation, whose founder Andrew Carnegie was an immigrant from Scotland, saluted his and the legacy of millions of other immigrants in the United States by celebrating the ideal held dear by Mr. Carnegie: citizenship.  On this day, in partnership with the New York Times, Carnegie Corporation honored men and women whose love for the United states led them to pursue a path to citizenship that may have been lengthy and complex, yet ultimately, successful.   To read more about the five Iranian Americans honored by Carnegie Corporation, click here. Learning from the PAAIA Capitol Hill Internship Program                         By: Monna Sabouri   "This summer, through the PAAIA Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP), I have been working as a Candidate Services intern for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The CHIP, available through a generous grant from Dr. Akbar Ghahary, provides PAAIA interns with the opportunity to intern on Capitol Hill or administration with supervision and mentorship from both PAAIA staff and a congressional mentor. For my internship, under the direction of DCCC staff, I have assisted in populating databases, setting up and assisting at fundraising and policy events, providing information on the role of the DCCC, responding to inquiries from constituents, assisting with managing weekend volunteer groups, and lobbying against an increase in interest rates on Stafford Loans. Click here to read the rest of Monna's article. The Iranian American Women's Foundation Conference Inspires, Empowers and Connects Women June 23, 2012, Washington DC - As Mariam Khosravani, the founder and president of the Iranian American Women (IAW) Foundation, walked the halls of the Georgetown University Conference Center, she was touched by the number of women who had volunteered their time and efforts to make the third IAW Foundation Conference a success. The time was 8:30 a.m. and in less than two hours nearly 380 women would fills the halls and conference rooms to be inspired, educated and empowered by a select group of women who would share their personal and professional experiences.  For over five months, the group of volunteers had met, under the direction of Nadereh Chamlou and Khosravani, a member of the board of Directors of the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), to select the Conference's speakers, define the panel presentations,  outreach to sponsors, and refine the hundreds of details that would make the conference a success. To read the remainder of this article, click here. U.S. Senators Endorse Cyrus Habib for Washington State Representative   July 2, 2012, Seattle, Washington – With the August 7th primary fast approaching, Cyrus Habib's campaign for the 48th Legislative District in the Washington State House of Representatives continues to gain momentum with recent endorsements from U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).  If successful, Habib would make history by becoming the first Iranian American elected to a State Legislature.    Habib is the official Democratic Party nominee for the 48th Legislative District, which is being vacated by retiring Representative Deb Eddy.  His campaign is being supported by a bipartisan list of local, regional, state and federal leaders, including the Mayors of Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland, representing the major communities in the district. To read more about Cyrus Habib's campaign, click here. PAAIA Brings The Iran Job to Houston June 30, 2012, Houston, TX - On a stormy afternoon over 200 engaged PAAIA members and friends attended an exclusive premier of the movie, The Iran Job, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH). The Iran Job follows American basketball player Kevin Sheppard as he accepts a job to play in one of the world's most feared countries: Iran. With tensions running high between Iran and the West, Kevin tries to separate sports from politics only to find that politics is impossible to escape in Iran. To read more about the Houston premier, click here.	PAAIA Public Policy Center Congressional Round-up June 8, 2012, Washington, D.C. Congress is considering a number of legislative initiatives that may be of interest to the Iranian American Community.  The PAAIA Public Policy Center is pleased to provide a bi-weekly round-up on the status of such legislation. Click here to view a summary of the last two week's activities. Public Policy Center Panel Presentations PAAIA Panel Presentations serve to educate and inform policy and lawmakers as well as the general public on the various issues impacting the Iranian American community in an accurate and balanced manner. Click here to view more information and a video of our most recent panel presentation: Assessing US Policy On Iran. Click here to view more information and a video of our most recent panel presentation: Behind the Electronic Curtain. Public Policy Center Publications  2008 National Survey 2009 National Survey 2011 National Survey 2012 National Survey on Military Action  2009 Report on Iran Sanctions Legislation  Public Policy Center ActionCenter There are many ways to take action and help promote and advance the interests of the Iranian American community on issues that impact us.    Click here to find out how. Public Policy Center NewsCenter For access to aggregated information and news feeds on Iran, the United States, and the world, Iranian news outlets, and PAAIA's previous newsletters, click here. We have launched our new website. Check us out at  www.paaia.org.       Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans 1614 20th Street NW Washington DC 20009 (202) 828-8370   www.paaia.org

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