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LOS ANGELES – Prominent local politicians, law enforcement officials, and activists were among the attendees at a recent "Community Outreach" event organized by the Pakistani American Leadership Center (PAL-C) and hosted by he Council on Pakistan American Affairs (COPAA) on February 23 and 24.
About 130 people from the business and political community attended the event, whose purpose was to emphasize the importance of political participation, community activism, and the role of Pakistani-Americans in today’s America.
PAL-Cj is the only professional Pakistani-American advocacy organization that is located on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. It launched the Congressional Pakistan Caucus in May 2004 and works to raise awareness about Pakistani-American interests in Washington policy circles.
Mr. Mossadaq Chughtai, PAL-C National Director, pointed out that there was no national presence of Pakistani-Americans in Washington, DC. and that is why PAL-C was formed in 2004 – to galvanize the community across the county and to represent its common interests in the nation’s capital.
Los Angeles Sheriff Leroy Baca gave a passionate and heart-rending speech in which he described his love for Pakistan, highlighted his recent trips to the beautiful country, and praised the commitment of the Pakistani-American community.
Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the L.A.chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations described the many injustices minorities in this country have suffered, from the Irish to the Japanese to the Muslims, and stressed the importance of community activism and unity to overcome such challenges.
Keynote speaker Congresswoman Linda Sanchez of the 39th District of California delivered a powerful speech in which she spoke of her experience as a member of a minority community that is similar to those of Pakistani Americans. She also urged the community youth to apply for internships with Members of Congress and to vote in every election from the city council up.
Ambassador of Pakistan to the USA, Mr. Mahmud Ali Durrani advised the community to work together and be active in communicating their concerns to the US Congress. He also described Pakistan’s efforts to battle militants along the Pak-Afghan border, to counter regional terrorists, and to promote economic reforms at home.
Founding Director of PAL-C, Pervaiz Lodhie listed the numerous challenges that exist for the community and said that only by working together can we overcome these challenges.
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