Our Mission
MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition (MAAC) achieved landmark success by achieving status for Middle Eastern and North African performers in Hollywood in 2017. This is the 1st time the MENA community has had hiring status. Previously, they were counted as white. A loophole that leads to the erasure of positive portrayals in the media and feeds into dangerous stereotypes that lead to serious harm for the entire MENA and SouthWest Asian region. MAAC was established by Azita Ghanizada following an incident where she was categorized as Caucasian by a major Television network after a network pilot table read. This revelation prompted a recognition of the erasure of an entire region in the context of diversity and inclusion. MAAC successfully advocated for the inclusion of MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) individuals in the casting world and substantially contributed to the development of the Casting Society of America’s guidebook on hiring and auditioning MENA & MENASA performers. Furthermore, MAAC was instrumental in revising all casting breakdowns worldwide, educating C-level executives on the noticeable absence of MENA performers on screen, and presenting a comprehensive study titled “Terrorists & Tyrants” focusing on MENA representation on TV. Moreover, MAAC actively lobbied for the inclusion of MENA in influential diversity reports and provided access to a diverse pool of artists to Studios, Networks, Producers, and filmmakers.
MAAC remains dedicated to its mission of educating the Hollywood community about the underrepresentation of MENA performers across all TV and Film platforms. We continue to provide resources, tools, and recommendations on how to enhance the visibility of the MENA & SWANA community in Hollywood. Our goal is to further elevate the presence of MENA & SWANA across all industry-wide DEI events, film festivals, Academies, and guilds.
It’s time for MENA to be recognized and elevated.
- MAAC team