Addressing discrimination towards Middle Eastern and North African communities is an urgent issue often overlooked in America, despite the pressing need for promoting inclusivity and combating racism.

In the aftermath of 9/11, hate crimes and discrimination against Muslims in the United States surged by a staggering 674 percent (Al Wazni, 2015). However, this hostility was not confined to affecting Muslims alone; it also extended to impact anyone associated with the religion, including individuals of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent.

Despite experiencing discrimination on par with other minority groups, the Census Bureau still categorizes MENA individuals as white. This misclassification has negative repercussions for those of MENA descent, as they remain invisible in data alongside whites, regardless of their differing experiences.

Therefore, MENA individuals endure a challenging situation where they are treated as minorities but excluded from the minority label. This exclusion forces them to silently suffer from racism without receiving the necessary aid or efforts to combat this injustice.

Given these circumstances, it is crucial for us to project MENA voices and provide proper education about the MENA region and its population, dispelling decades of misinformation. We can do this by incorporating MENA into the emerging ethnic studies programs.

As of 2021, the California Assembly Bill 101 requires all high schools in California to begin offering ethnic studies courses in the 2025-26 school year, with students in the class of 2030 subject to the graduation requirement. The State Board of Education has currently adopted an Ethnic Studies model curriculum, highlighting the untold "histories, cultures, struggles, and contributions" of Black, Latino, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities. Furthermore, the program provides a comprehensive understanding of our nation's racial and ethnic diversity, indigenous knowledge, community and identity development, artistic expressions, and engagement in social, legal, and public policy advocacy (Tagami, 2023). Considering this, ensuring representation of the MENA group in this curriculum is essential, as their voices have been silenced, and their experiences displaced for decades.

With proper education, misconceptions and stereotypes regarding the MENA population will decrease, finally shedding a positive light on a community that has long been misunderstood and silenced.