City of Anaheim officially designates neighborhood as ‘Little Arabia’
ANAHEIM, CA - AUGUST 24, 2022: Pedestrians pass by a Hijabi Queens mural on the side of House of Mandi Yemeni Restaurant in Anaheim.The City of Anaheim has officially designated about a mile strip on Brookhurst Street as Little Arabia. (Christina Hou
ANAHEIM, Calif. - ‘Little Arabia’ is officially on the map.
The Anaheim City Council voted Tuesday in favor of designating a portion of the Brookhurst Corridor, from Broadway to Ball Road as ‘Little Arabia’.
The campaign was led by the Arab American Civic Council. According to their website, ‘Little Arabia District’ is a cultural destination in Anaheim and the center for Orange County’s Arab-American community.
The district is filled with shops, restaurants, houses of worship and much more that celebrate and honor the Middle Eastern culture.
Community members say it took four decades of Arab American contributions and advocacy to see the district honor their culture in this way.
"Little Arabia district is recognized far and wide for its decades-long cultural and economic contributions to the local community. Situated on a 3 ½ mile stretch extending along Brookhurst Street from Crescent to Katella, Little Arabia has been home to many thriving businesses since the early 1980’s and continues to service a loyal consumer base. Today, that consumer base is composed of people of all backgrounds. Regardless of where they come from, countless visitors and locals trust the quality of the goods and services provided in this dynamic, vibrant hub," Little Arabia District posted on their Instagram page.
Rashad Al-Dabbagh, Executive Director of the Arab American Civic Council, called the designation historic.