About ADC Research Institute

What Is ADCRI?

The ADC Research Institute (ADCRI), founded in 1981 by James Abourezk, civil rights attorney and former senator from South Dakota, is a corporation exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. ADCRI sponsors a wide range of programs on behalf of Arab Americans and of consequence to the wider American community.

Foremost among these are public programs and initiatives in support of the constitutional and First Amendment rights of Arab Americans. ADCRI programs train Arab Americans in the exercise of their constitutional rights as citizens. They include research studies and publications, seminars and conferences, which document and analyze the discrimination faced by Arab Americans in the workplace, schools, media and government agencies. They also promote a better understanding of the rich Arab cultural heritage by the public, policy makers, and the new generations of Arab Americans.

ADCRI’s Reaching the Teachers campaign provides direct consultation and resources for teachers and school systems. It also empowers ADC’s grassroots network of Arab American parents, community activists and chapters with educational outreach committees to become more involved in their local schools. ADCRI provides lesson plans, background articles, fact sheets, bibliographies and other resources to activists and teachers.

A major activity of ADCRI is the Anthony Shadid Internship Program, which annually brings undergraduate, graduate and law students to Washington for hands-on experience in the Nation’s Capitol. The program provides them the opportunity to learn about issues confronting Arab Americans, to develop effective leadership skills, to gain experience in research and writing, and to develop greater knowledge and understanding of the complexities of the U.S. government and our political process.