SWANA - South West Asian North African Faculty & Staff Association
The NOCCCD SWANA FSA aims to increase the visibility of SWANA employees and students and to educate about our history and the social injustices that our communities endure.
We are often absorbed by false statistics, and our achievements are not recognized, all while our social justice issues are not addressed. We also aim to provide funding for our educational and cultural endeavors to help others see us as who we are, not as what the media and especially Zionist propaganda portrays us. We recognize that our communities suffer from constant racial trauma and micro-aggressions from White supremacists and Zionists. We denounce the Palestinian Exception regarding free speech and we shed light on the Palestinian tragedies that have affected all our communities in the SWANA region. Therefore, it is essential to protect our communities from harassment and false accusations of racism, anti-Semitism, and terrorism when our communities exercise their free speech rights criticizing historical and ongoing colonialism. We recognize and aim to educate about the difference between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. As the district liaisons for SWANA students and employees, we understand that we are diverse communities and are not a monolithic religious, racial, or ethnic community.
Executive Team
| Position | Member | Contact | Educational Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Dr. Maha Afra | Send an email | Dance, Cypress College |
| Vice President | Dr. Archie Delshad | Send an email | Political Science, Fullerton College |
| Secretary | Rosanne Gerardo | Send an email | Human Resources, NOCCCD |
| Treasurer | Professor Kasim Alimahomed | Send an email | Language Arts, Cypress College |
Upcoming Meetings & Events
Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 5PM – 6PM via the Zoom link below.
- February meeting (02/12/25) from 5PM – 6PM
- March meeting (03/12/25) from 5PM – 6PM
- April meeting (04/09/25) from 5PM – 6PM
- May meeting (05/14/25) from 5PM – 6PM
SWANA zoom link
Meeting ID: 852 7968 7816
Passcode: 003618
Membership & Dues
SWANA Faculty & Staff Association is open to any North Orange County Community College District faculty or staff member interested in furthering their understanding of the South West Asian and North African cultures represented throughout the North Orange County Community College District. All members must complete the new membership form. Automatic deductions will be set up for monthly association dues ($10/month for full-time or $5/month for part-time).
Links to Social Media
SWANA Instagram
NOCCCD Disclaimer Statement: The views, opinions and conclusions expressed on the Faculty and Staff Association webpage are those of the authors and organization and not necessarily those of the North Orange County Community College District, its administration, or its Board of Trustees. Outbound links, such as third party websites or personal pages of NOCCCD's students, faculty and staff represent individual views and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or policies of the District. NOCCCD and its designees do not guarantee the authenticity, accuracy, appropriateness, nor security of any link, website or content linked thereto. NOCCCD urges site visitors to exercise all due caution and internet security best practices when accessing any unfamiliar website.