Arab American group that protested Orland Park mayor's racism expands to Chicagoland region
Orland United, formed by residents earlier this year to confront Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau's racism announced has expanded to support political activism in the Chicagoland region called All United
By Ray Hanania
FREE/Politics, Orland Park, Arab Americans/Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024
An Arab American group that was formed after Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau made racist and belligerent anti-Arab comments at a meeting on February 5, 2024, has reorganized and expanded to represent community interests in the Chicagoland area, the founder announced Tuesday.
Yousif Zegar, along with several members of the community, founded "Orland United" in response to Mayor Pekau who responded to their board appearance by making racist remarks. Zegar and the group had attended the meeting and asked Pekau and the board to approve a Ceasefire Resolution to help end the carnage in Gaza.
Zegar, and about five others who addressed the Orland Park Village Board, were professional, respectful, and presented a calm and deliberate overview of why the resolution should be adopted.
Although Pekau and the board had approved a resolution months earlier addressing the Russian violence against Ukraine, Pekau lambasted Zegar and the Orland Park residents at the board meeting telling them to "go to another country" with their concerns, suggesting they didn't belong in America.
Weeks after the racist slap, Zegar and others announced the formation of “Orland United” to fight for Arab American and community rights in Orland Park.
Despite the well-intentioned goals, Orland United faced typical internal Arab community divisions and missed the opportunity to endorse an Arab American candidate to run for Trustee in the April 1, 2025, General Election to challenge Pekau and his rubber-stamp trustee allies. Some of Pekau’s allies have also made racist comments about Arab Americans and Muslims in the past.
Orland Park has one of the fastest-growing populations of Arab Americans, both Christian and Muslim, but has no representation in government or the administration of its local schools
Orland United was plagued by internal rivalries. It rebuffed, for example, the candidacy of Mohammed Jaber, the only Arab American in Orland Park who filed to run for the position of village trustee in the 2025 elections. Jaber's candidacy was also rejected by the group that slated Jim Dodge for Village President and three trustee colleagues in the April 1 2025 election.
Jaber is currently serving a four-year term as the only Arab American trustee on the District 230 School Board, which includes three high schools — Andrew, Sandburg, and Argo — and a large Arab American student constituency. District 230, which is slowly overcoming a history of anti-Arab racism dating back to the 1990s, currently has very few Arab American administrators, although the principal of Andrew High school is Arab American.
Despite not endorsing an Arab or Muslim to run for Village Office, Zegar stressed that the new group, called "All United," would empower Arab Americans to engage local governments, pursue political engagement, and fight for Arab American and Muslim rights.
In an interview, Zegar explained, "All United" would not compete or rival the Arab American Democratic Club (renamed Arab American Democracy Coalition) which has fought for Arab American voter empowerment in the Chicagoland region for more than 40 years.
"We will continue to support AADC," Zegar said when asked, calling AADC an important organization.
Segar said the group would work with leaders in several communities to strengthen Arab American empowerment and engagement with the region’s political leaders.
I trust Zegar. He has a strategic approach to serving the entire community, not just Arabs and Muslims. He faces a hurdle, however, in a community that is not fully engaged in the elections or understands local politics an dhow it differs from international politics. Despite the challenges, I am confident Zegar is well-intentioned and has the best interests of all of Orland Park in mind in his efforts.
Keep in mind, politics in America and even at the local level is not 100 percent. Disagreement is healthy and helpful in strengthening a movement. If you don’t address all the issues, you can’t win. You can’t push aside criticism. You have to embrace it, understand it and adjust. That is a key formula to success.
The new group’s website explains:
“All United was founded in 2024 in Orland Park, IL, by a group of entrepreneurs and activists in response to a sense of deep marginalization and alienation felt by Arab, Muslim, and other minority communities from elected officials.
“The idea is to pool our communities’ vast financial and human resources and marry that with know-how, strategy, and alliance-building provided by local experts, in order to institutionalize a political power-building apparatus in Illinois that puts people at the center, ensuring once and for all that our voices are heard and our values are represented.”
Here is the press release that Zegar released on Tuesday announcing the new organization.
ALL UNITED LAUNCHES TO EMPOWER LOCAL COMMUNITY AND DRIVE POLITICAL CHANGE
ORLAND PARK, IL - Last week, All United, a newly established statewide Political Action Committee (PAC), launched its mission to build a powerful and inclusive political movement at its inaugural fundraiser—an event that demonstrated the strength, unity, and resolve of the communities it aims to serve.
“Together, we are building a future where every voice is heard and where political power is deeply rooted in the community,” said Yousif Zegar, Founder of All United.
The PAC was created in response to a growing sense of disenfranchisement among Orland Park’s Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities, particularly following a 2023 Orland Park Village Board meeting. At that meeting, dozens of residents made public appeals for a ceasefire resolution, highlighting the tragic loss of tens of thousands of innocent lives in Gaza. Instead of leadership that sought understanding and compassion, their calls were met with Islamophobic and divisive rhetoric from Mayor Keith Pekau—a moment that galvanized thousands of community members throughout the region to demand better leadership.
The overwhelming energy and urgency to make change were on full display at All United’s inaugural fundraiser, where the organization raised more than $375,000.
State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) added, “I commend All United for stepping up to address the challenges our communities face by building political power and creating a platform for meaningful engagement. This is an important step toward empowering voices that have been ignored and sidelined for far too long.”
As part of its commitment to its mission, All United proudly announced the hiring of Yusuf Vidal, who will be leading the organization. Mr. Vidal, who brings years of experience in grassroots organizing, political leadership, and campaign strategy, currently serves as Chief of Staff to Rep. Rashid. He will officially assume his role at All United in January 2025.
“I am honored to join All United at such a pivotal moment,” said Mr. Vidal. “This is a critical opportunity to harness our collective strength, support the leaders who best represent us, and ensure our community’s needs are met with integrity and purpose. Together, we will build power and deliver meaningful change.”
Community leader and CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, a founding board member of All United, expressed his optimism for Yusuf’s leadership. “Yusuf’s expertise and passion are exactly what All United needs to drive impactful initiatives. His leadership will turn vision into action, ensuring our community thrives now and for generations to come.”
Learn more about All United at AllUnited.org.
There is no doubt the Arab American community has not had an active roll in politics. We can thank Mayor Pekau for pushing our unity into motion. Within Orland United there is no room for ego, there is constant learning, unlearning and bringing our community together to be actively engaged and openminded. Also, there have been constant attempts to get every Arab/ Muslim running for office getting OU support. Those who want it of course. You knock the organization because you claim to have seen this before? As an Arab American with 50 years experience, maybe it’s time to use all that knowledge and push fwd for the greater good instead of just negativity in your articles that only further divides us. What’s the motivation?
Inshallah Orland United will be successful and EVERY person with pure intentions for our community will have a place. All are welcome. https://orlandunited.org/join
IMO, there's plenty of opportunities for All United activism in Orland Park politics. Don't allow your opponents to define you. There's nothing more satisfying than surprising your opponents. Dream it, organize and work to make it real. Best wishes for your success!