Mark Arabo

Arabo was born into an Iraqi Christian family of the Chaldean Catholic Church. The Arabo family immigrated from Iraq to the United States. Their first business venture was a Wrigley's Supermarket in San Diego. This was Mark Arabo's first experience with the retail grocery business. Eventually, the Arabo family managed a chain of supermarkets throughout San Diego. He attended Valhalla High School before graduating from San Diego State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. ==Career==

After graduating he was offered a position within the Anheuser-Busch sales team in San Diego. During this time, he was trained in viral marketing and promotional events while being involved with the company's marketing department. Through the Minority Humanitarian Foundation, Mark Arabo has assisted in providing safety to hundreds of individuals in Iraq and Syria. The foundation is credited with saving numerous lives from war-torn areas, and while some within the United States government have criticized the methods utilized by Arabo, the foundation has received overwhelming support. It was announced in September 2015 that the foundation would be expanding its support to displaced youth in Syria. In March 2016, Arabo and members of the Minority Humanitarian Foundation began to engage in high level discussions with State Department officials, including Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Rabbi David Saperstein, regarding the designation of Christians as victims of genocide. Following the talks, on March 17, 2016, Secretary of State John Kerry announced that Christians would be listed as genocide victims at the hands of ISIS. The decision by the State Department was only the second time the United States has condemned an ongoing genocide. In June 2014, Arabo was the first prominent individual to declare that the persecution of Christians by ISIS was one that constituted genocide, making him the first in the United States to make this claim. ==Community activism==

Arabo is a nationally recognized Global Humanitarian. He has engaged in dialogue with many leaders including Barack Obama regarding the persecution of Iraqi Christians, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki concerning security issues within the country. Arabo crafted House Resolution 683 with Congressman Juan Vargas that reaffirms the United States' commitment to minorities within Iraq. Arabo is currently working with lawmakers on House Resolution 5430 which would grant asylum for Iraqi Christians out of the country in the United States. Arabo and a Chaldean Catholic bishop also traveled to New York in order to lobby United Nations representatives to have their countries accept some of the refugees. Arabo is a supporter of Obama's immigration reform which he advocated for through contact with President Obama. Arabo was also the first to call upon the resignation of El Cajon Mayor Mark Lewis in the wake of his racism scandal. Arabo has taken stands against measures affecting small business members like the proposed plastic grocery bag ban in San Diego, as well as other ordinances. Arabo has been a constant vocal supporter for the rights and protection of small businesses in the face of corporate interest. In his presidency at the Neighborhood Market Association, Arabo has worked on grassroots efforts in stopping corporate and big-box influence from adversely affecting the small business community. Arabo recently posted a $10,000 bounty on the "North Park Creep" who had sexually assaulted more than 6 women in the North Park area. A week after the bounty was posted, David Angelo Drake was booked Tuesday on six counts of assault with a deadly weapon, six counts of assault with the intent to commit sexual assault, five counts of battery, and two counts of sexual assault with a foreign object. Mark Arabo is currently working on legislation within California that would mandate cameras for police officers. Arabo hopes to make body cameras mandatory for all police forces within the United States. Arabo has been a leading voice in the fight to keep Father Noel and 14 other priests from deportation to a war-torn Iraq. His efforts in conjunction with St. Peter's led to the Vatican overturning a ruling by the patriarch keeping the priests in San Diego. As of 2019, Arabo has been a vocal supporter of the Joe Biden presidential campaign, holding numerous fundraising events with the former Vice President of the United States. The Vice President and Arabo have interests aligned in supporting the ethnic Iraqi Christian minority. In February 2019, Arabo wrote an op-ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune about his support for Joe Biden. In 2020, Mark Arabo was also a member of the National Finance Committee for the Biden for President campaign, having raised over $100,000 for the Joe Biden campaign. He also endorsed Biden in early summer 2019 when he hosted him at his house. Arabo was also among the list of invited attendees for the 2021 inauguration of Joe Biden, although he did not attend in person due to security measures implemented after the U.S. Capitol attack. In June 2020, Arabo worked to raise money for the family of George Floyd while applauding Governor Gavin Newsom for his work in the passage of police reform bill, AB 392. In May 2025 Mark Arabo was awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, San Diego State University. As part of the conferral, Arabo gave the commencement address to the 2025 graduating class of the San Diego State University Fowler College of Business. ==Personal life==

Arabo resides in San Diego with his wife Randa Arabo and their four children. His brother, Auday Arabo, ran for California State Assembly in 2008. ==References==