This State Senator is Loving Knafeh and Bouza!

State Senator Ling Ling Chang of the 29th District paid a short visit to Little Arabia District on April 12 in recognition of Arab American Heritage Month last month. During the tour she stopped at Kareem’s Falafel, Knafeh Cafe, Koftegi, Le Mirage Pastry, and Olive Tree Restaurant.

During the tour, the Senator and her staff discussed several issues that impact the Arab American business community in the district, including Little Arabia designation, homelessness, refugee resettlement, and SB 38 - which would ban flavored tobacco and as a result would shut down many hookah businesses in the district and the state. Sen. Chang pledged to advocate amending the bill and exempting hookah to save many local businesses.

In March, the Senator was the author of the proclamation to recognize April 2019 as Arab American Heritage Month, which passed unanimously on the Senate floor. This was the third year the CA Senate passes a proclamation after her predecessor former Senator Josh Newman authored the 2017 and 2018 versions.