On this page, you will find some frequently asked questions (FAQs) that we have gotten over the years. Scroll through to learn more about us.

1. What do we mean by MENASA?

MENASA is an acronym that stands for Middle Eastern, North African and South Asian. We use this acronym to describe the cultural heritage that students may come from or to use when describing the coalition of various identities. This acronym is not to be used to describe a homogenous community since this is a diverse group and not a identity group.

Our unit is MENASA Resource Center which is one of the Community Resources and Retention Centers at UC Davis, serving all students interested in exploring and understanding the Middle Eastern, North African and South Asian diasporic experiences and engaging in productive dialogue and community with others.

2. Where do we use the race and ethnicity reporting tools?

University of California collects and reports race and ethnicity data with the following definitions. 

3. What do we mean by SWANA? 

The SWANA category is disaggregated from the broader racial category of "White". 

SWANA encompasses people from 34 different ethnic identities including Afghan, Algerian, Armenian, Assyrian/Chaldean, Azerbaijani, Bahraini, Berber* (or Amazigh), Circassian, Djiboutian, Egyptian, Emirati, Georgian, Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli, Jordanian, Kurdish, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Libyan, Mauritanian, Moroccan, Omani, Palestinian, Qatari, Saudi Arabian, Somali, Sudanese, Syrian, Tunisian, Turkish, White/Middle Eastern, White/North African, Yemeni, Other North African, Other Southwest Asian.

4. What do we mean by "South Asian"? 

The South Asian category is disaggregated from the broader racial category of "Asian". 

These groups include ethnic identities including Asian Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and other Asian (not including Middle Eastern). We understand that many identities may also connect to the diaspora such as Indo-Fijian identities, and countries not listed in the reporting such as Bhutan, Nepal or Maldives. 

5. Why do we use "Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian" instead of "SWANA"?

To recognize our campus's unique history of coalition building among South Asian and SWANA communities, and the advocacy efforts of the ME/SA Studies Program we use the term MENASA. The map below highlights the areas highlighted under our use of the term MENASA.

6. I don't identify with any of these communities, can I still participate? 

Yes! Our events have an emphasis on these cultural heritages but are inclusive to everyone to attend. We encourage folks to attend to gain skills, learn about diverse viewpoints, and connect with community.