The Iranian Student Alliance in America (ISAA) is an
independent non-profit student organization
headquartered and established at the University of
California, Berkeley in the Fall of 2002.

Our six pillars are as follows:

I. We wish to spread awareness regarding Iran and
Iranian issues.

Through lectures, student publications, forums,
emails, and other avenues of communication, we
wish to bring attention to various Iranian and Iran
related issues.

II. We wish to promote a sense of community and
togetherness in the Iranian/Iranian-American
community.

Iranians come from a very diverse background and we
seek to celebrate this fact. We wish to provide a
multitude of forums where people can learn from one
another and respect each other's opinions.
Additionally, we wish to promote and support
Iranian owned businesses and non-political Iranian
organizations.

III. We wish to promote a sense of identity, an
identity not embarrassed of their nation of origin,
mother language, history, culture; an identity that is
in touch with their roots. We will do this while promoting
a more positive and representative image of Iranians.

The generation of Iranian/Iranian-Americans who
have grown up away from their homeland are quickly
losing touch with their roots. What will come of
their children? We wish to provide an avenue for
Iranian/Iranian-Americans to get in touch with their
roots and preserve them.

IV. We wish to promote a sense of culture by bringing
attention to our unique culture, representing it, and
preserving it to the highest degree.

Ex. Language is the cornerstone of one's culture.
UC Berkeley has a significant Iranian/Iranian-
American student population and has access to a
multitude of Persian language courses that serve
students from all backgrounds: beginning,
intermediate, and advanced. UC Irvine also has an
even larger Iranian/Iranian-American student
population, but offers no such Persian language
courses. We are hopeful that remedies to such
problems will be sought.

We would like to promote a better understanding of Iranian traditions like Chaahar Shanbeh Soori, No Ruz, cooking, etc.

V. We are not promoting any specific form of political
government in Iran, and we believe the fate of Iran is
solely in the hands of the Iranian people. We do, however,
promote Iranian involvement in the American political arena.

VI. In an attempt to rid our community of
ignorance, apathy, and divisiveness, we seek to
establish ISAA chapters at all universities and
colleges with significant Iranian/Iranian-American
populations.