Executive Director

In February, 2018, Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad became the Executive Director of the Mervyn Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute (MDAAPEI) on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills. An author, columnist, and scholar, Dr. Samad has written six books and numerous scholarly articles. He is one of the most widely read feature columnists in the African American press today. Over the past 25 years, Dr. Samad has contributed over 1,100 articles to newspapers and websites nationwide.

Recently retired, Dr. Samad had been a Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at East Los Angeles College since 1996. Dr. Samad holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from CSU Los Angeles and a Master of Arts in Public Administration (Public Finance specialization) from the University of Southern California. He also has a Master of Arts Degree in Political Economy and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Claremont Graduate University’s School of Politics and Economics.

Dr. Samad is also President of Samad and Associates, a strategic planning/urban affairs firm founded in 1991 that specializes in the management of public policy, formulation of economic development, urban culture studies, and assessment of race issues.

Dr. Samad’s civic engagement and community involvement includes serving as Managing Director and host of the Urban Issues Forum of Greater Los Angeles—a popular bi-monthly public affairs forum. For the past 19 years, “The Forum” has hosted over 125 of the nation’s top newsmakers, including former President Barack Obama. Dr. Samad has also served as president of both the Los Angeles NAACP (1988-89) and 100 Black Men of Los Angeles, Inc. (2007-2009). An accomplished author, Dr. Samad’s sixth book, A Thousand Times “NO” To The Status Quo, is due out in fall, 2018.

Dr. Samad is the director, writer, and co-producer of the 2016 documentary, What Of The Day, about the society-changing contributions of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. His second produced screenplay is entitled What Really Matters. The short film on the struggles of generational consciousness premiered in March, 2018.

Dr. Samad is a Distinguished Service Chapter member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity (the fraternity’s highest honor), a Past Master and 33rd Degree Prince Hall Mason (their highest honor), and is a member of the Gamma Zeta Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.