Zachariah, who tragically died in a traffic accident on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025, at the age of 21, first joined the AAAN's programming alongside his sister Nadiah, and quickly made a mark on his peers and our organizers with his humor, quick wit, and larger than life personality. 

He spent four years in our Youth Organizing Program (YOP), recruiting additional members of his family to it, and building a small crew of young men who naturally followed his lead. Zachariah oftentimes grasped political concepts and ideas quicker than his peers, leading him to spend some of our idle time cracking jokes, roasting the instructors (including me, on many occasions), or generally causing a bit of mischief. 

But he was never rude or disrespectful, and because the organizers and instructors were always trying to keep the teens' short attention spans on track, we could never be upset at the joy he brought to the program.

On a political note, Zachariah led one of the most important YOP developments, the expansion of its youth base to include a critical mass of Yemeni teens for the first time in our history. This helped cultivate a truly safe, one-of-a-kind political space on the southwest side of Chicago proper and in its southwest suburbs, where Arab teens who knew very little about each other's nationalities, cultures, and dialects, and who oftentimes spent much of their lives segregated along national lines, began to work, learn, and joke together, side-by-side in the AAAN’s Markaz (Center). 

Zachariah's personality and leadership abilities had much to do with this transformation, as his infectious humor and wit played a critical role in breaking down stereotypes and leading to lasting friendships between Palestinian and Yemeni teens that transcended national barriers. Unlike his sister, Nadiah, Zachariah was never the one on the mic, or the MC at the rally, or the loudest chanter, or the chair of meetings, but he lived and embodied the spirit and camaraderie that we have always tried to instill in all of our YOP members.

Zachariah eventually outgrew YOP, and moved on to a role as a worker and leader in his family's business at Worth Market in Chicago's southwest suburbs. While he was no longer participating in day-to-day YOP programming, he continued to be a strong supporter of the AAAN, whether it was encouraging the work of his sisters Nadiah and Iesha, or generously helping us secure items for events and activities from the family’s store, often at no cost.

The tragic news of Zachariah’s passing has affected the AAAN family deeply, as we mourn the loss of a life taken too soon. He is survived by his parents Hani (Abu Zachariah) and Miriam (Um Zachariah); his siblings Yasmin, Nadiah, Iesha, Noah, Aminah, and Amelia; numerous cousins, aunts, and uncles; and entire communities in Chicagoland, the U.S., and Yemen that also mourn his death. 

On a personal note, whenever our paths crossed, Zachariah and I would always say to each other that we needed to get the guys from his generation together for a Ramadan Iftar or just to hang out. We wanted so much to do it, but the realities of work, family, and especially, the intensive organizing of the past two years kept us from ever nailing down a date. 

I would continuously tell myself, “Next week, I’ll visit him at the store and we’ll make a plan for dinner.” I wish I had been more proactive and made sure we got that meal. It's a missed opportunity I will always regret.

Here are the final resting arrangements announced by Zachariah's family, all TOMORROW, Thursday, September 4th, 2025:

Funeral Prayer:

Mosque Foundation

7360 W. 93rd St., Bridgeview, IL 60455

1:20 PM

Immediately after the prayer, funeral procession will commence for the burial at:

Muslim Ummah Cemetery

18131 S. Meader Road, Homer Glen, IL 60491

Beit 3azza (House of Condolences):

Aden Center

9070 S. Octavia Ave., Bridgeview, IL 60455

6 PM - 10 PM 

The AAAN offers its most sincere condolences to all of Zachariah's loved ones: his parents; siblings, especially our colleagues Nadiah and Iesha; extended family; and friends.

We all will miss Zachariah very much. May he Rest In Power!

Muhammad Sankari

Lead Organizer,

Arab American Action Network (AAAN)

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025