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NAAP-NY MAY 2004 NEWSLETTER
WELCOME TO NAAP-NY’S 1ST MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!
What an amazing time it is to be a NAAP member! Locally, in the New York City metro area, and across the northeast, NAAP chapters are enjoying unprecedented success and growth. From the launch of the NAAP-NY Arab-American Mentorship Program to the NAAP-DC Imagine-Life Campaign, to a myriad of other exciting projects that are underway, it’s clear that now is a great time to be a part of NAAP.
In an effort to keep you, our members, updated and informed, we’ll be presenting you with a monthly newsletter, which will highlight the programs and initiatives happening on both the local and national level.
Please click on the links below to take a look:
- April NAAP-NY Events Recap
- May NAAP-NY Events and Meetings
- NAAP-NY News
- Looking ahead to June and the summer
- NAAP-National News
Know Your Rights Campaign in NJ! 4/18/04
NAAP-NY is currently working with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ), the Council on American-Islamic Relations of New Jersey (CAIR-NJ), and the Human Rights and Education Law Project (HELP) on a Know Your Rights Campaign to educate our community about employment discrimination, airport stops, police questioning/interrogation, hijab and much more! The very first presentation in this ongoing series took place on Sunday, April 18th at the Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC) in Paterson, New Jersey with almost 100 people in attendance. Featured panelists included: Alisha Mohammed, Esq. HELP, Parastou Hassouri, Esq. ACLU-NJ, Faiza Ali, Executive Director CAIR-NJ and our very own NAAP-NY member, Engy Abdelkader, Esq.
There are a number of events and meetings taking place across all NAAP-NY committees. So be sure to mark your calendar, save the dates, and support your community by coming out to help make these upcoming initiatives successful events!
Saturday May 1st – New Jersey Community Outreach Initiative
NAAP-NY proudly endorsed this important event to help promote an open dialogue between Arab and Muslim communities of New Jersey and State and Federal agencies (i.e. Governor’s Office, FBI, Immigration, etc). Held at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ, this event was spearheaded by the New Jersey Chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and endorsed by a number of community organizations, such as CAIR-NJ, AAI, AMU, PAC-NJ and more.
Saturday May 1st – Revlon Run/Walk for Breast and Ovarian Cancer
For the third year in a row, the NAAP-NY Community Service Committee organized a NAAP team to take part in the Revlon Run/Walk– a fundraising event that benefits the fight against women's cancers. The walk began at 9am in Times Square and ended in Central Park. Captained by Sarah Abdallah and Maha Khalil, the NAAP-NY team was able to raise over $500 for this very important cause. Many thanks to those NAAP-NY members who participated. Congratulations team!!
Tuesday May 4th – Social/Cultural Committee Meeting
We have started plannning some great NAAP-NY summer fun events! BBQ’s, hafla, art shows and more! Lend a creative hand and take on a project!
· Location: Space Untitled at 133 Greene b/t Houston and Prince @ 7pm
· Please contact aghappour@aol.com or amal201@hotmail.com for more info.
· If you're not on the Committee working-list and want to join, please email
naapsocial-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Thursday May 6th – ROAR! Time’s running out…reserve your discount ticket today!
NAAP-NY has organized a group outing to see PALESTINE ON BROADWAY in the world premiere of ROAR by Palestinian playwright, actress and dear friend of NAAP-NY, Betty Shamieh at the exclusive discount price of $26.25!!! (regularly $51.25). The play explores the disrupted lives of a Palestinian-American mother and her family following the first Gulf War.
· Please contact aghappour@aol.com if you’re interested in attending.
Saturday May 8th – New Jersey NAAP-NY Orientation
To all our NAAP members in NJ! Ever wonder...How NAAP-NY works? How NAAP-NY helps the community? How you can help out? Or how NAAP-NY can help you? Join us on Saturday May 8th, when we kick-off the NAAP-NY’s 2004 Orientation Program to welcome members, both new and old, to meet, mingle and learn about how to play a more active role in NAAP-NY and in the Arab-American Community. This will be an informal gathering to introduce and familiarize you with NAAP-NY's mission, process, goals, and future initiatives.
· Location: Pier A Park (1st Street and Sinatra Drive)
· Please email naap_ny@naaponline.org for more info or visit www.kannekt.com/review/hob17996.htm for directions
· Note: rain location will be Panera Bread @ 308 Washington St, Hoboken
Monday May 10th – Political Committee Meeting
Tired of sitting back and watching all the problems our people are facing here and abroad? Tired of others representing our community interests for us? Come to this meeting to help out with all the initiatives we’re involved with regarding Palestine, Iraq, Civil Liberties, electoral politics and more!
· Location: Casablanca Cafe 231 E. 53rd Street (b/t 2nd and 3rd Ave) Lower level @ 7pm
· Please contact sarab998@aol.com or engyyy@aol.com if you’re interested in attending
· If you're not on the Committee working-list and want to join, please email
naappolitical-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Thursday May 13th – Media Committee Meeting
The purpose of the meeting will be to review a plan of action for the year and decide how to move forward. With so much negative stereotypes and misinformation in the media these days, there is a lot we can do if we pull our ideas and efforts together!
· Location: Brooklyn Bagelry, in Manhattan, 33rd St. & 5th Avenue (7:30pm)
· Please contact yasminaai@aol.com for more info
· If you're not on the Committee working-list and want to join, please email naapmedia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Wednesday May 19th – NAAP-NY General Meeting
Maybe you are new to New York in 2004. Maybe you are looking to get involved. Maybe you are thinking about what NAAP-NY can do for you? Or what you can do for NAAP-NY? Join us for the NAAP-NY second General Meeting of the year.
· Location: Casablanca Cafe 231 E. 53rd Street (b/t 2nd and 3rd Ave) Lower level @ 7pm
· Please contact naap_ny@naaponline.org if you’re interested in attending
Friday May 21st – Monday May 24th - The Forgotten Ones, Palestine Children's Art Show
· More info to come…stay tuned! To volunteer or help out for this event please email aghappour@aol.com.
Sunday May 23rd – Counter-Demonstration at the Salute to Israel Day Parade
· The Salute to Israel Day Parade will take place on 5th avenue and for the 4th year in a row PAFNY (Palestine Activist Forum of NY) is organizing a counter-rally (this year will mark 3 years with heavy NAAP-NY involvement). Join us on Sunday May 23 as thousands of New Yorkers from diverse communities; Arab, Jewish, Muslim and Christian gather at the Salute to Israel Day Parade on 5th Avenue to voice their outrage at the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands. Your participation in this peaceful counter-demonstration to the Salute to Israel Parade will send a massive show of support for the Palestinian People.
· Location: 58th/59th Street and 5th Avenue, 11am
· Please contact Maha Khalil at mgk73@yahoo.com for more info and if you’re interested in volunteering for any of the following committees: media, outreach, visuals, messaging and security.
NAAP-NY Membership Survey
· We'd like to thank those who took the time to fill out our online membership survey. Your responses and comments have been tremendously valuable and will certainly help us organize events that tailor to your interests and needs.
· The Membership Outreach Committee will be debriefing us on the survey results at the next general meeting on May 19. To those of you who haven’t filled it out yet, please to take a few minutes to do so as the survey will close on May 12th! Your feedback will help us to improve NAAP-NY based on what you want!
· To access the online membership survey please visit: www.naaponline.org/ny/survey.asp
The Arab-American Mentorship Program (AMP)
· Sign-up to be a mentor...encourage students to be mentored!
· The Arab-American Mentorship Program (AMP), developed by NAAP-NY's Alumni Relations Committee, connects undergraduate students seeking professional guidance with Arab-American professionals in their particular field of interest. Through this mentorship program, we hope that students will gain invaluable insight that will help them define their career goals. We also hope that this program will enhance the leadership skills of our mentors, and expect that mentors will experience great fulfillment by contributing to the futures of Arab youth.
· Successful launch! We received an overwhelming response when we introduced AMP recently. But more we’re always looking for mentors and mentees to participate in this worthwhile program. We can help tailor individual programs to meet participant’s hectic schedules. Please note this program is also open to graduate students and NAAP-NY members interested in having a mentor.
· Please contact either nana997@aol.com or yasmine_shamayleh@hotmail.com to get involved!
Summer’s here and things are starting to heat up! We’ve got big plans for the months of June and July…but need your help. Here’s a look ahead at what you can expect to see rolling out of some of NAAP-NY’s committees. Contact the committee facilitators to find out how you can get involved.
· The Political Action Committee will kick off its Voter Registration Campaign. There’s never been a more crucial time for our community to have its voice heard. Help out by volunteering to register voters at scheduled drives in your area. By the way, are you registered to vote for the upcoming elections? Contact sarab998@aol.com or engyyy@aol.com for more information.
· Know Your Rights forums have been successful tools in informing members of our community of their rights during these uncertain times. To help organize or bring a forum to your area, please contact engyyy@aol.com.
· Party planners alert! Join the Social Cultural Committee’s planning meeting to help organize fun, fun and more fun! The annual NAAP-NY BBQ will be held on Saturday June 19th. We’ve the got the grill and we’ll supply food, but we need you! Bring the Frisbee, bring the music and tell your friends. And after a day in the sun, its time to dance. The Summer Hafla is set for mid-July. Do you know a great place that can host our annual party? We expect this year will be bigger and better, and we hope you’ll be a part of it. To get involved, please contact aghappour@aol.com or amal201@hotmail.com.
· On July 10th Join us in bringing NYC a little bit of outdoor Arab fun at The 2nd Annual Arab-American & North-African Cultural Street Festival a cooperative effort between NAAP-NY and the Algerian American Cultural Center.
· Want to get a table and promote your goods/services at the street fair? Please visit www.naaponline.org/ny/streetfair04.asp for details or email amal201@hotmail.com with any questions.
Imagine Life
We’re sure that many of you have heard about the new Palestine Awareness Campaign Imagine-Life. The campaign was initiated and is being led by the DC chapter of the NAAP, with the support of NAAP chapters in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore. The official campaign kicked-off in Washington, DC on April 19.
· The Imagine-Life Campaign is a grass roots initiative dedicated to raising awareness to the plight of the Palestinian people via alternative channels, i.e. an unprecedented TV ad campaign to bring public awareness to human rights violations in Palestine. Four 30-second ads will run for six months in the D.C area during primetime on CNN, Fox News and other cable networks.
· NAAP-NY backs our sister chapter in this initiative and will work on the best way to move forward on our end to bring the campaign to the NY Metro Area.
· Please visit the Imagine-Life website at www.imagine-life.org to support the campaign. Your support is needed!
A.R.T Downstairs Café T.V. Show
Recently, a handful of NAAP-NY members took part in the taping of the pilot of an A.R.T. Show called “Downstairs Cafe”. Set in a local coffee shop where free-flowing discussion could take place, the idea behind the show is to highlight the inspirations and aspirations of the younger members of the Arab-American community. The show was loosely structured and hosted by a NAAP-NY and NAAP-DC member. This is a NAAP-National initiative that is being run locally in D.C with support from other chapters. The tape of the pilot program was sent off to A.R.T. headquarters and we are awaiting (anxiously) word on whether the series will be picked-up.
NAAP Brand Project
With NAAP chapters growing so quickly here in the NY/NJ area and all along the east coast, there is an effort underway to create a national NAAP brand look and feel that can be leveraged across all chapters to build brand recognition and present the organization as a cohesive local and national movement. Please email sarab998@aol.com if you’d like to help build NAAP’s brand.
THANKS FOR READING!
We hope you enjoyed reading this inaugural issue of the NAAP-NY monthly newsletter. We hope you found it useful and informative. Our goal is simple: to provide you with a one-stop resource for the most up-to-date information regarding NAAP-NY and other NAAP chapters.
We appreciate your continued support and always welcome your input, feedback and involvement. Thank you for making NAAP-NY a successful Arab-American organization. We look forward to seeing you at the next NAAP-NY meeting or event.
If you have any feedback on the newsletter please email us at naap_ny@naaponline.org.
Thank you,
The Network of Arab-American Professionals of New York
www.naaponline.org/ny/ | naap_ny@naaponline.org | 212.592.4052
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