NAAP Chapters Take Part in National Arab-American Service Day!

Published on May 16, 2012 in Community Service and empowerment. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

NAAP Chapters Take Part in National Arab-American Service Day!

On May 19th, Arab-Americans across the country will be cleaning parks, packing food boxes, painting schools and participating in many other activities for the 8th Annual National Arab-American Service Day.

Led nationally by our friends at the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), our NAAP chapters are joining in the national volunteer effort to promote community service and to help create safer, healthier neighborhoods.

“This is our 8th National Service Day, and each year the scope and variety of projects has grown and the number of participants has burgeoned,” said Nadia Tonova, director of NNAAC, which is headquartered in Dearborn, Mich. “Not only does this project connect Arab-Americans nationally, it connects all Americans,” said Tonova.

Since it’s inception eight years ago, NAAP chapters have worked on dozens of projects on the Annual Service Day.

“This initiative is very special for NAAP as it is core to our objective of serving society through volunteerism and community service efforts.” said Samia Zaky, Social Media expert, NAAP-NY boardmember and co-lead for the chapter’s Service Day efforts in the NY/NJ area. “It is also one of those unique events that all NAAP members, regardless of location, can take part in”.

For a list of NAAP Service Day projects visit www.facebook.com/NAAPNational or the NAAP National Event Page.

NAAP LinkedIn Group Re-launched to Enable National Networking!

Published on May 7, 2012 in Networking and Social Media. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

NAAP has re-launched the National LinkedIn Group to further connect members with one another across the national network!

“We see the NAAP LinkedIn group as the premier social medium for Arab-Americans to connect professionally” said Ethar Darwish, NAAP-DC member and key driver of the NAAP-National subcommittee tasked with re-launching the professional networking tool.

Check out the NAAP LinkedIn group today at: http://linkd.in/IienEl

Sub-groups have also been created for unique professions to facilitate networking within those in industries members are interested in. “We realized after much member feedback, that we lacked the mechanism to enable networking WITHIN specific industries – these new LinkedIn sub-groups allow for just that.” added Ethar, an Agency recruiter at a national insurance carrier.

Visit http://linkd.in/IDxeNk to join a sub-group – here is the full list:

  • Academia and Education
  • Architecture and Engineering
  • Arts and Entertainment
  • Entrepreneur and Business
  • Civil Service
  • Creative Design
  • Financial
  • Healthcare Professionals
  • Human Resource and Recruiting
  • Hospitality
  • Information Technology
  • Journalism and Media
  • Law and Politics
  • Marketing and Public Relations
  • Sales
  • Social Service & Non Profit
  • Technical & Mechanical

For questions, email naap-national AT naaponline.org

Join the group! Enter a profession sub-group! Share with your network!

NAAP Needs a Rebrand!

Published on May 6, 2012 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Graphic designers! Helvetica Lovers! Design enthusiasts and makers of beautiful things!

After 10 years, we are looking for a new brand identity to help us kickoff our next exciting phase of growth and development. We want fresh, enthusiastic designers to help us tell our story, and share the mission of our network, share our talent and our incredible success.

“Our Brand strategy is grounded in the notion of “Collective Advancement”.” said National Board member, Elaine Asal who also reps the Baltimore chapter. “This rebrand effort is a really unique opportunity to participate in a process that helps us communicate our message in the freshest way possible. I’m really looking forward to seeing what our incredible network of talent can create!’”

Register by emailing us at NAAPbrand AT gmail.com and we will send you a creative brief for more information.

The deadline for initial concepts/ ideas in MAY 19 (yes, that’s soon, you’re all going to procrastinate to the last minute anyway!) and we will award a designer by May 23rd (cash prize!!!).

Please share broadly – this is a great opportunity to work with a young, forward thinking and progressive org and we look forward to seeing your great ideas!

NAAP creates National Facebook Page to enhance communications across network

Published on May 3, 2012 in Social Media. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Finally! NAAP is moving away from a national Facebook group to a page!

To further enhance communications and better serve members NAAP launched this week the new page: www.facebook.com/NAAPNational

“This is one of many upcoming excited changes taking place over the next couple of months” said NAAP-National Boardmember Tarek H. Abu-Jbarah. “We’re committed to optimizing the way we utilize social media to enable members to connect, regardless of their location”.

The National Facebook Group has been in existence for a few years and has 2,300+ members in it, so the transition will probably last a couple of months. In the meantime “Like” and share the new page to stay up-to-date on NAAP news from around the nation!

One Year Later. It’s still Dignity before Bread.

Published on December 16, 2011 in empowerment. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Hello NAAP Members and friends.

“Dignity before bread. Mohammad’s first concern was his dignity. Dignity before bread” – Mannoubia Bouazizi, the mother of Mohammad Bouazizi, TIME Magazine

One year ago, on Saturday December 17, a young Tunisian named Mohammad Bouazizi set himself aflame in an act of protest against the corruption and humiliation of living in an authoritative state. His self-immolation became the catalyst for a revolt that started in a small town and continues to spread throughout the world, inspiring millions to revolt for dignity, equality & self-determination.

This Arab ‘Awakening’ has both inspired and focused us. NAAP has always stood for the ‘empowerment’ & ‘advancement’ of our people and now is no different – especially now.

Over the past year now, we have put the principles of freedom, human rights, democracy, equality and dignity AHEAD of any individual differences and have organized our networks to support the democratic aspirations of our people.

Together, we have launched DAWN – Democracy in the Arab World Now, to inform and connect people. NAAP chapters have taken part in vigils, sit-ins, protests, educational lectures – we have connected countless members (both here and abroad) with the media, and we, while a humble effort, are doing our part to not sit on the sidelines during this inspiring, yet uncertain time.

We do recognize this isn’t always the most popular thing to do; “selective freedom”, however, whether for political access and interest, or for comfort and convenience, is inconsistent with our vision, mission and aspirations.

We believe we can all play a role, large or small, in amplifying the calls for freedom from Tunisia and Libya to Egypt, Palestine to Syria, Bahrain to Yemen and beyond. The inspiration from our mother countries has truly driven us to look to a future that was only a year ago, unimaginable.

One year later, we are grateful to Mohammad Bouazizi for his self-sacrifice, and recognize, that as we move forward, the pursuit of ‘Dignity’ for all our people will help us achieve our vision of a prosperous and influential community.

Thank you,

The Network of Arab-American Professionals

www.naaponline.org | www.facebook.com/NAAPNational | naap-national@naaponline.org

NAAP is a non-partisan, volunteer based organization dedicated to the development of a prosperous and influential Arab-American community connected through our national network.

Our mission is to connect, organize and empower the Arab-American community by channeling the interests and passions of our members through social, cultural, professional, political and service initiatives.

Currently, NAAP has 9 chapters in Washington DC, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston & Chicago.