Youth Programs
The aim of our Arab American Family Education Initiative (AAFEI) is to equip participants with skills that will help them to gain more stable employment and to more confidently navigate within American society. We strive to end adults' dependence on their children as guides and translators in order to allow them to feel a greater sense of belonging. The program is free of charge unless otherwise noted. Below are the Youth components of the AAFEI.
Brooklynat: The next generation of Arab-American women activists
Fridays, 4:00-5:30pm
Brooklynat is a program for young Arab-American women in New York City that fosters engagement, activism and leadership. Working within a largely conservative and traditional community, we are building a team of young Arab women who are outspoken advocates for the issues that matter to them as empowered and independent Arab-Americans.
"Brooklynat" is the plural of "Brooklyna," an Arabic-English word for an Arab girl from Brooklyn. Proud of her Arab heritage, she grapples with how to integrate her cultural identity with her desire to be a strong American activist. Her parents are new immigrants and in their fierce desire to protect traditional values, they may limit their daughter's opportunities to engage socially, civically and professionally with the wider New York community. Brooklynat inspires young Arab-American women by exposing them to strong female role models and introducing them to skills they need to become the next generation of community leaders.
What do the Brooklynat do?
We create our own community service projects, paint public murals, attend film screenings, spoken word shows, poetry slams, visit art galleries and political rallies.
We meet with other amazing Arab-American women who give back to the community in diverse ways--fashion designers, filmmakers, journalists, and religious scholars.
We decide what issues matter to us and actually DO something about it.
For more information, please contact Aisha.
After-school tutoring - Tuesday-Thursday, 3:00-5:00pm
After-school tutoring is available for children in grades K-8. Tutoring is available to any student, but the vast majority are either themselves English language learners or children of parents whose grasp of English is not strong. As many of them cannot receive sufficient homework help at home, AAANY provides a safe, creative and fun environment where students may develop socially, intellectually and emotionally.
Please contact Aisha for more information.
Princess Club
AAANY's Princess Club provides young girls with a fun activity in which they can also begin building a strong sense of self-esteem. It is a weekly group for girls aged 4-10. Each week, they meet to engage in educational and artistic activities, ranging from performing arts, arts and crafts, screening age-appropriate movies and discussions about various topics.
Summer Youth Program
Every summer AAANY hosts a Summer Youth Program for children ages 7-13. The program includes recreational, cultural and educational activities which in the past have included Arabic lessons, arts and crafts projects, Debke (traditional Arabic dance) lessons, and community service projects.
The overarching goal of the Summer Youth Program is to allow youth of the community to experience the educational and cultural opportunities that surround them in their own neighborhoods, and to have a fun in the process!
The Summer Youth Program runs from July to August on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. The cost is $30 per child plus $25 for each additional child from the same family. The cost includes all activities throughout the summer.
